Nautical Miles

One of our favorite ways to enjoy the summer sunshine is out on the water. Not just at the neighborhood pool or country club, but out on the open water, preferably on a large sail boat or catamaran with our hair blowing the salt-filled air. Alas, the sailing excursion of our dreams isn’t likely to happen this summer, so we’ll have to make up for it in other ways. One of our favorite ideas is to inject a little nautical style into our homes. The theme relies on simple colors and motifs that are easy and affordable to acquire and add, and thus switch out with the changing seasons.

State the Obvious

Add maritime touches—particularly the most obvious—on coffee tables, desks, nightstands and shelves for an instant hint of beachy nostalgia. Sea shells, fish motifs and even pretty sea glass jars of white sand (with a pretty label marking where it’s from) are ideal, but beautiful photographs of boats, lakes, oceans and sea shores can accomplish the same thing.  (Photo credit: houzz.com)

Striped Explorations

A favorite of fashion enthusiasts and designers the whole world round, bold stripes are another great maritime motif. Try using them in unusual places. Avoid the same old striped throw pillows and blankets, and use the pattern on window treatments, shower curtains and even upholstery. (Photo credit: houzz.com)

Capture the Flag

Beautiful, bright and fun, nautical flags are a fun way to liven up a child’s bedroom or guestroom. Once upon a time, before radios and cell phones, the only form of communication between two vessels or the shore was through the use of nautical flags. There are actually 36 of them-- 26 different square flags each representing a particular letter of the alphabet plus 10 pendants representing the numbers 0 to 9. So you can have fun creating a banner that spells out a name, or a birth date, or a special word or phrase. Click here to get an idea.  (Photo credit: houzz.com)

All Aboard

Repurposing old canoes, rowboats or boat parts as home décor can be an authentic way to add nautical style to a living or guest room. Canoes can be refinished into creative shelving, while oars, sails and steering wheels are all interesting options for wall adornment. Keep an eye on eBay and local flea markets to see what crops up. (Photo credit: houzz.com)

Navy Blues

Navy blue and white is a classic color palette but in general, as it’s ideal for nearly any room in the home, but it also carries with it a heavy dose of nautical nostalgia. If you haven’t used navy in your home before, try it out first in a powder room with a pretty oil painting or photograph of the sea, and a few sea shells on the shelves. (Photo credit: meredith.com)

Are you spending any time out on the water this summer? Tell us about it, so we can live vicariously through you.