Your CartWhen ocean tides call to us, antique treasures and seaside colored decor brings back memories of sparkling summer days spent by the shore. In today’s post, I’m sharing some of our current favorite delights of the sea.
I love the refreshing blue and white colors for summer, and change a few things around at home. Do you do, too? Shells add just the right seasonal touch, as in the summer, we don’t really want anything to fussy.
Antiques that speak of the ocean are as refreshing to your summer home as cool water splashing on the shore. This antique French gilt wooden box was hand painted long ago with seaweed and shells. It would make a stellar place to keep special shells you collected on warm, sunny beach days. Or display your sea side finds in an antique French Shop Display Jar like I have.
An antique blue and white platter filled with one of our luxury candles and sea shells sets the perfect note in our living room. The candle’s scent has green marine notes layered with sea moss, not overbearing and so fitting for the summer.
A beautiful reminder that there have always been lovers of the sea, the antique pincushions covered in shells are wonderful when displayed with shells, other shell work boxes, and art featuring seascapes. What I love about this particular one is that the back was covered with an advertising scrap of a boat and a cupid sailing the ocean blue.
A collection of sea shells is the perfect touch for summer, isn’t it?
Antique blue platters echo the hues of the sea with their blues. Sea colored taper candles s are ideal for this summer season.
Some shells do more than look pretty. Caviar dishes have been made out of mother of pearl shells for centuries. Their glimmering beauty echoes the water’s shimmer and shine.
From a few summers ago, this blue and white platter holds two favorite antique books, and an antique sterling bonbon bowl with shells painted by our little people next to our favorite sterling match safes.
My personal favorite antique shellwork boxes are those that feature silk hearts on the top. Made long ago, this one has a secret little image on the inside! A young man wearing a jaunty hat is pasted down in the bottom, a souvenir of summer love perhaps?
Summer postcards and scraps are a secret passion of ours. We stand them up against our mirrors over mantels, or add them to little displays in the library shelves. Get your own sweet souvenirs of sea side summers past here.
This very well may be something only someone like me will love, but when I spotted it at a market, I couldn’t leave without it. It’s a Victorian Chromolithograph Book Page by Nister, the tabs make the image “move” and turn into another one. I think it will look wonderful with children’s books and toys for summer.
Evoke the bliss of carefree summer days with these gorgeous jewelry pieces set with kyanite semi precious stones.
The sumptuous light Ocean Blue linen table cloth by PomPom encourages lingering at summer tables for laughter and savoring every moment of the season. They are the softest, most delicate sea blue. {We have just a few left, and they are on sale!}
Our favorite blue hued pillows are woven in Europe, to bring a touch of coastal to your decorating.
There are so very many ways to bring out the colors of the ocean in your home. A collection of antique blue and white transfer plates on your walls or displayed in your hutch always looks fantastic, never more so than in summer.
A set of trays can make your guest bathroom look like summer, they are not just one trick ponies for decorating walls or serving at your table. : )
Let your kitchen speak summer blues, too. A collection of antique French blue enamelware canisters is a joyful addition to your counter.
No matter how you choose to bring blues into to your home, it will give your decor a cooling, refreshing feeling for the hot days of summer. These English Georgian Blue & White Featherware Leeds Platters from the 1820’s are so rare to find all in one piece, their “feather” edges remind me of waves, so they are a natural for a sea shell display!
This is one of my favorite shots of our little people enjoying the ocean on a gorgeous day.
Bring your shells out to decorate your home this season to bring back memories of summery days spent on the sand enjoying all the delights of the sea.
Do you bring out your love of summer at home with the delights of the sea?
A BIENTOT
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Hi, Lidy — What a beautiful post today! It’s just gorgeous — wonderfully written, as if shared by my own personal narrator. The pictures are a feast for the eyes with your special items. Thank you for sharing.
Janet
Beautiful post! I’m heading to the coast this morning to get out of our triple digit heat and to indulge in a little “vitamin sea.”
Lynn,
That sounds perfect! Next week our whole family, kids and little people, are going for a few days of sea time bliss, too!
I hope you have a wonderful time!
Lidy, you always have so many pretty things. You know I adore blue and white. The platter with the candle and sea shells is beautiful sitting on the coffee table. The distressed china cabinet with blue and white china is gorgeous! I hope that you have been enjoying your summer. Have a wonderful rest of you week, sweet friend!
Lidy, the soft colors of the mixed shells in the Blue & White bowls & dishes are so soothing. I can imagine sit tying on a front porch enjoying a lovely sight of the Sea.
Every one of your ideas could be made with items we can find almost anywhere, in the forest the Sea, it’s a knack you certainly have and I will try.