You see old wooden ships flying the black flag with its scull and crossbones. Ships are bounced around on rough seas, with tough looking characters onboard. Pirates with striped shirts, tattoos, wooden pegs for legs, and a hook for hands people these vessels. You see the pirate s hat above weathered faces with gold teeth, and colorful bandanas tied around their head, which reveal a gold earring. The swashbuckling swordsman comes to mind.
Thoughts drift to beautiful deserted islands filled with buried treasures.
You might see a colorful parrot, a palm tree, worn maps, and sunken treasure chests full of gold doubloons. This is the atmosphere you want to create. Whether decorations are home crafted or store purchased, keep to the theme. Some items you may include are treasure chests, maps, seascapes, ships, navigation tools, spyglasses, cannons, kegs, parrots, fishnets, sea life, mermaids, and scenery like rock piles, and palm trees. You may think of lots more.