Coastline Treasures

Garden décor; what is it and do we even think about décor for our gardens?  We spend so much time and energy on our homes; picking out the correct paint colors, carpeting, furniture, wall hangings and more.  We want our homes to be warm and inviting, a place to relax at the end of the day.  What about our gardens?  How much time and energy do we put into creating a warm and inviting place outside?

At the end of a summer’s day, what better way to spend it than relaxing outdoors.  Adding garden décor can be hammocks, tables, benches, yard art, pots, birdfeeders, fountains and more.  Take a look at your garden and observe where you can add these special touches to create a special garden just for you.  Adding a bench will allow you to stop and rest for a while.  A birdfeeder will welcome birds and their songs to your yard.  Do you like the sound of water?  Add a fountain or pond, large or small as it will help drown out the city noise.  There is much to do to make an oasis right outside your back door.  Take a walk and start creating.

Do you love the beach, sea shells and the open sea?  Add a bit of nautical décor to your home.  It is easy to achieve with color and a few special accents.  First start with color; what reminds you of the beach, sea shells and ocean?  All shades of blues, tans, and beiges with accents of white work well to add the calmness that the beach affords.  After adding calm colors, it is time to add accents.

Accents can be throw pillows, wall décor, area rugs, statues or figurines.  Adding a few touches is more welcoming than overwhelming the room with too many pieces.  Choose a few select pieces that will create an atmosphere that you desire leaving the rest for color and texture.  How about a sail boat, statue of a dolphin, whale or other sea creature?  A sisal rug will add texture and remind you of the sandy beach.  Fill a bowl with sand and seashells from your last trip to the beach for a special accent.  Whatever you choose, nautical décor will add calmness to your surroundings.

It is exciting to move into a new dwelling with all the decorating possibilities.  You get to choose the décor and colors that you desire.  You have chosen the couch, chair, tables and a few knick knacks around the room.  The area rug looks great, the throw pillows pull all your colors together but what about the walls?  What do you do to fill those white walls?

Do you use photos?  How many should you use?  What kind of mats and frames?  The expense of it all, ouch.  What about original art?  Now we are talking expensive.  How else can you fill your walls and make it interesting without emptying your bank account?  How about decorative wall hanging plates?  You can use favorite plates that you already own or find decorative plates at stores and yard sales.  You can hang plates individually or in sets.  What about plate holders?  There are many attractive holders that can be found and hung either horizontal or vertical depending on the amount of space that you have.  It is an easy way to add color, dimension and a theme to any room.  Step out of the ordinary and hang a plate or two.

To lure is to attract, tempt, entice.  Fishing Home Décor can lure you in just as one’s fishing lure can entice a potential catch.  In recreational fishing, the lure is tied to the end of the fishing line and it designed to move like fish prey.  Their intent is to use movement, vibration and color to catch the attention of the fish so that they will bite the hook.  Lures can be made of wood, plastic, rubber, metal, cork or material such as feathers, string and tinsel to name a few.  Some are used alone and some are used together.  Each creates its own movement and vibration.

 There are many types of lures; a jig, surface lures or top water lures, spoon lures, plugs or crank baits, artificial flies or other water creatures, spinner bait or swim bait.  It is important to know the difference and when it is appropriate to use each one.  Lures are more fish friendly as well by reducing the incidence of ‘deep hooking’ which is traumatic to the fish.  They also help maintain the appropriate food chain by decreasing the amount of bait needed.  There is not the extra catching of ‘bait’ fish and thus maintain a better balance in the marine web chain.  Lures are good for the fish and its environment.

Glass figurines are so delicate and lovely somehow they are hard to resist.  Their beauty and ornate details draw us to them.  They can be small tiny figurines or larger ones that can be the center of attention on a table or mantle.  Their shapes and styles are just as varied; animals, ships, lighthouses, buildings, hearts, crosses and more.  No matter what shape or style they are special.

 Some glass figurines are accented with gorgeous gold, silver or other striking colors.  What about a beautiful hummingbird feeding from a vibrant red geranium?  Adding color will add a subtle flare to an already delicate piece. A wonderful way to display your figurine is in front of or on top of a mirror.  The reflections will greatly enhance the look of your treasured keepsake.  Be sure to place it where the sun will capture its special qualities.  Do you know someone who collects glass figurines?  If so, add to their collection by giving them a gift that they will enjoy for years to come.

