How to Use Nautical Decor to Create the Perfect Living Room

Choosing new living room decor is always a fun project. What could be better than giving the most important room in your house a makeover? Designing your home with a nautical theme is a great way to create a peaceful space that makes you feel like you’re on vacation as soon as you step in the front door after a long day at work.

But exactly how should you get started? Check out these tips for creating a perfectly seaworthy nautical living room: decorating with nautical lighting

Steamer Trunk Coffee Table

Captain’s Office Desk Black Wooden Nautical Maritime Furniture

Start With a Beachy Color Palette

First, choose the colors of your room. Painting the walls a light blue with white trim and sheer curtains is a classic choice for creating a restful space. Add furniture in sandy tan upholstery to complete the coastal look. These gentle colors are the same ones you find at the beach, and they create a perfect backdrop for a nautical living room.

Lifeboat Wooden Oars for Decoration

Choose a Focal Point

Look around your living room and decide where you can create a focal point for your theme. If you have a fireplace with a mantel, that’s a natural spot to focus your guest’s attention. A large wall or the area above a couch can also work, as long as it’s a place where the eye will naturally come to rest.

Once you’ve chosen the spot, hang a real tour-de-force piece of decoration. Model ships make a great impact for a nautical living room: the intricate details capture attention and serve as a prime conversation starter. Choose a half hull sailboat model to hang on the wall, or add a small collection of sailboat models to grace a mantel or built-in bookshelves. Wooden tall ship models also add a fine historical flair for a more formal living room.

Add the Finishing Touches

To complete the look of your beach-themed living room, just add a few more accessories. Nautical throw pillows on the couch and a collection of decorative shells, sand dollars and other sea treasures are great touches. You can also choose nautical-themed lighting overhead or on a side table to make your living room look ship-shape. For your walls, add a series of nautical flags or a lovely painting of a seascape to finish the look.

Once your natty, nautical living room is complete, all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy it!