Chinoiserie & Coastal Combined

"I love to collect anything that has to do with the sea. I guess if I could describe my style in two words, it would be chinoiserie and coastal," says Therese of La Dolfina. I find the combination of Chinese styles and coastal decor intriguing and have not seen anything like it before. And it begins right in Therese's yard with a beautiful mirror and an impressive display of barnacles.


Seahorse plates bring the coastal theme to the table.


This is what she calls her "Cabinet of Curiosities", filled with "God's art".


Her dining room table centerpiece includes a white bone lobster from Anthropologie.


The den (and as always, please click images to learn more).


And a close up gives you a peak of the "seascape" inside the shell bowl.


The "chinoiserie fireplace" is Therese's favorite piece in the home and has a special story to tell (click image to learn more). The large seashell filled bowl reminds me of the post Super Bowls.


Now a giant red shell sculptor fills the space that Therese found at The Alameda Antiques Fair which is only 15 minutes away from where she lives. I strolled along with her (virtually speaking) and posted all the coastal theme finds on Daily Vitamin Sea.


And lastly, the "coastal chinoiserie" master bathroom, painted chocolate brown. A vintage wire hanging basket (another find from the Fair) holds sea sponges and the cast iron dolphin points to her blog's name La Dolfina.
Can you describe your style in two words? I know I can't.

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Seashell Garden Ideas

I'm thinking of adding some seashells to my little garden, a spot by the corner of my house that I will show you later. And I found a few seashell garden ideas, beginning with a simple "pot garden" that can go on a window sill or the balcony if you don't have an actual outdoor space. Edenmakers calls this seashell mulch.


Even a single starfish (or seashell) can beach up a potted plant!


Isn't this lovely? Seashells spread along the stepping stones of a front garden.


And I love what Brooke did in her Garden. This is what I was thinking for my spot. She placed a seashell here and there among her succulents. Click on the link to check out her yard makeover.


This, I simply adore. If I had a picket fence, I'd decorate it with seashells too! The fence belongs to an adorable seaside cottage in Roberta's neighborhood. Visit her blog Tresor Trouve to see more!


And here's an idea for the "shell ambitious" among you. A fountain made of two large clam shells. These are available in cast stone, perhaps even at your local gardening center, or check Take a Large Seashell Bowl for online stores that sell them.

Now, I'm just waiting for the warm weather to arrive so that I can go outside and try some of these seashell garden ideas!

Related posts:
Seashells as Planters -Ideas, Tips and Links to Where to Buy.
Bring a Boat to your Backyard.

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Two Giveaways -by Gull Beach House & Nautical by Nature

Do you remember my very First Giveaway, sponsored by Black & Light? They make these awesome lobster candles and many others, and now you can win one of their candles at Cheryl's Blue Gull Beach House. Cheryl just started a blog writing about her adventures in the Hamptons (NY) and her beach house in Montauk that you can rent, so pay her a visit and say hi..., and Win a Candle!

Then...


... at Nautical by Nature you can win a set of beautiful Linen Sachets! They are handmade by Isola Bella..., and I could really use them for my walk in closet!

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Make Paper Mache Sailboats à la Ann Wood

Ann Wood is a Brooklyn (NY) artist who makes, among others things, adorable paper mache sailboats, and she has a tutorial on her Blog so that you too can make paper mache sailboats! The photo above is a peak into her home/studio where you can see a few of her works dangling from the ceiling.


Ann's sailboats are inspired by the Mediterranean and she has a printable pattern for you.



Do you eat cereal? Because Ann uses cereal boxes to create her boats (how neat is that), and it should be a breeze to follow her step by step instructions.


Too cute!

Ann's creations are quite popular too. There's a Flickr Group where people post their Ann Wood inspired paper mache boats. Here are three pics from there:


I love how this one is cleverly hung on the wall with an old record -a sailor song perhaps!


A mini sailboat.


And Zinaida who blogs from Siberia, Russia (click image), placed hers on top of a gift box.

So who is inspired to make a paper mache sailboat à la Ann Wood?

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Sea of Aqua & Turquoise Waters

Who isn't in awe of the beautiful Aqua and Turquoise waters of the sea, found in places such as the Caribbean?! It's been a while since I posted Beautiful Seagrass, my latest Poster Pics from Art.com. So I was happy to go browsing. After all, Turquoise is the color of 2010.

And as you can see above, Art.com has a new feature that allows you to view most posters in a variety of room settings, which can be really helpful.

I hope you enjoy this selection of Aqua and Turquoise waters!

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Vintage Beach Postcards as Table Place Cards

"I love all the great pattern and color in these old postcards so I made them into place cards with Japanese Masking Tape," Chelsea of Frolic writes. And if you didn't inherit a huge stash of vintage postcards from your great aunt, like Chelsea did, then there is your local antique store or...


... browse Ebay's Current Listings of Vintage Beach Postcards.

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Artist Melissa Barbieri

Connecticut based artist Melissa Barbieri paints stunning images of sealife and fine art murals that have antique charm.


A fish mural in progress.


Melissa's studio in the home that she shares with her husband in Essex, CT.


In the hang-out room that also doubles as Melissa's second studio, you find a surf board as the center piece (see more Surf Board Decor). The soaring ceilings and wide windows, the couple says in an interview with Connecticut Cottages & Gardens, remind them of boathouses they had seen on Martha's Vineyard.


The downstairs powder room is mostly Melissa's work. Her husband laid the wood floor and she applied the checkboard pattern, and painted the water and seaweed mural on the wall that was inspired by an 18th century French painting. Also notice the large Driftwood pieces in the corner and on the floor next to the cabinet.


A starfish study.


And a trompe l'oeil painting. Then, I almost didn't see it. The Giant Clam Shell sits on the book Cabinet of Natural Curiosities (one of the most photographed books).


Melissa Barbieri in front of her house, sitting on a Turquoise 1956 Ford Ranch Wagon that her husband who collects vintage cars purchased from a California surfer. Got to love the colors of these vintage cars!

As always, please click on images to go to the source. All photographs of Melissa's home (except image one) are photographed by Tim Lee (via Connecticut Cottages & Gardens).

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