One of the best ways to add charm to your home is to decorate with your collection of “treasures.” There is an art to displaying these throughout your home. The desired effect is for you to proudly show off your valued collection in an appealing and creative way. You should live with and enjoy your collections, not just put them away and forget the memories they evoke.
There is such a wide variety of decorative items to collect, everything from antiques to vintage buttons. However, they all have one thing in common, the need to be displayed beautifully as part of your home décor.
I am going to choose something most people have at least a small collection of to show you some beautiful and creative ways collections can be used to decorate your home.
If you are like me, you find it hard to return home from a trip to the beach without seashells picked up on those wonderful walks along the shore or bought at the many shell shops. Here are some lovely ways to use them in your home décor. Learn to display! Be creative! Remember that any collection looks best when displayed in strong groupings.
No matter the what style your home is decorated in, a seashell collection can add a chic touch.
Be creative whether opulent or simple design taste.
A beautiful antique stand is a gorgeous in any decor.
Display in small or large cupboards or use a whole room as your canvas.
Make a beach tabletop or mantle with decorative jars of sand and shells. Even include tags stating the names of different beaches they were collected from.
Make a tabletop display using books, urns, candles and other accessories.
Or just go over the top and create a shell covered chair for a special place in your home. Just have fun!!
Fireplaces with shells and candles during the summer months. Very clever!!
Try some do it yourself projects!!
Then treat yourself for a job well done. I love the graham cracker sand!!
Tips for cleaning seashells.
Remember to leave all live seashells on the beach!!
A seashell that is found already dead is actually a lot easier to clean. Follow these easy instructions:
Soak the seashells in a 50-50 solution of bleach and water. The length of time depends on the type of seashells and the quantity of seashells being cleaned. If there are still barnacles and other matter on the seashells, you can use an instrument, such as a dental pick, to chip off the material. Other useful tools are a toothbrush, grill brush, wire brush or a water pick. If you want to give your seashells a nice finish, you can wipe them with mineral or baby oil.
If sand dollars are dead let them dry for a few days, then put them in a pan with a little bleach. You may need to brush them gently. Do not let them bleach for too long as they tend to crumble. If you have the time you can just let them set all winter and they will dry and whiten by themselves. If you leave sand dollars out in the sun too long they tend to become brittle and break easily. There is a commercial preservative that can be brushed on to harden the sand dollar.
If sand dollars are dead let them dry for a few days, then put them in a pan with a little bleach. You may need to brush them gently. Do not let them bleach for too long as they tend to crumble. If you have the time you can just let them set all winter and they will dry and whiten by themselves. If you leave sand dollars out in the sun too long they tend to become brittle and break easily. There is a commercial preservative that can be brushed on to harden the sand dollar.
