Going Tropical

This spring, I'm going tropical!

Think swaying palm trees, shady verandas with Old World charm......

And green.......

With lots of textures and neutrals......

Burlap, jute, and pretty prints on pillows.....

And a pineapple pillow for the universal symbol of "welcome."

My neutral pillows (from At Home) are my year-'round pillows, and I switch pillow covers depending on the season. This pretty spring green geometric print pillow cover is from Birch Lane.

And nothing says the tropics better than swaying palm trees. Love these palm tree pillow covers with Old World text from Birch Lane.

I added a tobacco basket to hold some magazines and greenery on the coffee table. I love this lantern which I usually keep on top of the bookcase -- I brought it down to be the center of attraction.

And while we're on the subject of tropicals, I'm interested in adding more greenery to the beach house.  This chart from pinterest is perfect for selecting some pretty greens to add to baskets and bottles.

Now, I'm off to fix a tall glass of iced tea and escape into a good book! Preferably set in the tropics!



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Tobacco Baskets - Part 2

Welcome, Spring!

We spent a little time down at our beach house recently, and while the weather was pretty it was an unusually chilly week for the first days of spring. It was too cold for my taste to venture out on the beach, so I enjoyed the fresh air by opening up and the doors and windows and getting a few simple projects done inside.

Last week, I wrote about my love of tobacco baskets and some simple ways to use them in home decor. I bought two smaller versions to use in the beach house.

I'm freshening up the look of the den (which is the family hangout) with a tropical look for the spring.....fresh greens, burlap, jute, baskets, botanicals, and lots of neutrals. The small tobacco basket is perfect for a few magazines and a small plant for a touch of spring green.

I've also posted about my vintage post card collection.....the tobacco basket reminded me of a bulletin board, and I thought it would work well as a way to display a few of my favorite post cards.

It was easy to just slip the cards underneath the slats without damaging them.



Hope you are having a wonderful spring, and thanks for stopping by Sea Glass Cottage!



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Decorating with.......Tobacco Baskets

Hello, friends!

Things have been very busy at Sea Glass Cottage getting some much needed updating and remodeling to the outside of the cottage and the grounds. I am looking forward to showing you the final results, but it will likely be a few months before all is complete and ready to show.

In the meantime, I have turned my obsession -- I mean attention -- to the beautiful and rustic look of tobacco baskets.  Just when I thought I had enough collections going with wicker demijohn bottles and baskets of all sizes and shapes, I discovered I love the look of tobacco baskets in home decor.

 I've already purchased two and know exactly the DIY project I will create with them at the beach house!

Vintage tobacco baskets come from the North Carolina area of the U.S. and as you would expect, were used to hold the cured tobacco leaves when the growers took them to market. You can find newer replicas, but I love the look of the weathered and worn baskets -- even the ones with broken slats. They have a history and a story.

Besides being an interesting piece of wall decor on their own, you can use your creativity and dress them up seasonally or to display them in unique ways that reflect your decorating style. Here are some ideas:

1. Add a Wreath

Of course, the wreath could be changed out seasonally.

                                
                                                                     Pinterest



2. Create a Vignette on a Shelf

                                                                    Pinterest


3. Hang over a Bookcase 
  
       I like the way a framed photo was added to the basket.

                                                         The Endearing Home


4. Hang above a Fireplace

                                                                  Pinterest



5.  Display on a Coffee Table 

           Put plants, books, and other decorative items in the basket.

                                                                 Craftberry Bush


6. Hang above a Bed

                                                                Coastal Living





Do you have tobacco baskets? How do you use or display them?  I'll be going back to the cottage soon to work on my own twist on this awesome piece of decor.

Thanks for visiting Sea Glass Cottage!

Signs You Love Beach Style

I love the Country Living website -- have you visited it recently? It really is very fresh and on trend -- not at all like the old version of country living from the past.

 I came across this article there entitled, "23 Signs You Need a Beach House" and I thought it would be fun to put a little twist on this since we already have a coastal vacation home. Do I qualify as a certified coastal lover according to the quiz? Turns out I do, indeed!  Using pictures I've taken in and around Sea Glass Cottage, I'm a card-carrying member of the beach lovers club.

Are you? Take the quiz and find out! (Of course, it's all in good fun.)

1. Practically every room in your home is decorated with a blue and white color palette:

The walls in my home are painted a soft gray-blue and there are many soft blue accents throughout the cottage -- lamps, pillows, florals, candles, rugs, and other decorative accents.

 2. And a few pops of turquoise:

Throughout the cottage, I display collections of vases, bottles, and decor that reflect the beautiful colors of seaglass....  You will also see vintage stained glass windows which act as sun catchers to reflect beautiful colored glass. It's a simple DIY project -- old windows are hung on chains inside the window -- use small hooks drilled into the window frame to hang.

3. You decorate with shells:

You will find shells scattered all around the cottage in lanterns.......

and on shelves with pieces of art and decor.....

