Find beach art from warm sandy shores no matter where you are on the globe.  Find relaxing nautical home decor and warm ocean-themed artwork on posters, cards and totes to bring the beach life indoors. Learn how to live at the beach without leaving your home by decorating your home in tropical, stormy or cool sandy beach themes!

Life’s a Beach:  A Shore Theme in Your Outdoor Space

by Debbie Rodgers

Twentieth century American architect Phillip Johnson once said, “I hate vacations. If you can build buildings, why sit on the beach?” Mr. Johnson evidently didn’t how to relax, but as another summer is slipping away, you can. Did you visit the beach this year? Do you wish you had? Either way, you can create a seaside feel in your outdoor space and enjoy memories of the shore at home! Here are some quick tips.

Beach Colors:
Your choice of color will be the biggest stress reliever in your home “beach.” The relaxing hues of the beach are sun-bleached and sand- and water-washed. Think cool and inviting water, lapping on the shore; the pale sand underfoot; the tall pale green beach grasses; the pale pink and coral of shells; the white clouds in a the blue sky. For your blue, try Kelly Moore’s Essence of the Sea or Sail Away, Beautitone’s French Blue, or Benjamin Moore’s Robin’s Egg. If you prefer brighter colors use bright pink or orange, especially in striped fabric or small accessories such as candles.

Beach Themed Furniture:
The beach calls for casual wooden seating. Try folding wooden chairs with colorful striped canvas slings, set under a pale colored canvas umbrella that you’ve propped in a large bucket of sand.

Beach Inspired Fabrics:
What do you take to the beach? Canvas tote bags, terry towels and flip-flops. Use these fabrics for cushions, throws and the seating itself. Install decorative hooks on a wall, and hang beach towels as “art.”

Shoreline Motifs:
Many beach goers return home with a collection of shells, beach rocks and smooth bits of colored glass. If you have such a collection, use them to good effect in your outdoor space. Clean up your treasures by running them through a cycle of the dishwasher in the utensil basket. You can also rub baby oil into rocks to bring out the shine that you saw under the beach sun. The most obvious way to display your shells and pebbles is in a clear glass dish or jar, or a flat plate. Try filling a saucer with them and inserting a votive candle. Or if the shells themselves are large enough, pour candle wax around a wick in the shell cavity itself. Shells can be used in attractive tic-tac-toe games, for stamping fabrics and many other purposes.

You can easily change the feel of your beach theme by the use of different motifs. Perch a sea-gull on a piece of driftwood draped with a piece of fisherman’s net and use a lighthouse or two elsewhere in the space, and you’ll be reminded of a coastal fishing village. Folding sling chairs, an umbrella and pots of beach grass give a recreational feel to your space. Or combine the lighthouses with sailboat silhouettes for a more urban shore look.Whatever kind of shore you prefer, use these ideas to recreate it at home. Put on a recording of ocean waves lapping on the sand, kick off your shoes and enjoy the beach!

Debbie Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Her latest how-to guide “Attracting Butterflies to Your Home and Garden” is now available on her web site. Visit her at http://www.paradiseporch.com.

Beach Art and Art at Beaches

Public Art in Santa Barbara, California:  With Santa Barbara county and the city of Santa Barbara, we have committed to supporting public art and advocating for its essential function as a driver of community vitality, engagement and pride. Working cooperatively with local government, local artists and our communities, a number of successful temporary and public art works have been created and installed since 1977.

West Palm Beach, Florida Art in Public Places Program: Peruse artwork by local and international artists who bring “creative expression to the streets, parks and other public places of a dynamic city, reflecting its continuing cultural renaissance.”  They also have a call for artists section!

Public Art in Huntington Beach, California: Huntington Beach, known as ‘Surf City’, lists a huge collection of public art. From their site; “The City has been gathering outdoor public art since the early 1970’s. The community’s outdoor public art collection will continue to enhance the urban landscape and cultural identity of the city. Perfect for a driving or walking tour!”

Virginia Beach, Virginia Public Art: With over 50 installations, Virginia Beach has murals, environmental pieces and sculptures. The ViBe District encourages local artists to add to the artwork, and even has a mural festival. Their most famous work of beach art is a statue of Neptune, Roman god of the sea, presiding over the boardwalk.