When considering a new decorating theme for any room, there are 3 things you want to think about - the colors, the furniture and the accessories. Here are some tips on how to pull together a beach theme in your home using these 3 elements.



Any good beach decorating theme should tie in the colors of the beach. Sky and ocean blues, sandy tans and sunshine yellows look great. However, a white color scheme accented with blue and yellow pillows and accessories can look wonderful too. One fun idea is to paint the ceiling a yellow, the walls a light blue and use tan colored rugs - sisal rugs are great for this theme.

If you are on a budget, then paint is the perfect solution. It is cheap plus it makes a huge impact on any room. In fact, paint is one of the least expensive decorating options but makes the biggest difference.

Furniture

You want the furniture for your beach theme to be casual. Soft fluffy couches with slip covers are ideal and don't forget to include lots of pillows. You might also consider wicker but make sure it is sturdy enough for household furniture. If you are decorating a kitchen, whitewashed wooden kitchen tables and chairs go great with this theme.

Buying new furniture can be expensive, but if you have old furniture that is sturdy and has the right shape, you can simply get some nice slipcovers and you'll have a whole new look. Got an old kitchen table that doesn't quite "go"? Then why not give it a coat of paint and then add some character by sanding down some of the edges to give it an antiqued look? If you have to buy new furniture then check out some of your local consignment shops - you can often get like new furniture for a fraction of the price.

Accessories

Here's where the fun starts! You can decorate with seashells, starfish and beach themed prints. Try buying some large shells and putting them on them mantle, coffee table and end tables. You might consider shelving to show off your shell collection. If you are going for a soft look, try hanging watercolor prints of beach scenes. For a more traditional look, you might consider oil painting of ships. Also, don't overlook using clear glass lamps filled with seashells or beach glass.

Beach themed accessories can be really inexpensive and often free! Take a trip to the beach and pick up all the shells you can find. For larger shells and dried starfish, you can visit a shell shop. For paintings and prints, scour the consignment shops or antique malls for inexpensive artwork that appeals to your senses.

As you can see, beach decorating can be fun and thrifty if you keep an eye out for a good bargain and know where to shop. The key is to plan your room out ahead of time and then you can spend a little time each day shopping for bargains as you put together your perfect beach themed room.