Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Seaside Cottage Bedroom Design Ideas

Incorporating beach colors into your room gives a seaside feeling.


Decorating your bedroom to look like a room in a seaside cottage can create a relaxing, welcoming environment--even if you are nowhere near the sea. As you plan your design, look for elements that evoke the feeling of sand, sky, and sea. Choose items that will connect the bedroom design to the rest of the house to establish a unified feeling.


Sand Palette








For a relaxing, monochromatic bedroom, use a palette of colors that is reminiscent of the shades of sand. You might paint the walls in a soft beige with cream accents, for example, and find bedding in various neutral shades of pale khaki. For accents, consider looking for art and accessories in seashell colors. By working in varying shades of the same color, you will open up the space in your room and create a relaxing, peaceful feeling.


Rattan Accents


To evoke imagery of beach grass, look for rattan accents. A rattan headboard, for example, can create an understated focal point of the room. You can also find bedside tables, lamp shades, blinds, or coasters in this natural material. For the most elegant look, use rattan sparingly; a few accents will go a long way in creating a beach feeling.


Weathered Wood


One of the most common elements of a seaside cottage is the weathered wood that occurs after exposure to the sun and salty sea air. To recreate this look in your bedroom, look for simple wood items with a weathered finish. Wooden shutters are a charming addition to a bedroom; if you cannot add them to your windows, you can use old shutters as shelves or even as the base for bedside tables. You can also add weathered beams to the ceiling or wall, or find a headboard in a rustic finish.


Nautical Elements


Even if you do not live near the beach, simple elements associated with the sea can add a nautical touch to your bedroom. A jar full of seashells adds instant appeal and can be used as a soft decorating touch. For a more finished look, mount single shells to mat board and hang the board from the wall with rough twine. Look for elements like hanging tin lanterns, ship's wheels, or a rope fishing net to use as decoration.


Blues


If you would like to add color to your bedroom, choose soft shades of blue mixed with white accessories. The mix of blues and white will evoke the feeling of waves with cresting tops, and the overall effect will be calming. Consider painting the walls or a single accent wall in blue, or find accent pillows to add pops of color. You might also look for photography of the ocean that focuses on the blues of the water to add a more literal seaside interpretation and natural feeling to your room.

Tags: your bedroom, your room, bedroom look, bedside tables, create relaxing, evoke feeling