Sea Inspired
“The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net forever.”
– Jacques Cousteau
We just got back from England and I can’t wait to share a final post about our adventures in Bristol, Portishead and London, but you’re going to have to wait until Friday for that. Sorry!
Today I wanted to discuss the sea and my love for all it inspires.
If you’re new around here you may, or may not, know that I am hopelessly in love with the ocean. It is a constant inspiration for my home decor. I love feeling the sand between my toes and searching our area beaches in Scituate for treasures.
As you can see I have a very large collection of shells and that isn’t all of them. We moved 4 boxes full to the new house. You may remember this Annie Sloan Chalk Painted hutch and now it has found a new home in our sun room filled with shells, of course!
So if you are interested in adding seaside elements to your own home I have some tips.
Shells are a great jumping off point. They are easy to find and so fun to decorate with. You can simply place a conch shell onto a dresser or a shelf Their organic shape, beautiful texture and soft colors add so much to many rooms. Shells are also fun in vases and clear lamp bases. I also love shell shaped soaps for bathrooms.
Stripes and driftwood both are lovely elements and give that easy, breezy summer style. I love decorating with bits of driftwood my boys and I salvage from the sea. We turn them into sailboats and driftwood Christmas trees, among other things. I can’t wait to make a height chart out of one of the pieces we found.
Stripes are wonderful and always make me so happy. Vintage grain sacks or painted ones add a lovely cottage meets sea style, like my painted one above. Ticking stripe also transforms a room into a beach haven – I have ticking striped valances in my boys’ rooms.
Painted Oars are also a fantastic statement in a sunroom or child’s room. They look lovely propped up against a wall. I really love painting oars. I created this look with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (but you can use whatever you have on hand) along with frog tape and sandpaper.
The ones above are at Kjeld Mahoney’s Gallery. He’s going to add some of his images to them. I can’t wait to see how they turn out.
If you’d like some more ideas please stop by All Things Girl today I’m giving more Sea Inspired Ideas and DIYS. Click here to read more.
Your shell collection is amazing! If I lived along the coast, I’d hunt all the time, too. I have 2 oars at home here, I haven’t painted them yet, but maybe this weekend. i found them on the street and want to put them in my boys’ room, which has a sea/navigation theme. I love the painted stripes on yours! It adds a nice touch of separate color- I think I’ll try that!
I remember seeing your beautiful shell collection before, so pretty! Love all your ideas!
Holy moly woman! 4 boxes?!? LOVE your beachy style! Such great and affordable ideas!
We live on the coast of California and walk the beach daily looking for perfect sand dollars. We have so many that we have taken to giving them away to people we don’t recognize- which means they are usually tourists. They love the gift and we love their smiles.
love those oars danielle!
x
Beautiful post, love the ores. Such great inspiration!
Cynthia
I’ve never seen sand dollars on the beach over here, in fact I don’t remember seeing them before blogging, but I may just have to get some on the internet someday, because I love the way they look.
The cabinet looks fantastic with your collection in it, and your blue and white scheme really gives the beachy feel you so love.