Easy, Beach-Inspired Decorating Ideas

By Real Simple
Updated August 29, 2014
Credit: Ditte Isager
How to create a casual vibe with sunshine, white space, and organic treasures.
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Arrange Found Objects

Credit: Ditte Isager

Gathered seashells, driftwood, and spare trinkets in a wooden bowl make for a simple, yet charming centerpiece.

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Artfully Filter Light

Credit: Ditte Isager

A gauzy curtain diffuses daylight and makes a luminous backdrop for whatever you put in front of it—even a simple chair. The idea is to gracefully reveal (rather than conceal) the window, so a single panel is all you need. Pick a panel with generous length to create lush, romantic pooling on the floor.

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Make Art From Beach Bounty

Credit: Ditte Isager

Don’t let random shells and other ephemera go to waste—use them to warm up a kitchen or an entryway by creating a rustic, relaxed display alongside baskets and glass jars.

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Lighten Up the Living Room

Credit: Ditte Isager

Wicker and raw wood, cotton rugs, two earthy perches in place of a traditional coffee table, and extra sunlight from an uncovered window all invite vacation-house serenity.

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Loosen Up Your Bed

Credit: Ditte Isager

Effortless layering of natural cottons and linens offers refreshing, unfussy comfort. White sheets serve as a clarifier, keeping the bed from looking overly disheveled.

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Stage an Airy Tableau

Credit: Ditte Isager

Summerize a spot you walk past a thousand times a day. Open pieces—an X-shaped stool, a see-through lamp, and a delicate, homemade sea garland—bring an ethereal quality because they let light through. Even the high-hanging hat and the low row of shells on the steps are all about the bare space around them.

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Create a Napping Nook

Credit: Ditte Isager

A hammock propped for comfort makes a tempting resting and reading spot through fall.

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Throw Together a Neutral, Wild Arrangement

Credit: Ditte Isager

Garden or supermarket flowers in antique, washed-out tones take on a playfully unfettered feel in clear, casual vessels—and anyone can get the look. The recipe: something tall (here, allium), something textured (carnations and scabiosas, shown), and something cascading (like spring snowflakes).

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