National Seashell Day!

(P.S. Yes, this is a small sampling of my coastal design and lifestyle book addiction!)

In honor of "National Seashell Day" AND the official first day of summer, I thought we would show off a few of our favorite rooms, using nature's loveliness found in seashells to decorate with a definite coastal focus. Honestly, I think that these ocean beauties are just about the most perfect jewel to adorn any room!

We think these rooms are an excellent examples of shell decorating done right. Enjoy the tour!

100% Glam - Emeril Lagasse's incredible Gulf Coast Home featured in Veranda

What a great way to show off your shell and coral collections - use the built-in staircase shelving.  Source - Coastal Living

 Show off your most prized specimen shells as part of a coffee table display.  Love this room created by designer Alessandra Branca, featured in Beautifully Seaside

 Kristy's beautifully neutral sea shell inspired living room - we love all of the grey and driftwood shades mixed with just a few splashes of dusty blue.  Lovely and so beach cottage perfect! 

Source - Starfish Cottage

Love the combination of summer blue hydrangeas and seashells! Simple, but so beautiful and 100% summer.  Source - Kim Power Style Blog

Wow!  What a creative, beautiful way to show off sea shells, starfish and sand dollars - embedding them in an impressive fireplace.  (I am definitely doing this at our next house!) 

Source - Homebunch

Love this bookcase collection!  Although, I do really hope that those large corals are faux....

Source - Decor Pad

Trent's apartment featured in Apartment Therapy - I love his creative mounting of seashells and sea fans as part of his gallery art wall.  Don't miss his collection on the coffee table too!

What a fun cabinet to catch your interest in a large dining room! We like that it is enclosed, but still open - feels breezy and so much like a beach house.  See the rest of this California Coronado Island Home in Traditional Home

A pretty little setting area with the owner's collection of shells displayed under glass in matching shadow boxed frames.  Keeping the look consistent makes all the difference in this small space. 

Source - Redbook Magazine

What else to you need?   Maybe just add a chunky knit throw and a great book!

Source - Remodelista

A lovely seashell display with aqua glass bottles makes a subtle, but beautifully coastal statement.

Source - HGTV

How can you ever go wrong with a Barclay Butera look?  Always fab!

The key is to not let your space become a big "hodge-podge" of  a "beachy" decor mess. Which is easy to do, if you are not careful with your collections, just remember to edit and change things out for interest and with the evolving seasons and your lifestyle. 

For more ideas on decorating with Sea Shells - check out our Pinterest Seashell Board

Beach Walks...

Have to confess, I was feeling a little down yesterday afternoon. Hate those feelings of being overwhelmed with frustration, worry, and just plain cranky.   I pride myself on being positive and upbeat most of the time, and have learned, especially in the past 2 years, that all things will pass. It's just the waiting for them to pass that makes me a little antsy... Does this ever happen to you?   You know.. that prickly, uncomfortable yucky feeling? 

My solution, usually, is to take myself for a walk at the beach.  I need this "zen" time, and am keenly aware of it especially when I get into a funky gray mood.  REALLY trying to soak up what is surrounding me; the sight and smell the late spring coastal blooms, I listen to the ocean wind, the sweet call of seabirds, the crashing surf, marvel at the sun glinting off of the majestic Pacific Ocean,  and simply enjoy the warmth of the sun's rays soaking into my skin.  Within  a short 5 minute time-frame,  I am myself again. 

Drove to  Half Moon Bay late yesterday afternoon, walked a different way than I usually do, and  discovered a whole new stretch of beach to walk on.  Shallow tide pools full of neon green sea anemones to explore, new rocks to climb over, new shells to pick up, a whole new view to see... 

Isn't that the way real life works too?  Turn the corner from your well-worn path, the tried and true, and all of a sudden new thoughts flood your brain with inspiration? You begin to see your "issues" in a whole new light, easily solvable, or at least manageable, and no longer overwhelming.

How quickly I was once again reminded that my problems and worries are simply a grain of sand.... very finely worn sand....

Ahhhhh.... Much needed (required!) beach walk. Warm sun, golden sand, gentle sea breeze, pretty shells in my pocket. Oh, and for the bonus treat,  a few pieces of tiny sand-surf kissed sea glass.

