15 Sea-Inspired Decorating Ideas for Bathrooms

There's nothing quite like the sound of crashing waves at a nearby coastline. Bring that tranquil feeling into your bathroom retreat with these 15 beach-inspired decorating ideas.

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November 25, 2014

By: Kayla Kitts

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Coastal Powder Room

A visit to this powder room is a like a delightful trip under the sea, complete with fish friends (courtesy of the wallpaper) and a porthole mirror.

From: Blackband Design

Powder Room With Shell Wall

This powder room combines a textured shell wall with a dark painted fish mural to create a bold, contemporary design. A long rectangular mirror hangs above the marble vanity with a brass faucet.

From: Charles Pavarini III

Green Contemporary Bathroom With Fish

Go fish! This playful bathroom fills an accent wall with a sea of colorful fish. The other lime green walls and a warm wood vanity are the perfect pairing.

From: Emily Pinney

Fishy Feel

Wallpaper featuring schools of fish suit the crisp contemporary design of this kid's bathroom swimmingly. Classic white subway tile makes up the backsplash in the shower and the poplar floor is painted white.

From: Linc Thelen Design

Powder Room with Fish Wallpaper

Obviously, the fish wallpaper is adorable and eye-catching in this powder room. But don't overlook the other creative design in this small space. The window was strategically placed to allow a mirror to be installed and to have a unifying trim. The window sill extends, capturing the backsplash thickness. The floating vanity has a toilet paper recess for stashing multiple rolls, making it quick and easy so no one ever has to change a roll of toilet paper!

From: Kristina Crestin

Coastal Bathroom With Fish Wallpaper

The catch of the day? Cheery sea creature wallpaper, of course. A whimsical diamond window makes beautiful lake views picture perfect.

From: Andrea Swan

School of Fish

This small guest bath received a bold update: fish wallpaper. Paired with a matte black backsplash and a heavy silver mirror, the quirky print rounds out a sophisticated coastal design.

From: Corey Damen Jenkins

Contemporary Warmth

Designer Bruce Palmer veers away from the traditional blue and green color palette when designing this modern bathroom. In fact, he uses smooth pebbles along the wavy back wall and floor to create a natural, sandy look reminiscent of the beach. With that, the bath maintains its modern and coastal appearance. Design by Bruce Palmer. Construction by Dewson Construction Company. Architecture by Olivieri, Shousky & Kiss, PA. Photography by John Jenkins

Mixing With Modern

In this guest bathroom, designer Brian Patrick Flynn uses a summer-inspired driftwood gray as the room's primary color palette. Set off by neutrals, the room evokes a comfortable, coastal feel. Although surrounded by contemporary decor, a round mirror covered with reclaimed twigs pulls the entire organic look together.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Charming Display

In this cottage-style bathroom, designer Anissa Swanzy uses a wall of built-in bookshelves to host an array of charming coastal finds, along with towels and toiletries. Any bathroom built-in can provide the perfect storage option, while serving as a place to display decorative items like any other room in the house.

Cottage

Sky-blue walls along with the white beadboard and navy-blue vanity create the ultimate coastal color palette. Designer Erica Islas ties in simple decorative elements, like glass cabinet pulls and pebble flooring, to bring an ultra-beachy effect to a clean and streamlined bath.

Coastal Bathroom With Fish-Patterned Gray Wallpaper

Blue and green fish swim around this bathroom on the gray striped wallpaper. Empty gold and silver frames arranged on the wall add some metallic flair and decorate the space without disrupting the wallpaper pattern. A mirror on the wall above the toilet reflects the wall design making the room appear larger.

From: Kelly Sutton

Turquoise Retreat

The tropical master bathroom from HGTV Green Home 2009 pulls its inspiration from the home's location on Florida's Treasure Coast. To mimic the hues of the water, designer Linda Woodrum uses sea-blue mosaic-glass tiles on the walls and inside the shower. As a contrasting element, she keeps everything else — including the walls, vanity and trim — a crisp shade of white.

Oceanfront Resort

This master bathroom showcases the stunning ocean views by integrating windows, sliding doors and shutters into the available wall space around the room. A spacious shower even connects to the oceanfront patio, making it feel alfresco. To create this contemporary coastal look, designer Bruce Palmer uses copper, reclaimed wood and more modern pieces to form a resort-esque retreat. Design by Bruce Palmer. Construction by Dewson Construction Company. Architecture by Olivieri, Shousky & Kiss, PA. Photography by John Jenkins

Tropical Haven

The natural textures and palette of this tropical-style bathroom nod to contemporary oceanfront living. Designer Joseph Cortes uses seagrass, rattan, decorative moss balls, seashells and other natural materials to create a room that feels simple yet representative of its outdoor surroundings.