Nautical Chic

You didn't really think I could stop at just one nautical post did you?! I grew up in a home with paintings of ships and boats, scrimshaw, and Nantucket Lightship baskets (which is kind of funny since Pennsylvania is a landlocked state) and the love of everything nautical has stayed with me. I have my own collection of seascapes but I have nothing on these interiors which feature paintings and other fun accessories, especially the Ralph Lauren room above! Ahoy mateys!

Coastal Living

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

Johnson Hartig

Stuart Membrey

Thom Filicia

Reader Request

I had a reader email me today asking about durable white fabrics that will stand up to dogs. She wants to decorate her home in white with blue accents which made me think of this beautiful home on Nantucket designed by Victoria Hagan. While white looks great, it can be difficult to keep clean in summer homes and those with pets and sticky fingered children so if you absolutely have to have white upholstery, try outdoor fabrics. They are designed to repel stains, water and mildew. This usually makes them feel like sandpaper but Rogers & Goffigan makes a really lovely line of softer feeling outdoor fabrics under their line DeLany & Long. I'm not a fan of slip covers but I do love zip off cushion covers that can be removed for cleaning and advise my clients to order extra sets. If one set is dirty, you can easily zip on a new set. It's also nice to have extra seat cushion covers since they take the most wear and tear on chairs and sofas. Too bad it's not warm enough for Nantucket yet. This house looks very inviting!

Photos by Scott Frances

Nantucket Light

One of my biggest regrets in life is that for all the years I lived in Boston, I never visited Nantucket. Terrible. I know. I'm ashamed. But it's not easy to get to and requires ferry reservations, so I just always went to the Cape. The photos of this home on Nantucket Harbor that I found online at House Beautiful are just the motivation I need to plan a trip as soon as possible. It is the perfect example of decorating with nautical accents that is so charming and makes me miss New England, especially when it's 90+ degrees in New York. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!