Decorating Tip Essential: Model Sailboats

The essential design element to add to your coastal living space is a large scale model sailboat or even a regatta - take a look!

Designer Libby Langon's Room featuring the Tangerine and Navy Cooper Square Rug at Caron's Beach House

(Source: Maine Home - Cottage by the Sea)

To give your room a sophisticated, classic polished finish and to instantly bring in the romance of sailing and life beside the sea. Wind in your sails, the call of seabirds, an afternoon exploring rocky coves, the rush of the sea... 

A gorgeous dark blue model sailer from HGTV, showcasing designer Sarah Richardson's Summer Home .  Creating a welcoming statement focal point for her lovely dining room, this large scale sail boat really stands out!

Setting the tone for a traditional Nantucket styled cottage! This large red and white linen sailboat sits atop a antique sofa table creating a not only a focal point in this charming living room, but also serves as wall decor too. (source Homebunch)

(source: Traditional Home)

Don't you love how this large scale sailing model mimics the pitch of the dining room ceiling?  Perfect use of space while making a beautiful nautical design statement! 

Designer Anthony Barratta never fails to impress! I adore that bright red accent wall decorated with vintage china plates with small sailboats - warm and bold. Can only imagine the interesting dinner conversations that take place here, especially on a cold night with a roaring fire in the background... (source Anthony Baratta Design)

A family's love of boating is exemplified in this beautiful dining room highlighted with a sail boat gracing the buffet cabinet. No need for extra wall art, this maritime piece says it all and becomes the focus point of the well-appointed room of a Delaware Summer Beach Home. (source: House Beautiful)

If one large model sailboat seems to overwhelm your space, love the idea of creating your own small regatta! Like designer Libby Langdon put together beautifully in the 2012 Hampton's Showhouse. (Tradtional Home)

(Source: Home and Garden Craft Gossip)

(not sure of image source - sorry.) 

Lovely idea for beach cottage homes too. Display a collection of vintage and newly found model sailers, creating interest with different sizes and colors - no need to be matchy-matchy/boring-boring. (not sure of image source - sorry)

(Caron's Beach House - Model Sailboat Collections)

Take your time and hunt for one with a beautifully varnished hull, brass fitting details, and a large white linen or cotton sail (think of the "True Love" in the Philadelphia Story!) 

My friend Kathy has a really awesome collection of sailboats displayed in her beach home on Hood Canal. This vignette is just one of the images that I captured when she gave us a tour last summer.  Super cool because Kathy and Mike escape the cold and wet Pacific Northwest winters on their sailboat cruising the Sea of Cortez....

Personally, I like to think the treasure hunt is one of the best parts of decorating.... 

1930's Classic Yacht Model

Sunset Sailers - Set of 4 in all different colors

Newport Sloop

Have fun with this idea at your coastal home.  Antique stores and flea markets are great places to look for vintage sailers, but if you don't have easy access to great nautical vintage finds, we do have over 50 different styles of model sailing boats on our site that are based on real vintage sailing and yachting vessels.  Come explore!

The Beach House - Nautical Details!

Classic Nautical  - Always a Popular Choice for 

Summer on the Shore!

Nautical is never a bad decision when decorating a beach house - classic blues, golds, scarlet red, crisp white... I can hear the ocean breezes blowing right now!  Crisp and cool with navy and white, sailing style can start with a white background, adding stripes in varying sizes and widths, then add a little wicker, rope or hemp.  (see my starfish garland!)  See how easy it is to put this all together??  Layer your new look with with nautical detailed pillows - anchors might just do the trick!  Then  finish off your new nautical look with a layer of old fashioned marine memorabilia. Think model ships, old world maps, oars, compasses, brass accents... scout flea markets, antique shops.  I think the fun is in the hunt! Looking for  just the right color, texture...   Take a look at one of our antiqued model Sailing Ships!

See how easy that was? Your Beach House now has a new "Seaworthy Style"!

Exploring the World of Cuttysark Nautical Antiques in Pioneer Square

I first discovered Cuttysark Nautical Antiques when I still worked for Wells Fargo as a wholesale mortgage account executive in the Pacific Northwest. Whenever I had a particularly challenging day with customers and situations, (and believe me - there were a lot of those days!)  I would find myself wandering down  into the Main Street section of Old Town Bellevue. What a fantastic place to simply browse and dream of seafarers in bygone days!