I feel so much better. Now, I have a new place to take Tom for a picnic!  Going to the grocery store this afternoon to pack up for a romantic moonlight walk, complete with a nice red wine, yummy cheese, maybe some crusty crunchy french rolls...

I am so lucky.

Warmth Company - A Distinctive Home Store in Aptos, California

I had the good fortune to meet the owners of the Warmth Company, Monica and Naomi,  at the Alameda Flea market at the beginning of this month.  Melissa and I had a great time visiting with them and checking out their finds; cool beach cottage painted furniture, antique aqua glass bottles, sea shells galore - they knew all the secrets!

Finally, last week I had an opportunity to  drive down  the coast  to see their store in Aptos. Aptos is a small historic town just beyond Santa Cruz, yet a few miles before you get to Monterey on Hwy 1, with part of the town (including the State Park)  on the ocean side of the freeway, the rest of the town tucked on the other side of Hwy 1. Thank goodness Naomi had given me her card at the market, so I could plug in the address into the GPS on my Iphone, because I did get turned around a little bit when I got off of the freeway.

 Warmth Company is located in the cute historic shopping district - will definitely have to go back when I have a little more time.

Wow -walked in the door and was instantly in coastal decorating heaven!  Enjoy my tour, and a just a small sample of all of the incredible treasures to be found inside.....

    

Here's the flea market chair in a pretty boudoir setting!  Sorry, it was so sunny that day, and difficult to get the lighting just right, the antiqued white dresser is covered in beautiful soaps, lotions and antique bottles with corals and shells....

Love this white mother-of-pearl lamp!

Beach washed bottles...

Tons of decorating books scattered throughout the store, including one of my favorites 

"The Way We Live By the Sea"...

All Shell Chandelier! So pretty..

My new bedroom...

Treasures abound in every single corner of this store!

In their words.. "Warmth Company offers fine home furniture, furnishings & accessories for those people with discriminating tastes and who desire a distinctive “look and feel” in their living space. Our mission is to provide everything you need to turn your house into your home."  

Warmth Company is a MUST SEE store on the California Coast!!

Here's a link to the website: http://www.warmthcompany.com/index.html,

Hope you enjoyed the tour, come with me next time!

Earth Day at Caron's Beach House - Part 2

I have good news to report!  My big project of going to the beach at  Half Moon Bay to scoop up plastic and debris from the sand netted very little to pick up, only some tiny pieces, a knife handle, one rusty tin can bottom, and a magnetic plastic blue letter "R".   Here's my dad, my mom and Tom leading the way down the shore in front of the Ritz Carlton (isn't it beautiful??!!!) -

Fabulous sunny day for a beach walk and to look for tiny washed worn pieces of sea glass and pocketfuls of tiny periwinkle shells and delicate olive shells.

My mom and dad have been down visiting all this week, and staying at an RV resort right next to the Ritz. There is a great path that wanders down to the beach through the golf course, cement walkway and cement stairs down to the sand.  BTW, I am not a golfer, but could definitely learn how to be one on this incredible course that meanders all along the cliff and in front of the hotel. (or better yet, Tom could golf, and I could drink beer and drive the golf cart?)  You do not need to be a guest of the hotel, or a guest at the RV park to enjoy the beach, there is a free public parking lot at the top of the path for anyone to use.

If you go at low tide, or near low tide, there are tidepools galore to explore! Full of starfish, sea anemones, hermit crabs, live periwinkles, mussels and shells.

Big Green Anenome - they are all covered in gritty sand, it was hard to find one that was not!

Tons of Periwinkles (Black Turban Shells)!  These shells make great little houses for hermit crabs too!

 We managed to find some pretty (empty) shells lying in the tide line that did not have any live animals inside, and slipped them into our pockets.... 

Big orange starfish crunched into a crevice in the rocks - he's (she's?) probably feasting 

on anemones, mussels or the periwinkles.

Such a glorious dark shade of purple on this leather starfish.... we had such a great time scrambling all over the rocks to scout out the best pictures!

A sample of my stash! 

I think this describes perfectly our day on the beach!  I found this 18" diameter flat bamboo bowl at Ikea last week, it is a perfect display piece on my new dining room table for my favorite beach treasures......

Enjoy your Sunday - we are off on another adventure to take a walk in the sun 

on the Great Highway near the Cliff House in San Francisco! 

(PS  I found the "Happiness" rock in a cute boutique in Half Moon Bay... more on that later!)