Shopping Scandal

Each empty wall in your home is an invitation to creativity! In the picture above I've tried to present a simple idea, actually a minimalist decor style on the wall white and navy club. The simple line drawings of marine life, easily found around the shoreline on a beach, stand out over the background but, wisely arranged, do not overwhelm the visitor. Although the present examples are all small marine life, you can, of course, choose larger life forms (like whales!), or paintings or drawings of boats, ships,  ocean waves, surfing images, or ship parts (like helms and anchors). Use complementary colors to make the bluer blue: notice the gold in the central lit basket and the faded ecru color of the straw items on the chairs. Gold, blue, oranges and deep or muted yellows (like the color of sand!) are perfect complements to blue.The complementary colors can be in some of the items on the walls or over the chair, sofa, console table or other furniture or surfaces visually ne...

Nautical or coastal decor is one of the favorite styles for homes and building both close and far from the sea. And the reasons for this passion is primal, as explained by psychologists and scientists  that have examined the reasons why we love it. I have tried to summarize my views and those of some scientific views about this in my previous post. Aside from the science, nautical decor is just gorgeous. I've lived all my life near the sea and even when I lived in the great plains of the United States, hundreds of miles away from the coast, I tried to bring the feel of the sea to my home. Granted, some people like mountain or country styles, or minimalist or urban styles...but nautical remains one of the most popular styles! Wonder why? Because it's relaxing and beautiful and makes you feel like you're on vacation even if it's Monday morning and you live in a big city! There is no definition of what nautical or coastal decor is, but I tend to view nautical as...

The human brain is wired to associate water with well-being.  And nautical and coastal decor is very popular because it evokes the sea and, essentially, water. Why? Just imagine the primitive times when humans wandered vast lands looking for a place to settle. The most important elements to find near a settlement would be shelter, - like caves or materials to build huts - food (edible plants and animals) and water. Even for short time stays, the primitive man probably chose most importantly, places with water,  which is the element that they need the most and most frequently for survival. Early human settlements and the greatest civilizations developed near the sea and large rivers. Rome grew around the Po, Mesopotamia grew between two large rivers (Tigris and Euphrates), the early Chinese civilization (near the Yellow River) etc. Even today, the largest most developed cities are near the sea or rivers; take for example, New York City, Tokyo, Lisbon and London, just to ...

If you already have a room with blues, white and golds...and you want to keep it simple but definitely dedicate the "scene" to a truly nautical theme, with tall ships, you can always add a pinch of such flavor with accessories. This works for any room in your home, whether it's the family room, bathroom, or dining room. Trinket trays, serving trays, coasters, boxes, decorative plates or tiles, and other tiny items can give the touch that's needed to transform your space into a nautical one. Here are some examples: Brigantine Sailboat & Seagulls Beverage Coaster by OpusPosh Nautical Classic Ship (Neutral) Beverage Coaster by OpusPosh Nautical Classic Ship (Blue) Stone Coaster by OpusPosh Tall Ship, Clipper ship, Sail, U.S. Coast Guard Coaster by CarolinaPhotoToGo Tall Clipper Ship Ocean High Seas Coaster by farmer77 Sailing Clipper Ship High Seas Ocean Coaster by farmer77 Old Ship and Map Blue Beach House Sto...

Nautical themes are among the most popular styles these days. Timeless and elegant, nautical decor can also be paradoxically informal and relaxing. The predominant colors will be blue, white and gold, the colors associated with the sea or beach, sand, clouds and sunlight. Combining elements of the marine environment with stripes and knot designs makes for a cozy feeling unlike any other, and allows you to recreate a calm holiday vacation feeling even if you live in the middle of a huge city like New York. It's actually creating your little getaway even in the middle of a concrete jungle. Printed simulations or actual materials including wood, rope and canvas along with the color mentioned above (gold, blue and white) combine in different ways to give it a more formal or informal feeling. Polished dark wood and warmer shade of dark blue (or even red) and gold lend themselves for a more formal feel, as do more antique drawings and elements. Lighter shades of wood - particularl...