At that time, Cuttysark had a whole basement full of really questionable and broken nautical items - I found one of my favorite possessions in that basement! An old oxidized brass porthole, it had turned the most lovely shade of green, was very heavy, and had a big crack in the glass right down the middle.  It was perfect for my beach cottage - I wonder what happened to it??

In 2004, new owners bought the Cuttysark and moved the store into the heart of Pioneer Square in Downtown Seattle.  As it turns out, Roger Otterbach and his wife were actually neighbors of mine, living just down the beach in Manchester. It is such a treat to visit and check out all of their new antiques!  Roger attends several specialty auctions around the country every year to find some very unusual boating, yachting and nautical vintage items.

They also carry all kinds of new nautical items, flags, fine maritime art,  and instruments for navigation.   Just look and see a few of the images I was able to capture!

A fabulous collection of new and also vintage model boats and sailing ships can be found at Cuttysark Nautical Antiques.  I am a little partial to this vintage Chris Craft - can imagine myself, looking a little like Rita Hayworth or Marilyn Monroe with big black sunglasses in a 1950's bikini out for a cruise around Lake Washington.

(please don't laugh - I can always dream...)

Or how about this vintage Lake Union model  - something out of the 1920's! Lazy days, slow cruising  reading the Great Gatsby in the salon area....

Or, a traditional sailing ship from the Eastcoast..... 

How about a vintage Hawaiian Hula Dancer masthead?  The Cuttysark has the largest collection of mastheads that I have ever seen!

I will confess my terrible affinity for old naval dishes! Kicking myself for selling most of the ones that I had in the old Caron's store, although I did manage to hold onto 1 dinner plate and 1 salad plate.  Roger not only carries a great collection of old naval dishes from various ward rooms, but some great specialty dinnerware from various yacht clubs on the West Coast too. (I bought 2 small dessert dishes as I just could not help myself!)

Cuttysark is a one of a kind experience, what Roger and his "deckhands" do is so unique - I can honestly think of only one other nautical store (Will save that story for another day:  Maidhof Bros. in San Diego.) that I have been in that truly specializes in nautical antiques.   There is always something new to be found at this "can't-miss"  treasure trove of an antique store in Pioneer Square!  Call me and I will go with you!!!

The Cargo Hold - Full of Nautical Treasures!

My friends, Doug and Risa Owen, have owned The Cargo Hold for nearly 20 years in the historic downtown district of Poulsbo, Washington.  Poulsbo, borne of Scandinavian heritage and located on Liberty Bay  is the perfect setting for Doug's absolute treasure chest of specialty nautical items!

When I had my store open (2002-2007), "Caron's.. the finest in coastal living",  was located directly across the street.  Doug and I were always "friendly" competitors, working diligently together to make sure that we didn't accidentally order the same product.  Sometimes we did goof up though!

Doug prides himself on finding quality, unique nautical gifts and memorabilia: all manner of brass barometers, tide clocks,  brass accessories, telescopes, pirate games, books on nautical history, lighthouse collectibles - somehow finding space for everything in his tiny shop! Nautical art and plaques cover every square inch of wall space..  easy to spend hours finding just the perfect gift for someone special.  Heard a rumor that you might even find some specialty cigars, and the accessories to go with them!

Own a boat? Need the perfect "yachting" touch? The Cargo Hold is a favorite for boat owners that frequent the Poulsbo Marina. Poulsbo enjoys being a destination for most of the Puget Sound Yacht Clubs, and  Doug always has something new and exciting waiting! Nautical bar accessories, brass plaques, nautical designed pillows - oh, and what boat is complete without a brass lamp?

The Cargo Hold's collection of model ships is a must see. Doug's collection includes just about everything from hand-crafted ships, painstakingly put together and selling for thousands of dollars to models that anyone can afford. Could easily see how a one of these would be the perfect accent for any house on the beach; on the mantel, mounted in a bookcase, I can think of a hundred way to display these!

Loved the details on "The Constitution".  Finely hand crafted by a highly skilled artisan in Tacoma, the hull is composed of tiny shaped copper pieces hammered and put together. Every single detail has been attended to.

If you are lucky enough to visit the Kitsap Peninsula, and Poulsbo, please make sure to stop in and see the Cargo Hold in person - make sure that you tell Doug that I sent you! If you can't travel to Poulsbo, please make sure to check out their website - www.cargohold.com.