Shell chic home decor
/Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network
If you live in Southwest Florida, you know the pure joy of walking on a beach and collecting the treasures that wash ashore each day. And if you have lived in Florida for a while, you likely have boxes of shells tucked away in your garage. From many trips to the beach. Each one a sweet memory. Not sure what to do with them but just not having the heart to part with them.
On Friday, June 20, we welcome the first day of summer and we also celebrate National Seashell Day. It’s a day worth celebrating so pick a beach and grab your shell bag. With more than 50 miles of beaches and over 400 species of seashells that cover the white sands, there’s no other place quite like this area for shell seekers. And all have one goal, to bring the beach home with treasures collected from the sea.
The exotic allure of shells goes back to ancient times when intricate designs were used in décor.
Frank Lloyd Wright was an avid shell collector and used shells as models for his designs including the spiral ramp of the Guggenheim Museum. It’s thought to be inspired by the nautilus shell.
This outdoor fireplace doesn’t see many days that call for a fire so it has been given a beach look with ginger jars filled with shells, larger specimen shells and candles.
My own love of seashells came about many, many years ago when I first visited Captiva Island. After several great days of shelling, I wandered into the shop at ‘Tween Waters and picked up a copy of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s “Gift from the Sea.” Published in 1955 after she visited Captiva Island, she wrote: “The beach was covered with beautiful shells and I could not let one go by unnoticed. I couldn’t even walk head up looking out to sea, for fear of missing something precious at my feet.”
A vintage architectural piece purchased from an antique vendor in Mt. Dora was repurposed in a primary bath in this coastal home. Filled with treasured specimen shells from local beaches, along with collectable shells.
Lindbergh uses seashells to represent various aspects of life, including the challenges of modern womanhood, the importance of self-care, and the search for inner peace.
Like many who visit today, she found peace and solitude as she walked the beach on Captiva Island. There, using the shells on the beach for inspiration, she reflected on the life of the American woman, mid-20th century, exploring the themes of love, solitude and self-discovery.
Like shelling, Gift from the Sea inspires readers to slow down, reflect, and appreciate the beauty of everyday life. A groundbreaking, best-selling work when it was originally this gem continues to be relevant and is a must-read for those of us who love to walk those same beaches today.
The treasured clam shell, purchased on Sanibel Island, holds years of shells collected from local area beaches. The table and cabinet were found through a vintage shop and found a new home on the lanai.
If you love shells, have a garage full and need a few ideas of how use them in your décor, I can help! As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I find it to be a lot of fun to bring a little shell chic into a home. And there is a noticeable resurgence in shells as part of interior design. Balance is the key. A few well-placed items are much better aesthetic rather than a room filled with shells. Done tastefully, shell décor has a timeless appeal that brings beauty and tranquility to a coastal, modern or minimalist.
When a very old dock washed ashore after a storm on one OF our barrier islands, it seemed like a good place to display favorite shells collected over the years.
• Decorate picture frames, boxes, candle holders, folding screens.
• Display shells in a drawer. Find a fun table at a flea market with a drawer, fill it with sand and display your favorites.
• Search flea and antique markets for an architectural piece that can be used for a display shelf. Shells and vintage pieces seem to complement each other.
• Design a beautiful mirror.
• Fill a dough bowl with your favorite shells and glass balls.
• Clam shells (real or fabricated) are perfect for holding lots of shells.
The blue antique shelf that displays favorite shells from Southwest Florida beaches and northern California, was originally used to measure tobacco. Driftwood is from Upper Captiva Island.
• Decorate a fireplace mantle with a display of shells and candles.
• Cover an old birdbath in shells and fill it with water in your garden where it will become a favorite gathering place for birds.
• Use shells for a dining tablescape display. They also make great place cards with a painted message on each one.
• Buy plain napkin rings and decorate each with one large shell and smaller shells.
• Rescue an old chandelier or purchase an inexpensive one and use your imagination to create a masterpiece.
• Design a Sailor’s Valentine. Lovesick sailors made them for their sweethearts in days gone by. Details and patters may be found online OR create your own version and make a greeting card for some lucky friend who will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
• Make a shell mirror frame in a bathroom.
• Create a stunning twig wreath with seashells.
• Never underestimate the value of a glue gun!
Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate. As a writer, blogger, stylist and color expert, she has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit spectacularspaces.com. Call 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog
