Welcome to Part 2 of my Creatures of the Tide series! For this post I’m featuring a cluster of barnacles and sea snails I found on a nearby rock. I love the color contrast between the snails’ shells, and the neutral color of the barnacles. The shells range from a dark grey to purple. One of the best things about this photo? It holds a secret surprise! If you look closely, you’ll find there’s a snail inside the shell of a barnacle. Photos like this not only showcase the variety of sea life, but also the surprises that are in plain sight. Join me next time for Part 3 of this series!
Tag Archives: nature
Creatures of the Tide: Part 1
While taking a walk at a waterfront city park, I decided to explore a small beach that featured lots of drift wood and rocks along the shore. Looking closer, I found several limpets clinging to the rocks and driftwood. The one pictured below was hiding among some barnacles. Nature is all around us, but sometimes we have to slow down to find it. Small creatures like these are a unique way to bring the outdoors into your home. A collection of similar photos gathered together would make a great collage to update your space for the summer. Stay tuned for more pictures featuring creatures of the tide found along the shoreline!
The First Flower of Spring
Peace lily in garden.
Since I’ve been working from home, I have a front row seat to the goings-on in our garden. Last week we had our first flower of the season: a peace lily! It reminded me that no matter what happens in life, nature goes on (and quite beautifully I might add). The white, yellow, and green color combo is not only classic, but is perfect for Spring. The colors could be combined into a patterned throw, or you could use solid-colored pillows to dress up a couch, chair, or bed. Additionally, you could display a photo featuring a similar flower to tie the whole room together. Being at home gives you the perfect excuse to update your space for the season. Whether it’s repurposing what you have or adding a few new pieces, you can create the perfect space to reflect the season’s colors.
The Dueling Hydrangeas
Sometimes when I want to update a space, I have a hard time deciding what my main color should be. My solution? Use two complementary colors! Besides using basic accessories to pull off this look, you can also take inspiration from nature. An example are the two Hydrangeas pictured above. The one on the left is purple, while the other is a very faded blue. Despite the fact one of the plant’s color has faded, it still creates a nice contrast. A similar photo can instantly bring a bit of nature to your space, creating a natural pop of color. Not a fan of Hydrangeas? You can use Roses, Daisies, Chrysanthemums, Tulips, or any flower you want. No matter what you color scheme you decide on, you can easily incorporate the colors of nature into your home.
Decorating with Fashionable Foxglove
With summer in full swing, there are so many different things to draw inspiration from. From florals, to bright hues, ocean beaches, majestic mountains, and lazy rivers, the decorating ideas can be endless. One inspiration often overlooked? The humble garden. Gardens can be full of colorful and unique blooms that will add the perfect pop of color to your space. One flower that ticks all these boxes is Foxglove. The elegant, bell-shaped flowers come in a variety of colors, such as the purple and white Pam’s Choice Foxglove on the right. A similar photo would look great enlarged and hung on a wall as a focal point in a living or dining room. No matter what type of flower you choose, you can easily bring nature’s inspiration into your home.
Easing into Spring
It’s the time of year when the sun begins to shine and the flowers begin to bloom! This also provides ample opportunity to photograph nature’s bounty. One such example is the photo above featuring a branch of cherry blossoms. It’s the perfect example of easing into spring. Why? It shows the flowers from bud to full bloom. In addition, the white flowers and brown bark act as a neutral, while the green buds act as a pop of color. A similar picture would look great enlarged and hung in a living or dining room. It’s the perfect update for Spring, while still blending in to your decor. No matter your decorating style, you can always find a way to bring nature’s beauty into your space.
The Snow-Covered Flower
Shortly after the Rhododendrons I pass on my daily walks began to bloom, we had an unexpected spate of cold weather. While we had to deal with cold winds, icy roads, and snow, it also created a myriad of photo opportunities. One such example is the photo above of a snow-covered flower. The pink flower and green leaves are not only the perfect contrast to the white snow, but also show the beauty of nature’s seasons colliding in a single shot. A similar photo on a table, in conjunction with a clear photo frame and pastel-colored accessories, is the perfect update to any space. No matter what time of year, you can create a bright and inviting space that will bring nature’s colors indoors.
The Bridge Over the Falls
Walking further down from the location where I took the picture in my previous post, I saw a wooden bridge off in the distance. The bridge, almost appearing to be suspended between two trees, is positioned over the largest waterfall in the park. A similar photo would look great in a living or dining room. The unique look, along with the play of light and shadow, would be a great addition to your spring decor. You can easily take a similar photo by going to your local park or finding an area with a railroad bridge. No matter what type of bridge you decide to photograph, you can easily bring this architectural element into your space.
The Fiery Tulip
As I was walking into work one morning, I spotted a few tulips that had somehow been planted with the daffodils pictured in my previous post. As I got closer, I noticed that the fiery red flowers had streaks of yellow on each petal and the mix of colors at its center. Despite the contrast, all of the colors went together beautifully. A similar color scheme can easily be added to your space in a myriad of different ways. You could easily add a colorful vase or picture frame to a table or shelf, update a lampshade, put a bright slipcover over your furniture, or even paint an accent wall. No matter what colors you choose, you can never go wrong with inspiration from nature.
Daffodils of Spring
One of the best things about spring are the rows of beautiful flowers. One such example is a pathway leading from a parking lot to a trio of buildings. Both sides of the walkway contain daffodils in various hues. It’s very unique to see various colors of daffodils planted in no particular order. Too often we tend to have our gardens full of organized, color-coded flowers, despite that scheme being the complete opposite of nature. By randomly planting various colors of the same plant, you can create a look that manages to be both uniform and eye-catching. This way, you can take a cue from nature and create a colorful garden that’s uniquely you.
Inspiration In A Photo 