Nautical Light Fixtures for a Seafaring Theme

When most people think of nautical light fixtures they think of boats and the types of lights you might find near the mast or on the bulkhead. Boat lights don't have to be reserved just for boats, however, as they can add an interesting touch of décor in your home.

Some obvious places for these types of lights would be outdoors, in beach houses and anywhere near a body of water. Many people enjoy having their beach houses or their seaside homes decorated in a mariner theme. Nautical light fixtures can add a special touch to that design.

For homes that follow an entirely nautical theme, which types of lights to use and how to use them depends a lot on the exact theme. If it's a beach theme, fewer ship-style lights are called for. But if there's a definite high seas, mariner theme at work, then the more ship-style accessories, the better.

A ship's wheel at some point in the décor is perfect for a truly nautical theme. This can be mounted outside on the front of the home, or even on the door as a type of wreath. It can be plain, or greenery or flowers can be attached to give it more of a wreath feel. The sight of a ship's wheel will definitely let guests know that some seaside décor is in store for them.

For the outside of a home, a bulkhead light makes a very vintage-looking porch light, especially if you put one on each side of the entryway. These lights should be brass in finish and very chunky. Typically, the brass mounts to the wall and then curves down or sticks straight out so that the bulb hangs from the fixture. And in keeping with truly nautical lights, the bulb should have a brass cage around it. That was to prevent the lights from being easily broken while at sea. While it's not necessary for your porch, that cage definitely lets people know it's a ship light as the style is a recognizable one.

In an entryway, a great type of fixture to have is a chandelier done in a distinctive style. One very quirky design is an anchor serving as the post and two arms of the chandelier with lights mounted on each point or hanging from them to continue the chandelier feel. The metal should be either shiny brass or weathered, greenish brass, to give it an authentic look.