A Life Preserver? 9 Ideas for Coastal Decorating!

When you grow up around boats in the Puget Sound, life preservers don't always translate themselves into a good idea for "nautical" home decor.

Or in this case a fashion shoot! (don't you just love the stripes too?)

You know, a lot of grime, dirt and more than a few barnacles don't really look that appealing.   Now that I am "grown up" (sort of!) I have a new appreciation for how they might look, in all kinds of coastal homes, from a cottage look to more of an upscale room.

I found these pretty multi-colored examples at the Alameda Flea Market!   Kicking myself for not buying them for our online store, just could not figure out a good way to ship them...

Take a look at all of the other ideas that I've found for inspiration.  Enjoy! 

Vintage desk - love the typewriter and globe.  Absolutely need that chair!

From Tracery Interiors

Outside seaside porch from my new blog crush - Karnas Hus!  

Sexy Black and White "Miami" life preserver discovered on Pinterest by my friend Lynda Quintero-Davis.  Also another fabulous design blogger - FocalPoint

Cute vintage cottage, complete with vintage elements - love the nautical chart art.

Pretty beach "shack"!  Can't you just imagine a day on the beach?

From Three Potato Four - a very cool vintage shop!

Outdoor Cocktail Bar idea from Pottery Barn

Like this look from Coastal Living with the river rock fireplace and oars.

Discovered at Houzz.com -like the shell chandelier combined with the turquoise "framed" 

life preserver art.  Unique idea! 

Hmm... now where can I incorporate this idea into my house?  Will definitely be on the look-out for the right life preserver!  Thinking maybe an white one with a little bit of blue for my beach cottage bedroom...

I am mad at myself for not grabbing this one - I really like the "Oakland".  Dang it, next time...

(P.S. I also found this life preserver at the Alameda Flea Market, one of my absolute FAVORITE places to go for inspiration!)

Here's a few ideas from our online to store to help inspire you too.

3-Life Ring Pillow

The starfish on the side of the life preserver is a great addition! 

Ship Shape Area Rug - comes in several sizes

Don't forget about fun dinnerware too!

Great for decks, boats and picnic baskets!
Life Preserver Dinnerware

Farallon - Our Favorite Restaurant in Downtown San Francisco

Okay, you may all have guessed I am the most spoiled girlfriend on the planet.  Tom took me for a date in the city, complete with after-dinner dancing at the Harry Denton Starlight Lounge, just because he likes me.

He made reservations for dinner at the Farallon last weekend,  my favorite restaurant just off Union Square on Post Street in downtown San Francisco.  Can you see the hand blown jellyfish lights?  Each one is nearly 3 feet long with pretty free-floating tentacles. They wave above and greet you while you are crossing the threshold into this magical place.

Absolutely incredible "coastal" art fills every inch of the restaurant.  The ceiling is made up of tiny painted tiles with sea paintings, and original oil paintings can be found gracing the walls.  In fact, I believe that the whole setting is simply a work of art!

There is a "stream" filled with fish that meanders on the floor through the restaurant, and a sea shell  shaped center post fits prominently in the main section of the dining room.  Just wait until I show you the enormous sea urchin glass lamps, up close and personal.

 (photo from The Farallon Facebook Page)

We have the most romantic memories here!  Tom was so darn cute, he even wore the same suit and tie that he wore the first time that we went there for dinner. (did I mention how lucky I am?)

Of course, we had to first partake of appetzers and fancy cocktails before dinner.  The Farallon has a wonderful Happy Hour menu, so many things to choose from, including some of their specialty drinks. I decided on a Hemingway Daiquiri
 (sexy) and Tom had the most elegant Manhattan that I ever seen, it was unlike any other that I had ever tasted.   Can't even begin to try and duplicate this one at home...

Can use see the lit pillar behind our drinks in the cocktail bar?   These are so gorgeous! Resembling drifting sea kelp in amber tones...

The Farallon is famous for their oyster bar.  They had over 10 different oyster choices on the menu, Tom ordered special Drake Bay oysters from California - he is still talking about them! (Drake Bay is now on our list for this summers' drive up the coast.)

I shared the Louisiana Shrimp Parfait with Tom. Have you ever seen such lucious shrimp?  Served in a stemless martini glass, combining avocado, cucumber and cocktail sauce.  So fabulous, I didn't want to mess it up by eating the shrimp!

One more shot of the end of the oyster bar - just thought these aqua jars filled with white sea shells, empty oyster shells, and white sand were simply spectacular!

This is a look that I think you could easily recreate, especially if you are anything like me with bowls and boxes of collected seashells. Just think of how you could switch around the shells with other elements like rocks, driftwood or even holiday decorations to change the look up for different seasons.

I can't show you dinner, because I promised Tom that I would put away my camera.  Let's just say that we splurged;  I ordered the most delish lobster, and Tom had a gourmet striped bass.  We ate every single morsel while enjoying our favorite Pinot from Oregon, Domaine Drohin, and simply luxuriated in the atmosphere of the Farallon.

I can show you dessert. Isn't it beautiful?

And I can finally show you the sea urchin chandeliers ...can you see the tiny ceiling tiles, and the art on the back wall?

Then off we went to the Sir Francis Drake Hotel to go dancing!

Just an idea for blown glass jars that we recently found that might work for a 

seashell display in your home!

Turquoise Sea Life Round Jars

Gorgeous colors!  Luzon Short Oversized Glass Vase

Cornell Large 15.5 inch tall Aqua Glass Jar

Bedrock Industries - My Kind of Recycling!

What can I say? I can go a little crazy at this place!  Bedrock Industries is located in Seattle just under the Magnolia Bridge, off Interbay and Garfield.  If you are not careful, it's easy to drive right by.  Totally non-descript salvage yard, full of incredible "stuff".   Definitely a trash-to-treasure kind of shopping experience!   Wait till you see the "faux" sea glass I grabbed for our party decorations this weekend......

Can you see that cool light fixture above Allison?  (my cute daughter!) Bedrock turned an old industrial light shade from a remodeled shopping mall into a jellyfish like chandelier!  Adding long recycled white glass tendrils, with hand crafted fused glass discs in blue and green.  So creative - wish I had a house big enough for these.

Bedrock collects "garbage" glass, saving it from a life in a landfill, then they create the most beautiful things.  Tiles for floors, showers and counter tops, unique dinnerware, fused glass art and of course, tumbled glass in just about every color imaginable.

Just look at this fun dinnerware and these cute "fresh fish"!

Now... Prepare to be amazed!

OOOOOOOO!  Allison and I scooped up the aquas and the the pinks - just wait till you see what we're doing with it for my mom and dad's 50th anniversary.  Have a great weekend everyone!


Bedrock is a must see for creative ideas!    Visit their site for directions and more info  - they DO ship - http://www.bedrockindustries.com