How do you decorate the interior of a Cape Cod cottage?

The magazine Veranda offers some suggestions to give a home the look and feel of a Cape Cod cottage. The ideas focus on giving the space the light and airy feel of a sparely decorated New England cottage, incorporating some nautical accents.

1. Give the dining room table a touch of Cape Cod

   Surround the dining room table with chairs that have been dressed with hand-hooked seat covers or seat pillows.

2. Use wainscoting

   Use white wainscoting on the walls of the living room and dining area. Paint the wall area above the wainscoting in a deep shade of ocean blue.

3. Use cotton duck outdoor fabric or slipcovers on living room furniture

   Cover the furniture in plain, heavy-duty fabric for the sense of a cottage on the seashore. Slipcovers in a solid color look outdoorsy, and accent pillows in a blue-and-white stripe or print enhance the look.

4. Use decorative accents with a nautical theme

   Hang starfish and photos of whales on the walls, and place a miniature sailboat on a table or in a corner of the room. Use a piece of driftwood instead of a standard flat surface for a mantel. Hang a pair of oars above the mantel and an American flag in the entryway.