Decorating with Seashells

I love all things beach, including seashells. There is nothing like holding a shell in your hand to take your mind to the beach, the sea, the sand. I have a lot of coastal touches in my home because I love the sea. Here are a few ideas for decorating with seashells, and crafts that you can create with found or purchased shells.

All you need is a handful, or bucketful, of seashells and in some cases, a glue gun.

Wretah made with vine, seashells, moss, and driftwood.

The wreath on my front door says "summer" in any language. I made it with a vine wreath from a craft store, shells, moss, driftwood, and hot glue. It is simple to create. You can start by laying out your shells around the perimeter of the wreath until you're happy with the look, then start gluing them in place.

Photograph of Ocean Shores, Washington, with seashell and driftwood border.

This photo is from a vacation day at Ocean Shores, Washington. I made the frame by gluing shells and driftwood around the edges, and even incorporated a little crab shell and beach sand. One of the shells still has beach sand in it.

Bathroom shelf featuring green lantern, blue antique bottle, seashells, sand dollar, and star fish.

The shelf in my bathroom features shells that match the sea theme decor. Keep the colour family in mind when decorating. In this case, I've used a lime green lantern, the antique turquoise blue bottle, and the plate with blues and greens to coordinate with the pale aqua walls. The shells offer a light touch to the vignette.

One of the lovely things about collecting shells is that they remind you of happy beach times. When you use them to decorate your home, you have those memories all around you. I picked up this sand and the shells on the gulf coast of Florida and placed them in a candy jar with a blue toned candle.

Table top collection with seashells, coastal coaster, lighthouse clock and miniature stork.

Here is another simple way to use shells in decorating. The glass candle holder inside the hurricane lamp also holds blue sea glass. Paired with a pretty Coastal Wetland coaster, and lighthouse-themed clock, it makes a nice collection on a side table. The quirky bird was a gift.

Table top decor with conch shell, green candle, green glass vase, and tiny Adirondack chair.

Here is a good example of using a large, showy shell as a focal point for a collection. The green of the place mat is reflected in the candle on a pedestal and the green glass vase containing clear glass pebbles. A miniature Adirondack chair completes the seaside look. Place mats make good table runners for small surfaces.

I love shadow boxes and this one holds different kinds of shells in its individual spaces. I picked this box up during a beach vacation many years ago and still get it out periodically when I change out decor items.

My daughter brought me this shadow box back from her trip to Santorini, in the Greek Islands. It contains the black volcanic sand from the island and an assortment of tiny shells.

This picture is from from a calendar, which shows you how little it takes to add a coastal touch to your home. I made the frame using purchased shells, starfish, and seed beads found at a dollar store.

Decorating with seashells. Simple ideas for a coastal look.

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