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Decorating with Ship Wheels <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

There’s a certain carefree sentiment that the ocean evokes, and conjuring it takes less effort<\/p>\n

than you might think. A few deliberate touches can bring out a nautical feel in just about any<\/p>\n

interior. Whether it’s the addition of an accent like a ship-themed item (like wooden decorative oars, knots, or<\/p>\n

weatherproof lighting) or the choice of a particular color, nautical-themed decoration is simple.<\/p>\n

These additions do not require a re-envisioning of a room’s color palette, nor do they require<\/p>\n

repainting. It is simply a question of placement. That is not to say that paint colors do not matter<\/p>\n

— quite the contrary, because coastal communities have a bright and sunny aesthetic that<\/p>\n

places them across cultures and time periods. However, for one’s first foray into nautical decor<\/a><\/strong>,<\/p>\n

object placement is the easiest route by which one can establish an effortless nautical style.<\/p>\n

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Nautical Signal Flags<\/strong><\/a> For Decoration<\/p>\n

A key aspect of nautical style is the deployment of a few choice authentic items such as<\/p>\n

lanterns. This might be the best place to begin, as a light source can immediately change the<\/p>\n

ambiance of a room or exterior. However, one cannot just place a lantern in a home to evoke an<\/p>\n

impression of the sea, as there are specific harmonies required — consider the difference<\/p>\n

between a run-of- the-mill camping lantern and a weatherproof nautical lantern<\/a>. What makes<\/p>\n

these two items distinct? For one, a nautical lantern’s ruggedization or weatherization should<\/p>\n

evoke a kind of timelessness, a gas-lit bygone era usually referenced with period metals like<\/p>\n

nickel, brass, or silver. That is not only historically accurate, but also environmentally<\/p>\n

appropriate<\/p>\n

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Why is this? For one, it’s a purpose-driven design, meant to resist corrosion in salt air or in the<\/p>\n

bracing climate of the Great Lakes. It’s meant to provide reliable light in punishing conditions,<\/p>\n

and as such is quite unadorned. An overabundance of decoration distracts from what should be<\/p>\n

a kind of elegant functionality. Secondly, one should consider the placement of a lantern or<\/p>\n

similar item on a wall, table, or sconce. On a ship — particularly in oil-lamp days of the past —<\/p>\n

there was an inherent danger to unsecured items that might jostle around on rough seas. As<\/p>\n

such, a lantern light fixture should be secured, unless it’s specifically a hand lantern. A bicolor<\/p>\n

light, by comparison, is meant for permanent exterior display on a ship and would seem out-of-<\/p>\n

place inside the home.<\/p>\n

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Anchor Lighting Fixture <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Another question is: how does a specifically nautical item interact with your existing home<\/p>\n

decor? Consider the period you’re trying to evoke, and consider whether or not a nautical item<\/p>\n

clashes with an overtly modern piece of furniture. In this regard, wood surfaces and traditional<\/p>\n

upholstery will harmonize much more readily with a nautical decor item than, say, a modern<\/p>\n

fixture. Similarly, nautical decor items make sense with items appropriate for a similar period. An<\/p>\n

old-fashioned stand-up radio, for example, might not make sense on a ship — but by creating<\/p>\n

the impression of a 1930’s setting, it harmonizes with nautical decor items of a similarly analog<\/p>\n

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