Why ocean inspired wall art makes any room feel like a coastal escape

Takutea, Cook Islands. Photo by L. Ainley.

They say home is where the heart is. Well somebody said that.. The point is, my dear ocean lovers, the ocean has a piece of my heart. So naturally, I’ve brought that into my home. And honestly, I think you should too.

The coastal home aesthetic isn’t an accident

If you’ve ever flipped through one of those gorgeous home magazines featuring dreamy houses in The Hamptons or Byron Bay, you’ll know that feeling immediately. Warm, soft, peaceful. Light pouring in. Natural textures. And, that unmistakable, signature accent of blue.

Does this sound familiar to you?

That aesthetic isn't accidental. Every element in those rooms has been chosen deliberately to create a feeling that is essentially a permanent summer holiday. Calm, unhurried, alive. The kind of feeling most of us only get to experience when we're actually at the coast.

The good news? You don't need a beachfront property to bring it home.

What ocean wall art actually does to a room

Have you ever wondered “why do they always choose blue”? It’s science. I’m talking oxytocin and dopamine science. Marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols called this 'blue mind' and it's a real thing.

When we are near water, or looking at water, our minds relax. Studies have shown that looking at pictures of the ocean can lower your heart rate, reduce stress and trigger a sense of calm and ease. Like standing by the shoreline.

So, ocean inspired wall art not only changes the look of a space, it has an important effect on the feeling of that space. It is genuinely good for you!

It’s about more than just decoration

Here’s the important part, and it’s why I started Oceanelier in the first place.

For a lot of us, the ocean holds precious memories. Big ones, small ones, memories that live in your body long after you’ve left the water. That time you caught your first wave, or spent hours at the beach with a good book. The holiday spot you return to every year because it feels like home. The first time you scuba dived and realised there was a whole other world under the surface. Or, when you saw a humpback whale breach up close.

Putting ocean inspired wall art in your home is a great way to hold those memories. You can walk through your lounge room on a random Tuesday morning and be instantly reminded, even for just a second, what it felt like. Oceanelier is all about that connection.

Oceanelier Giant Kelp Forest Limited Edition Print.

Your home should feel like you

The best homes aren't the ones that look like a magazine. They're the ones that feel like the person who lives in them. If the ocean is part of who you are, if it's where you go to reset, to feel small in the best possible way, or to remember what actually matters then it deserves a place on your walls.

Come and have a look at what's in the Oceanelier shop. There might just be something there that feels like yours.

Lara is the founder of Oceanelier, an ocean-inspired watercolour art studio based in Canberra, Australia. If you're an ocean lover, you're in the right place.

Shop prints atoceanelier.com.au or join the Ocean Lovers Club mailing list.