Beach Cottage Decorating Ideas

Beach cottage décor is a very loosely defined style of cottage furniture styling.

Generally, the beach cottage basics are furniture made of distressed woods or wicker, that have a soft look and add to a care free, relaxed theme.

But once you have the main pieces in the room, how do you really make the place sing? It's the finishing touches that are going to turn a house into a home.

Pillows

When it comes to coastal décor, pillows are key. You want to have comfort as well as style to make a beach cottage really feel right. When choosing pillows, you need to keep both of these things in mind. Obviously, just by the fact that they are pillows, they are adding to the comfort level. Now think of what the pillows should look like. You should choose a set of pillows that have embroidery or appliqués depicting sea turtles, coral or ocean scenes for a more beach feel. If you want more of the cottage look, think country. Pillows with a rooster or bird's nest design may be just the right addition.

Trays

While some people think tabletops are enough, those who understand decorating know that a simple tabletop is a space waiting to be filled. This can be done simply with decorative trays such as those that match those coral design pillows, or even a large shell studded tray that will bring a piece of the beach into your home.

Frames

If you have a lot of pictures of sea scenes in your home, why would you put them inside of average, every day frames? Instead consider frames made of distressed wood or that have been painted in appropriate color schemes to match the rest of your home décor.