Do you want to feel like you’re on vacation year-round? If so, the best place to start is with your bedroom. Whether you live in a city or suburbia, it’s easy to bring the seaside indoors by decorating your space with beach-inspired decor and furnishings. No matter what look or mood you’re aiming for, this roundup of 30 ocean-themed bedroom ideas for primary bedrooms, kids’ rooms, and nurseries will help transform your sleeping pad into a beachy getaway — even when winter hits outside.
For more coastal decor recommendations, be sure to check our article on coastal living room ideas.
Beach-Themed Design Ideas for Primary Bedrooms
For those who live by the sea, we salute you in the most envious of ways. And for the rest of us: there are ways of bringing that coastal vibe into your home even if you don’t have an ocean nearby! From sea-inspired colors to themed wall decor to trinkets from the deep blue, here are our favorite home decor ideas that will make your master bedroom a seaside retreat. All photos are linked to their original sources — go check them out!
Go Big With Your Headboard
Words can’t describe how this stunning clamshell headboard makes us swoon! An exquisite mix of peachy pinks and vintage blue with a dash of 70s’ flair, the entire ocean-themed bedroom belonging to @whinniewilliams looks like it comes straight from The Little Mermaid movies.
Decorate Coastal Style
Coastal-themed decorations are a great way to bring the beach into your bedroom! Some ideas include adding coastal accents like oars or old window frames for an inexpensive DIY project or summer beach accessories such as straw hats and suitcases.
Make a Splash with Tapestry
The wave tapestry makes a splash of a statement in this beach-themed bedroom! If you want a chilled-out surfer vibe for your sleeping quarters, don’t limit yourself to the wall. You can give a second life to your boring bed by covering it with a beach-inspired textile for an instant upgrade.
Craft a DIY Accent
Do you like weathered finish on your furniture but can’t afford the price? Then why not make a DIY piece of your own! Instagrammer @theharbourdeckhouse made an accent headboard using reclaimed wooden floorboard paneling. We love the contrast it brings to the bright and airy bedroom!
Give a Nod to Nautical
Is there anything more nautical than navy and white? We doubt it. Just look at this crisp bedroom by @kepinteriors! The coastal theme in this bedroom is further highlighted by the faux fish on the wall, the rattan furniture, and the metal chest topped with a starfish.
When in Doubt, Keep It Simple
If you love the ocean but want to move away from the themed bedroom decorations, take a look at this beach-inspired bedroom by @zolta_sliwka. By incorporating surfboard wall decor and rattan lampshades, she was able to create a relaxed, coastal feel without going over the top with the theme.
Put Distressed Wood to Work
Distressed wood furniture is another popular choice for those looking to create a beach vibe. If you have an existing piece of furniture that you want to give a new look, try using a light wood stain or white paint and then sanding it down slightly to expose the natural wood underneath.
Bring the Ocean to Your Wall
For color consistency, always try to coordinate your wallpaper with the rest of your space, such as curtains, duvet covers, and furniture. With this bold wallpaper, for instance, you could choose to leave the rest of your bedroom decor neutral to keep the dark blue from feeling too overpowering.
Dress up Your Bed
Bold bedding is the perfect way to incorporate the coastal style into your bedroom if you’re not ready to take the plunge with wallpaper. Simply mix it with coordinating bedroom lamps, seaside art, and finish off with a rug to create the bedroom of your dreams!
Add Surfboard Decor
For that unmistakable beach vibe, you can’t go wrong with surfboard decor! The ultimate symbol of summer, a surfboard is very practical to place anywhere in the room, whether you just want to display it in the corner of the bedroom or make a headboard for your bed.
Use Accent Furniture
Accent furniture pieces, such as a coastal theme upholstered chair or bed, are a great addition to any beach-inspired room. They help you make the statement you need and create a focal point to design your themed bedroom around.
Knock on the Driftwood
Looking to bring a bit of reclaimed nature to your beach bedroom? With a few pieces of driftwood, you can make just about anything from sea-inspired candleholders to clothes racks. Its organic shape creates an easy, relaxed style, ideal for coastal bedrooms. Just look at this stunning driftwood canopy bed!
Work in Some Shiplap
White shiplap wood walls are one of the best ideas for coastal and beach-themed bedrooms. They are made of thin, overlapping boards and have been growing in popularity lately because of their unique look. Paired with neutral color shades and nautical decor, they give any bedroom a beach cottage feel!
Create An Accent Wall
We can’t get enough of the array of giant starfish over the bed! It makes a great accent wall and, since accent walls make such a statement, it doesn’t require much else in the room. If you’re going for a more subtle look, try using starfish decorations as part of your bedding, like on a duvet cover or a sham.
Cross Your Oars
Decorating your bedroom walls with vintage (or not so vintage) oars and paddles is a fun and dimensional way to bring home the beach theme. Prop an oar or two against a wall or hang them up for a cool accent piece.
