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Creating a Beach House Bathroom Decorating Theme
by Kathy Burns-Millyard

Description: Tips for decorating your bathroom with a beach house theme.

Bring a breath of fresh air to town bathrooms with a breezy beach-house theme, or create a soothing mood inspired by the natural colors and textures of the seashore.

The beach-house bathroom is a foil of gentle contrasts. Clean lines and a restricted color palette create a fresh, uncluttered look. The colors of sun, sea, and sand are naturally an influence. The style is low-key, romantically rustic, and simple. And the way you put the colors together should reflect these qualities.

Take the cool blues - deepest marine to palest aqua - for inspiration, and choose from the yellows - vibrant sunshine yellow and sand-gold to cream - to provide a contrast. Using white as a foil, you can blend colors to express quite different moods. Opt for a bright and summery seaside atmosphere with strong color brights - use deckchair stripes on furnishings and tiles. Alternatively, choose the sun-bleached looks of a beach cabin - soft whites, muted blues, light sandy-grays, and pale yellows - and echo the weathered tones of driftwood and pebbles with limed and color-washed wood and stone effects.

Creating the Look

For a fresh, airy, coastal mood, paint walls and ceiling white, or in a pale to mid-tone matte latex. A change of texture - tongue-and-groove paneling or plain tiles - will add interest below wainscoting level. A darker color will "ground" the scheme and suggest sea and sky. Choose strong contrasts such as marine blue and white, or go for a subtle distressed or color-washed finish. Pale colors and close harmonies will create a gentle, ethereal look.

Beach-house style has a period feel but it is easy to integrate modern features. Select a simple bathroom suite in white or cream, or a clean-lined retro-style design. Panel the bathtub to complement the wainscoting area, or with natural or whitewashed pine. Otherwise install a freestanding, curtained bathtub. Site a shower cubicle behind a divider "wall" - this can be tiled on the inside and paneled on the other - or screen the shower area with a marine pattern shower curtain or a plain or striped glass panel. If stripped, limed, or painted floorboards are not available, choose vinyl flooring in a coastal color, or cover existing flooring with wooden decking. Natural fiber matting and cork tiles also work well. Stone tiles, quarry tiles, and mosaics enhance the rustic look - make them warm with cotton rugs.

Style Pointers

WALLS

Atmospheric color: soft white, neutrals/aqua/ blue latex/tiles/ tongue-and-groove paneling; stenciled marine motifs; aqua color mosaic details.

WINDOWS

Curtains/simple: pale/white semi sheers; tab-headed, cased, basic gathered styles; eyelet/laced calico panels; improvised driftwood/painted wood curtain rod.

Blinds/shutters: natural wood slatted blinds; roll-up cane; painted/distressed wooden shutters.

FABRICS

Naturals/stripes: rough/smooth/loose weave linens; muslin; waffle cottons; toweling; striped cottons; marine prints.

FLOORING

Natural/rustic: stripped/painted/limed boards; wooden decking; stone/quarry tiles; cork.

Rugs: woven grass/rush mats; nubby cotton weave/rag rugs; wooden boardwalks/cork mats.

BATHROOM FITTINGS

Period style/white: simple, wood paneled bathtub; old-fashioned freestanding bathtub; matching basin; low-key modern styles; traditional cross head brass or chrome taps; see-through shower panels/marine motif/striped shower curtain.

FURNITURE

Weathered wood: country-style cupboards/chest/chair/shelves in limed, distressed, color-rubbed wood, iron frame/wicker.

LIGHTING

Simple/period: glass/metal fishermen's brass lantern; turned wood sconce candelabrum/candles.

ACCESSORIES

Marine/weathered: shell or driftwood mirror frame; porthole shaped mirror; rustic shelves; wooden bath rack; rustic style/period glass containers; cane/wicker laundry basket; color coordinated/striped towels; sea sponges; natural objects - pebbles, shells, starfish; model boats; carved wooden seabirds.

©2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Want to learn about other types of Home Decorating Styles? Visit the Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network now to see some excellent articles and photos, plus be sure to get signed up for our free Home Decorating Tips Letter Too!

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