A Guide to Nautical Aesthetic + Nautical Bedroom Ideas

There’s no denying that the concept of sailing and exploring the vastness of the seas has once piqued our interest. Beyond the rich histories of seafaring and the practicality of the job in today’s world, some of us are hooked by the romanticization of a voyager’s life and its firsthand encounters with nature. Feeling the salty sea breeze and watching whales and dolphins at play are just some of the wondrous instances that the nautical aesthetic stands for.

Through the nautical aesthetic, you’re free to manifest the wonders of the seas in your very own bedroom. If you’re feeling seasick (or not) but still want to transform your space into an oceanic spectacle, then pack your suitcases so to speak and start your voyage with nautical room decor!

Excited to dive into the waters of nautical? Aye aye! Read on to explore the scope of the nautical aesthetic and find out the elements that surround our nautical bedroom ideas!

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The Nautical Aesthetic

Essentially, the nautical aesthetic is centered on the ideal life of a sailor or seafarer, as well as living near the seas. What makes the motif discernible from other sea-related motifs, such as tropical, is the emphasis on elements above water. These include ships, yachts, shipwrecks, boats, and docks. Rocky coasts with lighthouses as well as seashores also constitute the aesthetic.

In addition, the design of the classic French navy uniform is integral to the aesthetic, which featured the navy blue and white stripes popular in the fashion industry. As a fun fact, the French created this design so sailors can easily be seen in the waves. Eventually, it has also made the nautical aesthetic more recognizable in all aspects.

The visual qualities of the nautical aesthetic anchor (pun intended) on nature and functionality. With that said, underwater creatures like fishes, seagulls, dolphins, whales, turtles, and even corals are important to showcase the beauty of nautical. In terms of function, wooden helms, anchors, oars, and lifebuoys are some functional items that also serve for aesthetic purposes.

Nautical enthusiasts often have a strong affinity with nature, especially life below water, and a simple oceanic lifestyle. With that said, some of the hobbies that come with nautical include sailing, swimming, fishing, surfing, and boating. When it comes to media representation, we find that Titanic, Moby Dick, and even Spongebob Squarepants can give a comprehensive idea of nautical.

What is Nautical Aesthetic Room Decor?

Nautical room decor is usually defined by any trinket that is reminiscent of the seas and oceans, whether above or below water. Straightforward, functional, and sometimes shabby or vintage decorations make up a nautical-inspired room. For example, old wooden helms, miniature rustic ships, lighthouses, wall anchors, and worn-out wood planks are commonly used decors for an oceanic aura. Leather suitcases and lifebuoys are also a sight in a sailor’s lodging.

Decorations inspired by aquatic life are a must in a nautical bedroom, which may be in the form of a coral piece for your shelves, a fish-shaped plate and wall art, and a dolphin pillow. Any ornament that involves fishes, starfishes, whales, turtles, and other underwater creatures are worthy of a spot in your nautical space.

Striped towels, macrame products, old wooden signages, and decorative oars are also excellent nautical displays. A globe or world map can also be used to display your inner voyager nature. Also, don’t be afraid to slightly deviate and involve classic pirate elements like miniature sloops in a clear bottle, black flags, and even barrels. After all, pirates still belong under the nautical category.

Even modern items can emanate an authentic nautical vibe as long as they’re colored blue, white, or both. Use the distinct blue and white striped design to your advantage and display it using your curtains, beddings, and even small ornaments.

If you’re still unsure about what makes up a nautical bedroom other than these decorations, then it’s time to read on and discover some specific nautical elements to make your space look more authentic.

Color Palette

The essence of nautical aesthetic lies on bodies of water, so there’s no question that blues best define it. Dark or navy blue, azure, light blue, and even blue-green are just a few shades that you would most likely find in a nautical-inspired room. In particular, when navy blue pairs with white, the duo becomes reminiscent of the vintage striped uniforms worn by French sailors, giving a distinct oceanic vibe.

Apart from these popular nautical tones, red is also a relatively common color that goes with the aesthetic. For a more rustic version of nautical, natural hues like cream, brown, and black can be easily used to channel the same motif. However, more artificial-looking blues like turquoise would also look suitable in a nautical setting.

