Guest Room: Get Nauticalized!

I've been thinking about the guest room lately. Just thinking. Very little "doing" around here lately. Could be the blazing temperature or just my general summer-time laziness.

I have always had a thing for nautical stuff. In a perfect world, my alter-ego would wear white everyday and sale around the sea in a hypothetical sailboat with the wind whipping through my hair. In real life I wear black about 95% of the time and trudge around the city with my headphones on.

So this is my guest room, inspired by the sea...


1. The room as it sits right now. Kensington Blue (BM Aura in Flat finish) on the walls. Decorator's White semi-gloss on the trim. Fresh white ceilings. Floor - newly finished in Minwax Jacobean.
2. These pretty blue and white ceramic pieces are the original inspiration for the room's colors. Blue and white china reminds me of my childhood, because we always ate off the old-school Blue Danube plates. These ceramic pretties by Samantha Robinson are the perfect modern twist.
3. Mirrors are a must in guest rooms. And this one from Ballard Design will do nicely perched above the dresser. Also a twist on the white against blue background.
4. Let's bring in some primary color. Got a vintage Moonbeam alarm clock? Check.
5. I have an old dresser from the 50s - similar in shape and size to the one pictured here. Wouldn't it be a bit dramatic to paint it a dark glossy black?
6. It would be sweet to leave a few favorite books in the room. Extra points for the gorgeous cloth-bound hardcovers from Penguin Classics.
7. A couple of upholstered benches at the end of the bed would be a handy place to lay a suitcase, or sit to put on your shoes in the morning.
8. I already have a brass headboard, similar to this style, that I have started to prime. White glossy paint is next! Also love simple white bedding for a guest room.
9. For a side table - something light - like this little round table.
10. A simple clean-lined lamp like the Kathryn from Crate and Barrel.
11. Vintage-style drinking glass from Anthropologie.
12. Pillows! How I love thee... The coral-embroidered cushion or the sea creature inspired pair of pillows to really drive the nautical point home.
13. Navy and white striped linen - for the sheets, or for another detail, such as the window coverings.