To lighten a room’s mood, add color and fun.  What color do you like?  What makes you feel like a child or makes you smile?  Go ahead and use this color.  You can control the value by how bold of a color you use.  If you want a milder version make sure it is a light color, you can even use it all on the walls of the room.  If you choose a bolder version, think about one accent wall.  An accent wall can really draw your attention and pull in your chosen color.

Now add some fun to the room.  Adding decorative wall plaques can add personality, color, design, dimension and flavor to a room.  Depending on the look you have chosen, wall plaques can be subtle or a bit wild.  If the room already has a lot of color and prints from draperies or fabrics, you may want to choose a subtle plaque.  Even with a bold accent wall, you can add a colorful wall plaque but may want to keep fabrics subdued so not to be distracting.  Whatever you choose, have a bit of fun and enjoy the look you have created.

In the nautical world, there’s nothing more iconic than the lighthouse. And if you live in the Pacific Northwest, these lighthouses are completely indicative of the area. As such, they are particularly prevalent in areas such as the Oregon Coast. If you’re at all enamored with these areas or ocean décor in general, you can recreate that feeling through strategic home decoration. Whether you add subtle nautical touches to your home or go all out with the ocean theme, the décor of you house can alert people of your love for the ocean life.

Not surprisingly, one common theme within this type of decoration is lighthouse home decor. There are many different variations on this theme, but these lighthouses come in everything from paintings to lampshades. As with any home décor undertaking, you can make your home as overt or as subtle as you want. You can merely paint the walls a color reminiscent of sand, and you can add some small seashell detailing for a very understated ocean look. Alternately, you can go all out and choose one room to be your nautical area. To that end, you can adorn the shelves with ships in a bottle, lighthouse lamps, anchor figurines, and any other decorating items you’d like.

You spent time and money picking out wooden garden furniture for years of enjoyment.  Like all woods, care needs to be taken to ensure that it will last and stay looking beautiful.  Wood is natural and there is a natural process in its aging; left unattended the wood can turn grey or even black in color.  At the beginning of each season examine each piece and evaluate its condition.  Keeping it sanded and sealed will help preserve the wood and maintain its beauty.

The weather affects wood in that it will cause the wood to expand and contract.  The expansion and contraction can cause cracks and ultimately split the wood.  It is best to store your wooden garden furniture in a shed or garage for the winter.  During the spring and summer season bring it outdoors for enjoyment.  Just remember direct sunlight can be damaging to the furniture so it is best to store it in a shady area of the garden. If it rains where you live, you might want to cover it with a breathable furniture cover making sure that the water drains off.  These are just a few tips that will help to extend the life of your furniture.

Gardens say a lot about how someone keeps their house.  A tidy garden usually insinuates that the house is well maintained.  Although some gardens are full of beautiful flowers and plants, decorative accessories are always an easy way to spruce up any garden.  The easiest way to take your garden to the next level is by adding decorative birdhouses.  They are perfect for any garden or patio.  Not only do they bring life to your yard, but also bring birds that come to visit.  Birdhouses provide for some excitement as a variety of birds come and go.

There are many styles of birdhouses to choose from as well.  What kinds of birds migrate in your area?  Do you need a small house or bigger houses?  You get to choose the size, style and design that will enhance your yard and bring flying friends to stay for a while.

About two years ago my family and I traveled to North Carolina to visit our relatives.   We rented a beach house for a week, a two story house that faced the clear blue waters of the Outer Banks.  Each day we went for an adventure around the town, playing in the ocean, and spending quality time together.  One day, we drove to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  My mother went crazy, falling madly in love with the tall structure.  From then on, we continued to travel from lighthouse to lighthouse so that she could see the many lighthouses that North Carolina has to offer.

 As you walk into our house, lighthouse figurines sit on our mantle, one being the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  It reminds us of our beautiful and memorable trip to the Outer Banks with our family.  A souvenir is always a perfect way to keep the family connected.