Decorate Your Home with Ocean Objects

Your beachside finds don't have to stay stowed away in the garage all winter or tossed out back like the remnants of a summer sandbox. Even if you don't live in a cozy ocean cottage, the shells, rocks, and other great treasures from your summer sea vacation will get added life as objects of decor. Use these tips as inspiration for incorporating shells and sea glass into your home.
1) The top of this bookcase has an array of white framed photos. Large white shells add an organic element to more simplistic modern furniture. Displayed on a shelf above, the repetition of the four shells in a row balances the asymmetry of the different sized picture frames below. Arranged with the pictures are an off-white candle under a glass ornament and two handmade sea urchin candlesticks.
2) Have you collected any beautiful sea glass along the beach? These polished shards in blue, green, white, and brown are arranged around the base of a turquoise candle – very similar in color to the Mediterranean. They will catch the natural sunlight coming in near a door or window. The rest of your shells and rocks can be arranged in a decorative bowl. Prominent pieces like sand dollars and sea stars can be mixed with smaller broken shells, agates, and palm-sized bits of driftwood. These pieces are arranged with Franciscan Ware pottery to reflect the blues and greens of the sea glass.
DIY Sea Urchin Candlesticks: Whole sea urchin skeletons are a superb find! If you're lucky enough to come across some of these, save them. The skeleton shell has a hole on either side. The smaller upper hole is just the right size to fit the base of a tapered candle. If you have two sea urchin skeletons, stack them so that the smaller one rests securely on top, and attach the two with hot glue. A small tile or square piece of wood painted to match your interior can be used for the base and will help keep the stacked shells steady. Use more hot glue to anchor the bottom skeleton to the base. When the tapered candles are lit, the melted wax will add to the decoration and the natural beauty.