Lighting

When you’re admiring the sea, it’s only natural that you also admire the bright sunlight that often comes with it. To be specific, nautical bedrooms are expected to be overwhelmed by natural light. However, since cool blues tend to dominate the palette, the aesthetic is more lenient when it comes to the lighting’s color. Cool, bright, and bluish natural light is a more popular choice but you can also go for warm yellows for a summery feel.

For artificial lighting, we find vintage gold oil lamps an excellent option to achieve a rustic nautical feel. Coastal wooden lanterns, which often serve as centerpieces, can also provide ample illumination for your bedside that do not fall short of aesthetic.

Walls

More often than not, your walls can easily tell on its own if your bedroom has a nautical vibe to it. As earlier mentioned, the navy blue and white French stripes are the most distinct feature of nautical, which you can display using patterned wallpaper. Vertical or horizontal stripes are fantastic choices that can either heighten or widen your space depending on your preference. If you want something that’s more straightforward, wallpaper featuring boats, anchors, waves, or even the world map is enough to show that you’re an aspiring voyager.

You’re also free to go for a solid painted wall in blue or white and spruce it up with nautical wall art decors. And if your resources permit, you can emulate a classic beachfront house and make use of white wood planks for your walls.

Furniture

When it comes to nautical furniture, your best option is to resort to pieces that make use of materials often found in an oceanic setting. In particular, wooden bed frames painted in white or blue are fantastic seaside cabin staples. If you want to channel the retro look of seafarers’ quarters in ships, you can also opt for a wrought iron bed in black or white. You can also borrow some quintessential pieces from the vintage aesthetic and use retro leather suitcases for your bed end and even wardrobe.

In terms of your dressers and bedside tables, make use of shabby white wood for a cottage-like space. Also, feel free to display wooden shelves with ropes, rattan baskets, and other pieces with macrame knots to create a subtle survival, crafty, and industrial touch.

Bedding

Like your walls, beddings are also a foolproof way to exhibit the wonders of the nautical aesthetic. The iconic French stripes are always an infallible option for your sheets and duvet. However, if you want to spruce up your fabrics a little, you can go for other nautical patterns in blue and white. Plaid, anchors, marine life, polka dots, and even funny oceanic jokes or nautical quotes are excellent designs that your beddings can feature. You can also resort to tassels and macrame products for greater diversity.

Other Decor

To finish off our list of nautical bedroom ideas, aesthetic decorations straight from the seas are a must for your bedroom. If you really want to set your nautical motif apart from other ocean-related aesthetics, the focus should be on miniature ships, yachts, boats, oars, anchors, wooden helms, lifebuoys, docks, and lighthouses. All these features above water are special to the sailor emphasis of the nautical aesthetic. However, even submarines can contribute to an oceanic theme.

Still, life below water matters when you want to fulfill the overall oceanic aura. Wall art decorations and plush pillows of fishes, starfishes, dolphins, sharks, whales, seals, turtles, and even corals are fantastic displays of the teeming marine life that goes with nautical. Lost antique treasures found in the sea are also ideal decorations.

The elements of the shores can also add a touch of peaceful seaside living. Trinkets like seashells, conches, and stones found on the sand are aesthetic additions to your curated shelf. Also, pictures of natural watery sceneries and a world map would make a remarkable use of your blank walls.

If you are a fan of nautical aesthetic through and through, the general guideline is to display aesthetic room decorations that remind you of the voyager life. Always remember that the seas, shores, and life under water are the essence of nautical when decorating, whether you’re going for a vintage or modern sailor motif.

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We truly hope that you managed to “fish out” some amazing tips from our list of nautical bedroom ideas! If you’re now ready to revamp your bedroom with us nautical-style, then check out our nautical room decor shop for aesthetic finds!

For another summer and sea-related motif, feel free to browse our tropical bedroom ideas! We also have a deep dive into the spooky witchcore aesthetic through our witch room ideas post. And for a trip down memory lane, browse the best of 2000s with our list of Y2K room ideas!

Thanks for reading and happy shopping!