Beach cottage style is all about finding creative ways to bring the beach indoors.
It doesn't matter if you're decorating an actual beach cottage or decorating a house with a beach cottage style, the theme requires you to bring the beach indoors. Oceanside colors and themes, such as sandy brown and seashells, are only part of the décor requirements. Beach styles also require natural materials, such as linen and wicker, and an overall casual feel. Does this Spark an idea?
Floors and Walls
Beware of going overboard with blue when you're using a beach cottage style. You don't want to create the feel of being underwater, you want to create the feel of being next to water. Stick with neutral background colors and bold accent colors to create an easy, breezy, casual beach style. For example, dark blue carpet and aqua blue walls appear imposing, but pine floors and pale blue walls appear welcoming.
Try dark wood floors and pale coral pink walls for a kitchen with a simple beach cottage style, or pale aqua tiles and light sand walls for a kitchen with a cheerful style. Light wood floors and cream walls with dark blue trim provide a crisp look in a living room. Light sea-green carpet and white panel walls provide a relaxing look in a bedroom.
Bedroom
Simple and relaxing styles are the hallmarks of a bedroom with a beach cottage style. Old and battered furniture in white wicker, light wood or white-painted wood is guaranteed to work with the theme. For example, a bedroom consisting of a white wicker nightstand, light pine dresser, white wicker bench and white wood headboard provides an eclectic cottage look. White linens, a dark blue comforter, sea-green pillows and light blue pillows with seashell patterns turn the bed into a colorful focal point in the room.
Kitchen
Stick with classic white to create a kitchen with a beach cottage theme. White panel cabinets with dark blue knobs and light aqua countertops keep the overall style bright with hints of watery hues. White, cobalt blue or stainless steel appliances work with the clean style. Tan-and-blue striped linen curtains on the windows and in front of the sink add an old-fashioned accent. A blue and green woven rug in front of the sink and driftwood-framed seashell shadowboxes on the walls help tie the kitchen hues together.
Living Room
Beach cottage living rooms are casual, comfortable and inviting areas that look particularly good with large amounts of natural light. Earthy living room furniture, such as tan linen couches and natural wicker armchairs, provide subtle background hues for bold decorative accents, such as aqua and white-striped throw pillows. Natural decorative accents, such as a seashell-filled basket on the coffee table and a wooden sailboat model on the bookshelf, add bursts of beach color to help balance the overall design.
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