~ Decorating with Shells - Gifts from the Sea

Living Room Mantel 

Moss Ball in Vintage Milk Glass Urn

Starfish, Shells and Antique Blue Bottle

Living in a sub-tropical beachy location for almost my entire life means that shells bring back lots of memories.
Mostly very good memories, some not so much. The good memories are of the hours upon hours spent on the beach looking for special shells to take home from another wonderful summer weekend at the beach. Funny how even the most common shell was quite special then through a child's eyes. The not so good was the very tacky decor that could be found in any beach area of the U.S., and maybe still so today? Shell jewelry, shell mirrors, turquoise and pink or peach color schemes .... oh wait, maybe some of that decor is still going on today! Yes, it is. And amusing to those who lived through that very tacky time, today the same  things used in moderation can be fun and more up to date than we would have thought possible.

Vintage Milk Glass with Shells

on Marble Top Table

A few years ago during a beach vacation, I started noticing more the gray, taupe and white shells. As with most things created by Mother Nature the colors worked so perfectly together. Tempered with a strong dose of white and off-white, these are the colors I love to use today as neutrals since you can change the feeling of your room so quickly by adding any color you wish, even turquoise which seems like a beautiful color again today.

 

Marble Top Table with Shells

and Vintage Milk Glass

and Antique Books

While at the beach this year, the same exact colors of shells drew my attention. After bringing the few new ones home  to add to the previously collected ones, I studied the exact colors of the shells which were so enchanting to me. Again total love of these neutrals colors which can work with any other color.

Their lovely colors and textures complement old books, bromeliads in vintage milk glass as well as the white fireplace mantel or a marble top table. The only time the shells come out for decorating is the summer time, but their color inspiration stays all year long.

See Y'all Soon~

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