Put up Themed Wall Art
One of the easiest ways to give a bedroom an ocean or a beach theme is with wall art. If you want a nautical feel, prints featuring the ocean and the beach, sailing ships, or sealife are all great choices. For more inspiration, check our ocean-themed posters by Aliriza Cakir, Mihnea Lazar, Is Rough, and Splano.
Swap Artwork for Fishnet
Instead of hanging a seascape artwork over your bed, loosely adorn the wall with some angler’s netting to set the stage for a beach bedroom. Drape the net around a mirror to create a focal point. Just remember to mount the mesh material away from any lights to avoid fire hazard!
Sleep Among the Sealife
If you’re really looking to transport yourself to the beach, consider adding some sealife accents to your bedroom. This can be as simple as hanging a few posters or paintings of fish or dolphins over your bed or displaying figurines of aquatic animals on your bedside table.
Push the Boat out
Ship ahoy! The boat shelf decor, the oars on the wall, and a selection of sea-themed throw pillows, along with a classic gray, blue, and white color palette make this the perfect coastal room to rest your head in.
Hang a Coastal Light Fixture
While your dream of living in a beach cottage in Monterey may not be in your future at the moment, you can create the perfect beach-themed bedroom with coastal-inspired lighting. Like a beautiful beaded chandelier that looks like seashells hanging above your bed.
Beach-Themed Design Ideas for Kids’ Rooms
Whether you’re decorating a boy’s room, girl’s room, or a nursery, one thing’s for shore: children absolutely love beach-themed bedrooms. Little girls adore mermaid, whale, or dolphin themes, and boys often go for the ocean diver, buried treasure, or pirate themes. Whichever direction you take, here are some of our favorite beach-themed bedroom ideas for kids.
Channel the Beach
Sun, sand, and surf aren’t just for the beach anymore! Employ the hues found by the sea and deck your space with a palette of sun-kissed pastels for that breezy laidback summer feeling. Instagrammer @mikolajekmagdalena did just that and transformed her daughter’s room into a tropical beach oasis.
Add a Mermaid Motif
If your daughter ever dreamed of being a sea-dwelling princess (or at least swimming with one), this space might be the one for her! A bright, boho bedroom, it takes on the mermaid motif with effortless cool, pairing seashell accessories with mermaid wall decor and rattan furniture.
Take It Under the Sea
Marine life wall stickers are a wonderfully whimsical way to add an ocean theme to a kids’ bedroom. They’re also easy to remove without damaging your walls, so if you ever want to change up the look of your child’s bedroom, you can just swap them out for something new.
Try the Boho Beach Look
The various textures and subdued color scheme make this beach bedroom by Instagrammer @islandofsea a haven to unwind. The boho theme and beach theme go hand in hand, so by blending the two you get an extra relaxing room design that works equally well in a girl’s or boy’s bedroom!
Hang a Ceiling Canopy
A bed canopy is a great way to add a little magic to a sea-inspired bedroom. Take it from Instagrammer @housekidscats, who paired a ceiling canopy with sealife decals and seashell throw pillows to evoke the look of a little mermaid’s grotto.
Feel the Surf Vibe
Instagrammer @islandofsea knows how to make waves with her decor! Another perfect mix of boho and beach, this beach-themed bedroom gives off a Cali surf vibe that will have you dreaming of hitting the waves and catching a big one!
Embrace the Colors of the Ocean
Powder-soft sand and a soft breeze blowing through the palm trees are what comes to mind when you look at this beach-themed bedroom by Instagrammer @raffaela.sofia. Muted colors inspired by the ocean give it a serene vibe enhanced by the Shaka sign decor on the wall.
Take the Plunge with Wallpaper
Fascinating, beautiful, and certainly dangerous to handle… sea creatures have a surprisingly lot in common with babies who need a nap! No wonder this stunning marine-themed wallpaper fits so great in the ocean-themed nursery by @renovation_ayres_rock.
Design with Neutral Shades
For a break from the blues, consider taking an ocean-themed nursery in a totally different direction with creamy whites and grays implemented throughout the space. This bright nursery room by @rachelwilcox is complete with an off-white shell wallpaper, a marine life print, and a sea-inspired mobile hanging over the crib.
Throw in Some Toys
Underwater is where the magic happens! Bring the wonder of ocean exploration to your nursery with sealife plushies. From sea horses to whales, plush toys are fun to cuddle with, and they make a great nursery decor too!
Over to You!
It doesn’t take much to create the perfect ocean-inspired look for your bedroom and with a few creative ideas, the ocean theme won’t sink your budget. However, it does take your commitment to treat every day like it’s a day at the beach. So, remember to unwind, relax, and just take time to enjoy yourself in the comfort of your home. Your beach bedroom decor should help you do just that.
Are there any beach-themed bedroom ideas we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments!
