Besides looking good, you want your oceanfront home to stand up to the elements and last a long time. Which seaside home decor items give you both protection and appeal?
How to pull together the perfect seaside home decor
Here are four options to help maintain your seaside paradise with minimal maintenance and repair costs.
Decorative Shutters
Besides creating a dramatic focal point for your home, these wooden or vinyl doors will protect your home from windstorms and hurricanes. Living near the sea means conditions can change quickly. Shutters are easy to close, giving you fast protection from the wind and lightning. These materials will protect your property when you are on vacation. In the winter, you can close them to block out the coldest winds and preserve your home energy.
Proper Lighting
You will want waterproof equipment. Using marine grade lighting ensures your exterior light systems hold up to the moisture and salt in your climate. The materials for these light units are thicker and more durable because of the use near the water. Using this equipment will save money in the long run because you will not replace it as often as standard exterior lighting.
To save the most money and get the best security, LED lights are an excellent option. Motion-detecting lights will save money by only coming on when something triggers the light. Solar walkway lights are inexpensive and only cost the purchase price.
Hardscape
You will minimize the amount of lawn maintenance you have by using hardscape ideas like wood furniture, rock gardens, fountains, and fire pits. These items cut down the amount of plant life that you must tend to and replace after a storm blows through. Bridges and concrete paths are beautiful additions to your yard space and provide a stunning backdrop for your cottage or beach home design.
Stick to White
Using bold colors works wonderfully on accent pieces. However, white works the best for the largest spaces on the exterior of your house. With the salty content of the ocean spraying against your house and mixing in the air, your home will always have a white covering. If you paint the house this color, then the spray takes longer to see. You can power wash it when you want instead of every time it needs it.
While living by the sea is definitely the scenic dream of many, it comes with its own challenges in terms of dealing with the salty spray. Even if your home is by a freshwater lake or other large body of water that doesn’t have so much salt, you want to make sure that your home is decorated with things that will last against the weather. These tips are just a few of the ways you can accomplish that.
Author Bio: Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure.
