Decorate a Bathroom with a Beach Theme

Looking for tips on creating a bathroom beach decor theme? Then stay right there. We've got some tips for you...

Creating the relaxing atmosphere of the sunny beach in a bathroom is an excellent goal.

For city dwellers whose primary color palette in the world seems to be the gray, black and brown of the city coupled with neon lights, creating a relaxing bathroom beach decor scene is chance to bring the soft color palette of the beach, the warmth of the sun and the sound of the waves to their homes.

Simple colors, bleached accents and gentle lighting are all important elements for a bathroom beach decor theme.

The Essence of the Beach through Color

When decorating your bathroom in a beach theme, one of the most important decisions you can make is your color palette. The colors of the beach are washed out shades of blue, yellow, white and green. Bring these colors into your bathroom through the use of paint, window treatments, towels and artwork. An excellent way to bring the bathroom beach decor theme to the surface is painted paneling.

Painting paneling an off white and then distressing it with faux painting techniques or crackling can bring the appearance of a sun word beach house inside. Walls painted in a soft blue and then dragged with white are a soft addition to any bathroom beach decor. If you have a bolder them in mind, use the stormy sea for you inspiration and bring in deep blues, emerald greens or the orange red of the blazing sun.

Conversely, use the different shades of sand as the basis for a bathroom beach decor theme. Wheat, cream, soft peach and pink can combine to create a unique beach bathroom. A final idea is to base your color scheme on the brilliant hues of the sun. From dawn until dusk, there are a multitude of golds, yellows, oranges, reds and even purples to choose from. Use these varied shades to recreate a soft beach dawn or the sun blazing down to kiss the seas at night.

Many of the faux painting techniques that are currently popular would work very well in this case. Color washing, dragging, distressing and crackling are examples of faux painting that could be used when designing a bathroom beach decor theme. Check with your local home improvement store. Many of them offer classes to teach these techniques.

If no classes are available, there are several excellent books these stores usually carry. Don't be afraid to experiment with these exciting techniques. Using small pieces of wall board is a great way to try out the techniques without damaging your walls.

Distressed Accents to Round out the Room

So much of the beach is bleached or distressed wood. From driftwood to the weathered sides of beach houses, this white to gray wood is well known by beach goers. Consider using drift wood for your bathroom beach decor theme to bring some more of the shore into your home. Create shelves for weathered wood or use smaller pieces as nick knacks.

This is also the perfect time to pick up shells, starfish, fossils and unique rocks to accent your bathroom. Other natural materials can be brought in to highlight the beach theme in your bathroom. Palm fronds, jute or hemp fibers, and bamboo can all be used in your beach bathroom. An excellent idea is to use 100% cotton or linen to create your window treatments.

What is more reminiscent of the beach then light fabric blowing in the gentle sea breeze? Use hemp or jute rope to create unique tie backs.

Don't Forget About the Sun

When creating a bathroom beach decor theme, it is important to bring in one last element, light. Ideally, a window will be available for natural light, as that is the best choose. Using light colored fabric for your window treatments will bring in plenty of natural light. If there is no window available, you must find a way to create sunlight in your windowless room. Light fixtures with natural light bulbs or frosted bulbs will soften the light in the bathroom.

Another option is to try and recreate the feeling of the beach bonfire with candle sconces. Perhaps the best light fixture to pick is one with a fan. A ceiling fan with woven paddles will create movement in the air, moving the soft fabric of your window treatments as well as provide additional movement for air and steam.

Additional Decorating Idea's

For some added beach flair, considering using one or more of the following elements:

  1. The pin stripping of beach chairs in an excellent pattern to use for shower curtains
  2. Oversized towels will bring to mind the beach towels we all know and love.
  3. Lanterns are another lighting element that can be used to bring the beach into your home.
  4. Use oversized prints of beach themes, the sea, or the sun for your artwork. Keep the color palette complimentary to the colors you have chosen for your walls.
  5. Model ships or ships in bottles sitting on a shelf are a unique touch.
  6. Netting, reminiscent of hammocks or nets can be used as elements in window treatments or shower curtains.
  7. Consider distressing your vanity to give it that bleached look.
  8. Use white fixtures with silver accents are the perfect choice for sinks, tubs and showers.
  9. If your shower has a glass door, frosted glass will bring a soft glow to the room.
  10. For another fabric choice, calico prints are an option.
  11. Look for natural flooring choices like stone tiles or bleached wooden floor boards.
  12. Consider using one of the many sailors' knots in your beach bathroom in tie backs and other decorative touches.
  13. Use soap shaped like sea shells for a whimsical touch.
  14. Offer liquid soaps that smell like the sea. Coconut is an excellent choice.


Bringing the beach into your home by designing a bathroom decorated in the style of the beach is simple and fun. Through the use of colors reminiscent of the beach and several unique touches, any bathroom is sure to shine in the style of the beach.
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