Looking for new england preppy decor with a little personality? Start with navy stripes, blue-and-white jars or a sailboat picture above your favorite chair.
These rooms mix coastal details with books, flowers and plenty of plaid. There are a few country-inspired and brighter preppy ideas to borrow too.
You can keep things simple or go all out. Try a patterned pillow first, or give a whole bookcase a navy makeover.
I especially love the little nautical details tucked between the books.
Preppy decorating ideas to try at home
stripes and a sailboat painting
How cute is this little reading corner? I love the striped armchair beside the navy bookshelves.
The sailboat painting and tiny boats on the pillow carry the same idea through without matching everything.
Read also: 20 Maximalist Reading Nook Ideas With Color, Books and Pattern
Try a blue-and-white lamp on a small side table to finish your own corner.
red plaid and a little tree
If you love plaid, this one is for you. The red wingback chair and matching footstool look so pretty against the pale walls.
A cream throw breaks up all that pattern.
For a holiday version, place a little decorated tree beside the chair like the one here.
flowers in a blue-and-white jar
I am obsessed with this flower arrangement. The pale green and white blooms look gorgeous above the blue bird design on the jar.
Those big brown-backed leaves are worth noticing too.
If you have a lidded jar you'd like to use for flowers, try displaying its lid beside it rather than hiding it away.
a wall of nautical flags
Want something a little different from sailboat paintings? Try framed nautical flags.
The red, navy and yellow designs give this wall so much color without needing lots of other decorations.
Mix larger frames with smaller ones, but keep the borders similar if you want to follow this arrangement.
navy shelves and sage walls
This navy and sage pairing may just be one of my favorites here. The open shelves hold books, little bird figures and rounded vases, with space left around them.
You don't need to fill every opening. Try turning a few book stacks sideways and placing a small decoration on top.
blue stripes on the porch
Who wouldn't want a porch corner like this? The white seating, pale blue stripes and big bunches of blue hydrangeas are so pretty together.
I especially love the patterned jars along the back. Start with striped cushions if you'd like to borrow just one part of this look.
pennants above the bed
This bedroom really goes all out with the nautical details! There are colorful pennants and hanging buoys overhead, plus model sailboats on the chest beside the bed.
Read also: 20 Preppy Shelf Decor Ideas With Pink, Pattern and Pretty Details
For a simpler version, keep the boat picture above your headboard and choose one string of pennants. You can leave the rest of the ceiling clear.
floral walls and painted chairs
How sweet is this dining room? The red flowers on the wallpaper pick up the red dishes in the hutch. I love the pale blue chairs mixed in with the white ones.
This leans more cottage than nautical. Borrow the painted-chair mix if you want a softer take on preppy decorating.
spindle chairs and holiday greenery
Don't want every dining chair to match? No problem! This table brings together dark, brown and pale blue spindle-back chairs.
The greenery around the chandelier and above the fireplace gives it a holiday feel. Keep your table decorations low if you want a similar setup with room for conversation.
four posts and botanical prints
I love this tall four-poster bed with the pairs of botanical pictures on either side. The white bedding keeps things simple while the little blue pillow adds some color.
Try a richly patterned rug at the foot of your bed if you want that same mix of quiet bedding and brighter details.
two sailboats above the fireplace
Love a nautical fireplace display? These two model sailboats look so pretty together on the blue-gray mantel.
Their pale sails stand out against the darker panel behind them.
I'd leave these boats as the main decoration. Keep any extras small so you can still see both sets of sails.
plaid over a striped chair
Here's another way to bring in red plaid without choosing a whole plaid chair. A fringed throw runs down the back and across the seat of this striped armchair.
The dark windowpane-check pillow is such a good extra touch. Try keeping your pillow pattern larger than the chair's narrow stripes.
maps and little sailboats
There is so much to love in this room, from the framed maps to the pale blue bottles on the shelves. The navy armchair and striped sofa are lovely together too.
Start with a small model boat among your books if you want to try this look. You don't need a harbor view to borrow the decorating ideas!
green accents and sailing pictures
This is another sailboat-filled room, but it feels quite different from the darker navy spaces. I love the green backgrounds in the pictures and the white chair with its striped seat.
The looped rope-style light fixture is hard to miss. For a smaller change, try grouping sailing pictures around a model boat.
navy walls and bordered pillows
I am obsessed with these navy-trimmed pillows. The wide borders, slim stripes and looping center design look so good together on the pale sofa.
If you don't want to paint your walls dark blue, just borrow the pillow combination. Add a navy throw to bring that color across the seat too.
patterned walls and rows of boots
This entry takes things in a country-inspired direction. Hats, coats and long equipment cases hang beneath a horse photograph, with rows of tall boots below.
The small repeating wallpaper pattern is my favorite part. For your own version, give everyday coats a row of hooks and keep the walking path clear of boots.
pale flowers and silver-colored trays
How gorgeous are these pale blue and green flowers? The low silver-colored bowl sits on a matching tray, with little stems spreading out between the big flower heads.
Save this idea for a dressier table. You could try a smaller arrangement in a footed bowl rather than copying the whole flower-filled setting.
checks on a tufted sofa
This is such a pretty mix of pillows. Navy windowpane checks, pale stripes and tiny blue checks sit across the golden-brown tufted sofa.
I also love the blue-and-white lamp beside the bookshelves. Repeat one color in your pillows and lamp if you want to bring different patterns together.
pink stripes and leafy green
Want your preppy bedroom a little brighter? This pink-and-green combination goes in a more tropical direction, with leafy wallpaper and a big gold-colored sunburst mirror.
The pink striped bed covering is so cute. Try it with green striped pillows if you want the color pairing without changing your walls.
a navy island and lantern lights
Last but definitely not least, we have this white kitchen with a dark navy island. I love the oversized gold-tone lantern lights!
The patterned stools add another little detail along the counter.
If you're keeping your existing kitchen, try similar black-and-white patterned seating for a smaller change.
Just a little note - some of the links on here may be affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you decide to shop through them (at no extra cost to you!). I only post content which I'm truly enthusiastic about and would suggest to others.
And as you know, I seriously love seeing your takes on the looks and ideas on here - that means the world to me! If you recreate something, please share it here in the comments or feel free to send me a pic. I'm always excited to meet y'all! ✨🤍
Xoxo Frida