Beach Decor

This week while my daughter is on fall break, we are staying at an oceanfront condo at Panama City Beach. Being at the beach makes me realize how much I like beach decor. It’s completely different from my own house which has dark wood and lots of contrast. I love the idea of the whites and pastels, and comfortable slip covered furniture with lots of pillows. Lots of aged wood and painted furniture, and of course, a white kitchen! Unfortunately our condo went with a “West Indies” inspired decor, so all the wood is black or dark cherry and were it not for the beach view out of our windows, I could forget I’m at the beach.

The view from our balcony.

Our goal is to save for place at the beach, probably just a small condo, that would be rented out when we are not here, but a little place to escape to. And of course while we are saving for that goal, I’m thinking about decorating it! So today’s post is all about home decor. I’ve even started a Beachy Board on Pinterest with all my inspirations. I think one of the best things about beach decor is that you can give old items new life with some paint and antiquing. Beach decor definitely doesn’t have to be expensive. The trick is to not be tacky either. I’ve tried to select pictures that show shells and sand used in a way that looks easy and fun, not over the top and screaming beach tourist.

So here’s my favorite beach decor inspirations for today. Because the sooner I get this done the sooner I can head out to the beach again.

A simple mason jar with some sand makes a great candle holder. Instructions are provided at theinspiredroom.net.

Coastal Living shows this vintage inspired bedroom. Wouldn’t you love to fall asleep in that bed?

Space is usually at a premium at the beach (unless you are extremely wealthy and can afford a huge house). These bunk beds from the website MyHomeIdeas.com are a great way to save space. And what child wouldn’t love it?

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and these white kitchens are clean, bright and airy. And they all make good use of small spaces. This tiny kitchen from Houzz.com makes good use of a very tiny space.

This small kitchen featured at HomeIdeas.com makes use of space by going vertical. Those uppers are really up there! But for items that you don’t use very often it’s the perfect storage solution and makes what would be dead space useful.

As for dining rooms, like most beach homes, it’s all about the view. These dining areas are surrounded by natural light and beautiful windows. This kitchen featured at HomeIdeas.com sparkles in a almost all white with a few hits of blue.

And for a comfortable eating area, how about these slip covered chairs featured at HouseofTurquoise.com? Obviously not the best with small children, but hopefully the slip covers were made with preshrunk fabric so that they can be washed when accidents do happen.

As for the living area, I definitely picture slipcovered couches and chairs and a mostly monochromatic scheme of whites, tans and pale blues. This set up from Harmony and Me’s blog fits the bill perfectly.