Nautical Decorating Using Boat Oars

Choosing a Theme

• Nautical decorating encompasses a wide range of possible design styles. Decide whether you want to replicate a captain’s quarters, a small seaside village, an elegant cruise ship or a rustic houseboat. Each nautical theme uses slightly different colors and styles. Boat oars fit well with any of the nautical design schemes, so let your imagination run wild.

Walls and Flooring

• Unless you decide to replicate a steel battleship, most nautical themes incorporate light or dark woods. Real hardwood flooring looks the most realistic, but wood-pattern laminate or parquet works just as well. Pastel blue is a common wall color for nautical decorating, but dark red or burgundy works for a plush stateroom or captain’s quarters. Add decorative wainscoting for a more authentic feel. If you plan to wall-mount the oars, leave plenty of space to make them a focal point.

Furniture

• Even the roomiest stateroom is significantly smaller than its land-based counterpart, as space is at a premium on a ship. Choose furniture items that reflect the conservation of space, such as compact wooden tables, dressers and bookcases. Incorporate your chosen colors and style in your sheets, comforter and pillowcases. A small sitting area is common in cruise ship staterooms, so if you have the room, add one or two comfortable chairs and a small table. If you include oars, don't overdo it. Adding too many can cause the room to feel cluttered, overwhelming the design theme.

Incorporating the Oars

• Use the boat oars to create a visual focal point. Cross two oars on the wall, stand three or four on end in a corner, or mount a single oar in an eye-catching location. Consider making them functional as well as decorative by using them as towel racks, jacket hooks or bulletin-board holders. If you have other nautical items such as a life ring or ship’s wheel, consider incorporating those items alongside the oars in a single display.