I recently repainted our main bathroom with a crisp navy and warm white palette. This nautical colour combo seems fitting for a bathroom, and with a few nautical-inspired accessories, the bathroom is fresh and charming.
Even in a small space, strong colour can look beautiful. White bathroom fixtures lend themselves well to a strong wall colour such as navy blue.
When I happened upon this kitchen photograph (courtesy of Moen) that had a similar palette, I knew my colour choice for our bathroom was relevant and current. A timeless classic such as navy and white transcends fads and always has a place in the decor. This lovely kitchen confirms this concept.
Although the kitchen is large, there isn't a lot of wall space. There are many items that break up the strong wall colour. The large tiled area over the range is a perfect example. Then there is the lovely arched window over the sink and banks of white cabinets. Navy blue works best when balanced against white so the strong colour choice is perfect for this particular kitchen.
The nautical style is on the casual side but the colour combo can appear cool and stark if you're not careful. In our sample kitchen, rich wooden floors and an island in a similar finish add warmth, which keeps this gorgeous room from feeling too austere. Just like in a fine boat, rich wood finishes add visual texture, a sense of history and richness to the space.
Although ultra-modern, the stainless steel side-by-side fridge fits right in. The newer, oversized appliances can sometimes stick out like a sore thumb when retrofitting. Having the appliances encased in the cabinet finish makes them relate to the rest of the kitchen as was done here. The cabinet hardware, faucet and accent lanterns in a steel finish make the space cohesive.
Fun with accessories
With this style of decor, it's easy to go overboard (pun intended) with nautically inspired accents. Try to reel yourself in, as less is more in this case. Unless you're decorating a room at your beach house and like a kitschy look, use items such as seashells, driftwood and river rocks in small doses throughout the room. Display them in trendy containers that speak to your personal style, as was done so beautifully in this lovely kitchen.
Some other stylish options might include small, framed seashells in a shadowbox frame, vintage boating items such as a worn boat oar, sea-inspired artwork, boat replicas, framed nautical maps, globes, a boater's coxswain, a vintage compass, painted driftwood (painting it provides a contemporary twist), a vintage fishing rod and fish basket or a vintage tin advertising sign.
You can also include other boat-inspired items such as dock cleats as coat hooks. In our bathroom I chose to use a framed photograph we took of a Winnipeg Beach pier to adorn one wall. I enlarged the photo so it was size-appropriate for the application.
Adding texture and warmth through items such as wicker containers and mats can also support the nautical theme. The open shelving in this kitchen is chockablock with starfish, coral and cookbooks, which are displayed in large wicker containers.
The feature window, which happens to look onto the beach, has a lovely arched design that was mimicked on the far wall. This technique adds tons of drama to what otherwise would have been just a bank of white cabinets. Not everyone has the budget for a project such as this, but you can include arches through accessories such as mirrors in an arch shape, wall murals or perhaps a faux arched window (perhaps an old salvage find, for example) displayed on the wall.
The choice in pendent lights is perfect for this style of decor. The lights are similar to boat lighting and are large scale to fit the oversized kitchen.
There is a perfect balance of white and punches of colour in this kitchen. As I've mentioned before, rich wall colour needs to be offset with a light (usually a white) colour in order to make is pop and to reflect light throughout the room. Whether that white is from bath fixtures, decorative trim, cabinets or white wall accents, it's a necessary balance.
Sometimes, the classic styles are a simple and lovely choice. If the nautical style seems appealing to you, why not give it a try?
connieoliver@shaw.ca
