Do you ever crave a moment by the sea? Maybe it’s the tranquility of the waves lulling you to sleep, the fresh salty breeze, or the feeling of sand between your toes. Whatever it is about the ocean that sets your heart in motion, you can carry the look into a beachside house or bring the ocean to you when you’re 1000 miles from the sea. Here are some great designs for inspiration.

A great nautical design starts by leveraging navy blues and bone whites throughout your fabrics, paints, and accents. Navy and white stripes make a great runner and pillow combo, especially when combined with this funky navigational chart wallpaper.

Photo Credit: The Home Barn

White furniture is easily given a nautical flare with some blue pillows scattered about.  The boat book shelf is an ingenious touch that leaves you in a “sitting beside the sea” mood.

Photo Credit: Decor Medley

Blue stripes integrate with this ultra-modern nautical take, with sleek clean lines and lots of natural light. Check out the mirror a la porthole for a fun twist.

Photo Credit: At Interior

There are several ways to bring the ocean theme to your bedroom – these striped walls provide the perfect backdrop for an otherwise mellow nautical design.

Crisp modern nautical sheets and coverlets, along with curtains and other fabrics, are a great and inexpensive way to bring this look to the bedroom. Some options hearken back to the glory days of big ships, and have an antique nautical feel like this set.

Other approaches are more minimalist.

Another popular approach is integrating the patriotic with navy themes. These tend to be bolder, and bring in reds and more color to work with. If you like a bigger color palette, this is a distinctive take on the nautical theme.

Photo Credit: Home Decorating Co

If your kids are little sailors at heart, the options are endless. Some light carpentry quickly builds a shell that turns a kid’s bed into an actual boat.

Photo Credit: Marine Insight

In any room, small touches that quickly lend a nautical feel include interesting rope designs, like these framed on the wall and used as part of accessories.

Photo Credit: Ocean Home Mag

Photo Credit: Style Theories

Photo Credit: Style Theories

Boats are being worked into design in interesting ways, from accent pieces to the furniture itself.

Photo Credit: The HomeBarn

Life preservers have a role in nautical design, both indoors and outdoors. Some are functional, others purely decorative.

Photo Credit: The HomeBarn

A whole other approach works in softer pastel colors, seashells, and sand to give more of an “at the beach feeling.” Shells can actually become part of the structural support of a house or an accent piece.

Photo Credit: Porta Weddings

Photo Credit: Make Merry Events

Outdoor spaces can also be transformed with nautical elements, from lighting to lawn furniture. Any backyard can give the feeling of overlooking the sea.

Photo Credit: Nautical Cottage Blog

Photo Credit: Shades of Light

Photo Credit: Houzz

With all of these great ideas, you can give a nautical makeover to any room of your house in no time. So what are you waiting for? Start redecorating today!

Written by Jim Klossner