I even have a shell basket!

I took this plain, dark driftwood mirror and transformed it to fit my decorating style at Sea Glass with shells and seaglass. You can read about my DIY project here.

.........and I  definitely have a love of urns and bowls of shells in every room.




4. Starfish and Coral decorate your home.

I scatter pretty starfish and coral pieces all around the house.....here are a few starfish in my bedroom sitting area with some of my magazines.

I've tucked a starfish in my loofah sponge and soaps to make a pretty vignette in my bath area.

I love jute and have this burlap table runner and candle set out as my year 'round neutral look. 

Another quick DIY project -- A coat or two of chalk paint on a terra cotta pot, a little burlap ribbon, and hot glue the starfish (or shell).  

And, of course,  there are plenty of pretty pillows with shells, starfish, and coral.




5. You have white, slipcovered furniture.

Ummmmmm, yes! See All of the Above photos! :)

6. Flowing curtains are a must.

I love the romantic look of these sheers around the master bedroom -- they hang around the bed and over the french doors, and it's so pretty when they are blowing in the breeze!



7. Even your dishes are blue.

Yep.

My everyday dish set is white, but my coffee mugs are seaglass blue, of course!

8. You use a nautical theme in your home.

My son's vintage nautical bedroom and en-suite bath are my favorite -- so colorful and fun. A nice break from all the white and soft blue.

Another DIY project - use wood and pegs to hang nautical decor.

I enjoy adding a touch of whimsy to my decor -- in this case, wooden figurines.
9. You spell out your love of the beach with signs and decor.

This fun vintage sign on wood hangs in the family room.

...and this weathered beach sign hangs in the powder room.


10. You dream of lazy afternoons on the porch or sipping wine watching sunsets.


Oh, yes! We were given Sea Glass Wine as a gift, and now we have to have a bottle
 on hand all the time.

And here is a typical sunrise and sunset at Sea Glass Cottage:

Watching the sun rise in the east from my bedroom balcony....

And beautiful, breathtaking, colorful sunsets on the back porch.....

11. You dream of long walks on the beach.



Yes, yes, YES!

How did you do? Are you a beach loving, certified fan of all things coastal? 

I sure am! 

Thanks for playing along with me, and may all your coastal dreams come true!

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Decorating with......Beautiful Bottles & Demijohns

Question: What is one decor item that looks beautiful in many style homes -- modern, traditional, french country, farmhouse, coastal, rustic, and shabby chic?

Answer: Beautiful bottles and demijohns! (Demijohns are large bottles encased in wicker).

Regardless of your decorating style(s), bottles and demijohns bring color and texture to the home and can be used in so many creative ways.

Since we are transitioning into the fall season, I've put away some of my bowls of seashells and coastal pillows to bring in some warmer tones for fall. Sea Glass Cottage is our home away from home, so I'm keeping things low key-- just a few earth-toned pillows in the den and a demijohn vignette on the coffee table.

Since I'm keeping things very simple here, I've turned to a few of my favorite home decor blogs for more inspiring ideas, and I'm happy to share with you some stunning ways these creative bloggers have used demijohns in their homes.

Fabulous Kim from Savvy Southern Style has a gorgeous home with a mix of comfortable vintage and french country style.  I love the way she used these beautiful bottles to add height and style to a bathroom hutch.

                                                                           (source*)

Kim also uses demijohns as lamps, both the glass bottle and wrapped in wicker. Do yourself a favor and go do a search for "demijohn" at her blog. You will be in heaven as she is a collector and uses demijohns extensively in her design style -- she'll even show you how to make an inexpensive and fabulous demijohn lamp!

                                                                        

                                                                           (source*)

Next, we move to the rustic beauty of Kathleen's gorgeous home at Faded Charm. She features a demijohn in her entrance hall ~ don't you just feel a warm welcome into her home with the charming and vintage styling in her entrance hall?

                                                                             (source*)

                                                               

Wonderful Jenna at The Painted Apron is an extraordinary artist, entertainer, and designer who sets the most creative tables for her parties! Her blog is a gold mine of themed parties, decorating, and out-of-this-world recipes. Just look at this beautiful tablescape she created with elegant wine bottles and a large demijohn as the centerpiece.

                                                                      (source*)

Here are some other ideas I've gathered from home decor blogs:

                              ~use as a vase with seasonal flowers
                              ~group on the hearth by the fireplace
                              ~on bookcases (on top and on shelves)
                              ~on top of hutches and kitchen cabinets
                              ~in a large basket or tray
                              ~as lighting pendants
                              ~on the porch
                              ~lined up a staircase
                              ~add battery operated white lights inside
                              ~on a mantel

And check out my demijohn pinterest board to see other great ideas for using this versatile decorating item.  I think I just might start a new collection!


(**Thank you to Savvy Southern Style, Faded Charm, and The Painted Apron for permission to use their photos.**)


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