How to Create a Nursery with a Nautical Theme

Have a new little sailor in the family? Bring the magic of the sea into your newborn's room by creating a nursery with a nautical theme. The simple and common décor can be made or easily found and inexpensive materials make it a great DIY project.

Walls: Begin by painting walls a pale shade of blue or green. Think of calming hues of the sea when deciding your pallet. Add thick stripes of coordinating shades or paint a mural with sail boats or a harbor scene. Stencil a nautical saying, such as "It's a Pirate's Life for Me" or "The Deep Blue Sea". Hang shelving in white for a clean look. If you decide to go with a darker shade of blue for the walls, try hanging white bead board on the bottom half of the wall for a nice contrast.

Furniture: Furniture in any finish goes well in a room with a nautical theme, but white tends to add to the calming, fresh feel of the room. Carter's Just One You crib in white is beautiful with its graceful curves and clean look. Its 4-in-1 feature means that it grows with your baby, converting to a toddler bed, daybed, and full-size bed. Its stationary design meets all safety standards for cribs (cribs with a drop down side are unsafe and should be avoided). Dress the crib with Yacht Club Crib Bedding by Trend Lab for a classy look. The bedding is simple with a sailboat surrounded by Captain's wheels and trimmed in light blue and chocolate brown. Add a chair slip covered in pale blue, white or blue and white stripes (or even white wicker furniture works well). White wicker baskets or wooden crates can be used to store baby essentials, toys or blankets.

Décor: Décor for a nautical theme is cheap and easy to find. Hang oars or prop them in a corner (or add small pegs to an oar for hanging hats, jackets, etc.). Add seashells to shelves and wooden sea bird statues to the top of the dresser. Hang an array of large starfish on the wall. Paint a life preserve with your child's name to hang on the wall.

These are just a few of the numerous ideas for a nautical-themed nursery. Using everyday materials can give your nursery a classic look that will grow with your baby well into the toddler years and beyond.