Idea of the Week: Sailing Hardware in the Home

The draw of life on the shore is at its peak in the hot summer, when a dip into cool blue waters is on everyone's minds. It's the season of impromptu escapes to the coast and weekends spent at the lake — preferably on a boat with the wind whipping through your hair.

I'll admit I couldn't tell you the difference between starboard and port side, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a hint of nautical flair. Adding some boat-inspired hardware to a home is an easy and inexpensive way to reference the salty smell of seaside air along with memories of summer days spent on the water. And it's more unexpected (and far less heavy-handed) than a room swathed in nautical flags, anchor motifs and the like.