Under the Sea at Home

There’s nothing like a trip to the aquarium! You get to see all the wonders of the ocean like rocky shores, exotic fish, coral, and sea anemones. But wouldn’t it be nice to take that aquarium home with you? The obvious solution is to take pictures from your trip, enlarge them, and put them on your wall. Not only is it a great memory from a fun day out, but it creates a colorful addition to your space. A picture similar to the one on the right would look great in a living room or dining room. You don’t need to go on an expensive, fancy vacation to get a great shot of sea life. An aquarium ticket and a camera are the perfect combination to easily bring the sea into your home.

The Perfectly Imperfect Staircase

As I was walking during a recent vacation, I came across this staircase that’s no longer in use. I liked how, aside from the few broken rungs, this old staircase is still in tact. The staircase, surrounded by overgrown bushes, can also be a great metaphor: no matter what happens, keep going forward. Because of this, a similar photo would look great as a focal point in a bedroom or living room. In additional, since the colors are all earth tones, they would go with any decor. Remember, when you’re having a bad day or things just don’t seem to be going your way, keep going! Just like the staircase, you may have to stumble over a few obstacles to get there, but with hard work and persistence, you’ll eventually reach your goal.

Footsteps in the Sand

Footsteps on sandy beachAs the weather here goes between sunny, to rainy, to back again, I decided to share a photo from my previous vacation. The sandy stretch of beach, full of footprints, is just the place you want to spend the weekend! This photo is the perfect combination of sand, sea, and sky. That’s the nice thing about vacation photos-they can remind you of happy times when you were able to relax without a care in the world. If you have vacation photos, frame several of them and cluster them on a table or shelf. Not only will they add a new element to your space, but it’s also a great way to remind you of fun times. Have a great weekend, everybody!

Whale Rock at the Beach

Whale rock at beach_oceanIn some of my previous posts, I’ve discussed capturing unique images that can be interpreted in multiple ways. I spotted a rock (right) among the waves and instantly thought it looked like a small whale! I love the look of the sandy beach, the rock surrounded by water, and the waves in the background. This is not only a unique photo, but the earth tones in the shot will compliment any space. Do you have beach photos featuring unique rock or sand formations? If so, now’s the time to display them! Not only are they a reminder of warmer weather, but also a great way to show off the uniqueness of nature!

Jellyfish on the Beach

Jellyfish on beachOn the second day of my vacation I decided to visit one of the many state parks along the coast. As I walked along the shore, I noticed a number of things that looked out of place among the usual shells, rocks, and other debris. Moving closer to take a look I found out they were all jellyfish. Not just any jellyfish, they were purple jellyfish! These type aren’t native to the state I was in (I was told they’re usually found in California), so to see these was a real treat. Seeing unusual things is one great aspects of a vacation, and can help you develop all types of decoration ideas. Besides framing and displaying a similar photo, you could buy fabric that features jellyfish and use it to create pillow cases, make a blanket, or reupholster a piece of furniture. As I’ve said before, nature can be a great inspiration for decorating. Whether on land or at sea, you’re sure to find something to inspire you!

The Beach at Dusk

Beach at dusk_oceanAbove is a picture I took on the first day of my vacation. I saw this beautiful, sandy beach and just had to take a picture! I think it’s important to take photos on the first day of your vacation. Why? Because it’s great to start creating memories from day one of your adventure! There are so many things these first photos can be used for. They can be used as the cover for a scrapbook, used in a photo collage, or framed to create a grouping of photos that can be displayed on a shelf or wall. Whether you’re planning to take a vacation or already have a large collection of photos, you can use those early shots as an inspiration for a myriad of decorating ideas!

Adding Accessories to Your Living Room

While our living room was pretty much put together, it felt like something was missing. Our coffee table seemed a little too bare. The solution? Add an accessory! My Mom came up with the perfect idea: a bowl filled with various objects. She found the items (a bowl, objects of various sizes and textures, and a place mat) on sale and brought them to me to put together. As seen below, it looks absolutely gorgeous on the coffee table! The second picture shows a close up shot of what the bowl holds.

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The colors and textures in the bowl complement the rest of the decor throughout the space. In addition, the carved eggs are something we picked up years ago while on vacation. Overall, this addition costs less than $20! If you want to give your space a new look, all you need is a little imagination and some old treasures to transform your space into something chic and glamorous!

The Glass Sea Shell

Glass sea shellThis picture is from the same exhibit mentioned in one of my previous posts. When I saw this piece, it reminded me of sea shells I’d find along the beach. Though I doubt it’s suppose to be a shell, I couldn’t help but make the comparison. Over the years I’ve purchased small glass shells in various colors that I picked up on vacation. They’re great for displaying on a table or grouping together in a bowl. They can usually be found in gift shops along the coast, online, or at a craft store. Glass shells are a great way to add a touch of the ocean to any space. No matter your space, you can have a reminder of the ocean anytime you choose.