Take a tour of a sweet baby boy’s nautical nursery loaded with all the magic and whimsy of Peter Pan’s home way off in Neverland.
This nautical nursery is the product of a typical second child, with repurposed pieces from the firstborn but reimagined with a theme all its own.
Keep reading to learn about the combination of old, new and DIY that made this adorable boys lair fabulous and functional!
Nautical Nursery Tour:
Transitioning the old
These are the items that I had on hand from my first baby’s nursery.
Would you believe me if I told you it was pink and the theme was elephants?!
The major items were neutral enough to take on a whole new theme with a few small, inexpensive additions.
A whimsical crib
Our crib was already neutral white with a fun whimsical wavy shape from Dream on Me.
This particular crib is a 7 in 1 convertible to grow with the kiddo all the way up into a full size bed!
Nautical Navy Linens
I replaced all the pink linens with these Navy crib bumpers and these super soft navy Touched by Nature Organic Cotton sheets to start off the color pallet that would set the tone for this nautical nursery.
Update: Recent U.S. legislation may prohibit the sale/purchasing of crib bumpers due to risk of injury, these crib bumpers are no longer in use and have been disposed of.
Good things come in two’s!
The sheets came in a set of 2 (one solid and one striped) which is wonderful because they both go with the nautical theme of room.
So even when a sheet change inevitably is necessary, it won’t mess up the overall look. Mixing and matching these up is fun too!
Changing up the changing station
This adorable dresser was actually a very old solid red wood dresser that has been in my family for a long time.
We (aka my husband) sanded it down and repainted it for our daughters nursery.
I then found it was the perfect size for the changing pad to sit on.
I simply swapped out the pink minky changing pad cover for.. you guessed it – Navy!
This is the same brand / coordinating changing pad cover set that goes with the crib sheets.
That’s right, there is now a matching backup cover for the backup crib sheet! Bam!
Rock-a-by baby in the recliner
Another big ticket item I am loving the second time around is this big overstuffed rocking recliner.
It’s so comfy for just rocking baby to soothe, the big overstuffed arms are perfect for nursing, and the recliner makes for some pretty toasty naps!
The dark charcoal color is actually more masculine so this rocker goes better in this nursery than the first.
I love to drape this handmade blanket made by my amazing Aunt Janie to give it some color. She knew my colors and theme ahead of time and made this amazing Peter Pan / Nautical blanket to match.
Having a blanket within reach during the late night nursing sessions is a must.
Adding in the new
Anchors away to the dresser
For his dresser I wanted to bring in more of the nautical theme and blue to add more color.
Since this dresser will likely be his throughout adolescence, I wanted something even a teenage boy would like.
that’s when I found this awesome navy nautical dresser with rope handles!
This piece actually has a full bedroom set option. So when baby transitions to a big bed I will probably get the matching headboard and or the nightstand. Or both…
The rope handles gave this blue dresser character that it adds to the theme but can grow with him too.
And come on, it’s FUN!
More anchors…. because… anchors!
Ok I had to throw in a little more something nautical with this Anchor Hamper.
It’s nice and big and also collapsible. Oh and the handles are very handy..
For storage and style
These two hanging wire baskets were just what this wall needed to add some function.
Babies come with lots of stuff…and these hanging baskets allowed me to maximize storage in an otherwise useless space.
I found these at Target and literally got the last 2! I grabbed a pink set for my daughter’s room too, I just love them!
DIY design elements
DIY painted letters
I made these big wall letters that spell out baby’s name to help fill in an empty wall and add some personalization.
This simple DIY (or buy) makes a big impact on personality of a nursery.
You can make your own using paper mache letters, mod podge, and pretty card stock or just paint them!
You can also just buy already finished letters too if you don’t have the time or desire to DIY. Just like I did with the “A”.
I hung these letters with command strips – too easy!
Have fun with prints and posters
Another fun way to add style and personalize a space is to frame art that speaks to your theme.
These pirate maps were acquired on our mini-moon in the Florida Keys. I was so happy to finally have an excuse to buy these poster frames and hang up these posters.
Who could have guessed they would play a role in my son’s nautical nursery!
If I didn’t already have these awesome pirate posters, I would have gotten an actual map of Neverland like this one.
This Neverland sign was a gift, but could also be a DIY with the right tools.
All you would need is a good piece of wood, sanded and stained. Then cut out the words with a Cricut on sticky vinyl and transfer over to the wood!
The final touch of personalization was a special request I made to the photographer who did Archer’s newborn shoot. She photographed him in a green swaddle and hat and superimposed him into a Peter Pan themed background for me.
I love adding pictures of the kids in their own rooms. I read somewhere that it helps build confidence and positive self image. Mostly I just think it’s cute!!
The blank spaces on this wall will be filled with more pictures to add to the the nautical nursery theme.
I’m going to add silhouettes of characters from Peter Pan since my decals didn’t work out so well.
Right, I should mention the decals… I was also gifted this Peter Pan decal set that made this wall amazing!!!
Here is what it was supposed to look like:
Unfortunately, the decals slowly one by one all fell down except for the tiny stars you still see..
I used decals in my old home in AZ with no problems. So it’s either the high humidity or the flat paint finish on the walls that lead to the decals fate.
I would only purchase these if you have successful experience putting decals up on your current walls. Proceed with caution..
A few more details…
The following items doesn’t necessarily add to the nautical nursery design or aesthetic of the room but are super functional must haves I just couldn’t leave out!
Mask household noises and light the way!
This handsome little owl nightlight is also a noise machine.
I got a ton of use out of him with baby #1 and so far also baby #2.
I just love that he comes with so many options and settings from stars projected in the ceiling to a an infinite or timed loop of different white noise sounds.
It really helps drown out the noise that the other kiddo makes during nap time! Not to mention the nightlight function is just bright enough to light the way to pull baby from the crib in the middle of the night to nurse without straining your eyes.
Easy listening…
The echo dot comes in handy when I just need to ask Alexa things when my hands are full or even to play lullabies from my Spotify account.
It comes in so many more color options now!
Add a little mist
A decent humidifier is a must when you have babies. Especially when they get their first cold, running a humidifier can really help!
This cute little elephant was another originally from baby #1, its taken a beating from the hard water we had living in Arizona. But it still works 4 years later!
For peace of mind
With baby #2 we decided to invest in a good baby camera. I am so happy with our decision to go with the Nanit camera.
The biggest selling point to us was that the baby doesn’t have to wear any electric devices for breathing monitoring.
The camera comes with a swaddle or band that is easily wrapped around baby and has a specific print that the camera reads to measure breathing activity.
You can even get the insights subscription for sleep tracking and recommendations.
Keepin real… real dark
I pulled the blinds up just for this picture to show these awesome portable blackout curtains that really do their job.
You can secure them to the window with nifty attached suction cups so they are easily removable and no hardware required to hang!
I got them in Navy for obvious reasons.
From pink elephants to Nautical Neverland.
This nautical nursery shows how you can reuse major pieces, make a few with minor purchases, and create a whole new look for the next baby.
Interested in any of the items I purchased for my little’s nurseries? Here’s a quick recap with links to the exact items on Amazon:
