A Marine Biology Themed Room

A love of the ocean inspired the perfect theme for a 6-year-old boy's room. Walls painted in shades to mimic sea blues pop against the stainless-steel lofted bed and desk. Affordable furniture and accents throughout the room will transition easily as he grows!

An old white dresser was repainted with two shades of blue to add a modern touch. Starfish knobs tie in the ocean theme and coordinate with lithographs of sea life hanging above the dresser. A stripe on the wall painted in a contrasting orange adds a simple dash of style.

Editor's Tip: Purchase inexpensive knobs with sports or other fun themes at Target and replace the bland hardware on your child's dresser drawers.

Easy-to-use and affordable wallpaper appliques featuring fish and other sea creatures can make your child's room fit for a marine biologist in no time. A graduated background color was created by painting three shades of blue. Three bands of color were applied to the wall from bottom up and blended to the ceiling. For the final touch, the sea life appliques were attached to the wall with wallpaper paste.

Editor's Tip: Try ocean-theme wall decals for a less permanent alternative to wallpaper appliques. Just peel them off and stick on any wall or piece of furniture!

A kid-sized table placed in the center of the room provides just enough space for spreading out toys to play with. The built-in desk under the loft bed promises to become an ideal spot for studying a few years down the road.

A graphic poster adds interest to the desk area and contains fun facts about sharks. Posters are an easy way to sneak some educational aspects into your child's room.

Colorful fish pillows and bedding extend the ocean theme to every detail of the room, but they can easily be switched out as kids grow older and their tastes mature.

A little bit of paint makes this old bulletin board good as new -- and the blue shade blends in with the design of the rest of the room. Bookcases and storage features like coordinating metal bins help keep the room neat and organized, too.

Don't be afraid to go all-out with accessories. Toys floating in water inside inexpensive plastic jars become "specimens" for a young scientist to study.

A porthole mirror was placed high enough up on the wall to anticipate a little boy's growth. A curtain featuring sea turtles replaces a standard closet door and adds a graphic punch to the room's design.

Editor's Tip: Buy an expandable shower curtain rod with hooks to fit inside the door frame. Then string up a vibrant curtain in place of your typical closet door.

A dingy desk chair was given new life by replacing its torn fabric and worn-out foam padding with new upholstery in bright orange.

Using copyright-free artwork from the Internet, a drawing of a seahorse was printed on iron-on transfer paper and applied to a plain pillow. Download free artwork, grab an old pillow, and make something new!

Thanks to cute and kid-friendly nautical touches, an old room is now fit for a future marine biologist.

Copyright © 2009 Meredith Corporation.