Decorating Ideas for a Captain's Bed

Ship Wheel Headboard

• One of the most iconic nautical items is the old-fashioned wooden ship wheel. You can find ship wheels at many antique stores or specialty boating stores. Purchase a simple wooden bed frame and attach the ship wheel to the headboard. You can also paint letters beneath the wheel, writing the child's name as if it were a boat's name. For example, you might write "S.S. Andrew" or "S.S. Chris" below the ship wheel.

Compass Wall Icons and Headboard Decorations

• Another important tool for any captain is his navigating compass. Purchase a large compass stencil at your local arts and crafts store, and use this stencil to paint the compass on the child's wall above or beside the bed. You can also use real compasses and attach them to the bed's headboard or foot board for an added nautical touch.

Nautical Bedding

• There is bedding available at many children's room supply stores that is nautical-themed. Often, these comforters and sheets have ships, ship wheels, light houses or sea gulls on them. If you don't want to spend the money for custom nautical-bedding, try purchasing plain, dark blue bedding and adding your own nautical touches. For example, you could line the pillows and comforter with thin, white rope by using a hot glue gun to glue the rope down. You could also purchase ship decals and sew them onto the bedding yourself.

Captain's Hats

• Another great decorating tip for a nautical-themed bed is using captain's hats. Buy a wooden, four-post bed frame and place captain's hats on each bed post. If you don't have bed posts, consider hanging the captain's hats on the wall above the headboard or beside the bed. You can even use iron-on letters to put the child's name on the captain's hat. You can also purchase a plain, brown teddy bear and sew a captain's hat onto its head. Then, place the teddy bear on the bed by the pillows.