21 Simple Ways To Decorate With Shells (2024)

Looking for ways to decorate with shells? Be inspired and fall in love with these simple shell decor ideas for your home.

Hey friend – In case you’re new around here?

There is something you should know.

I am a shell maniac.

A shell collecting crazoid

A shell seeking wacko.

A rise before the sun, just to see what the water carried ashore from the deep ocean floor…lunatic.

My name is Heather and I love collecting seashells by the seashore…and I will not stop.

Which brings me to today’s post.

I am answering one my most frequently asked questions.

That question being:

“What do you do with all of your shells?”

You already know from this post and this post that our family came home with a suitcase FULL of shells from our recent trip to Sanibel.

But the truth is?

I have been collecting shells ever since my tiny tootises could touch the sand and I could proudly carry my own bucket of treasures.

And today?

Shelling remains one of my absolute most favorite things to do.

And?

I love that I have passed this slow down your soul and breathe hobby to our daughters and…that they have grabbed on to it.

No matter the weather, or the season or if it’s morning, noon or night.

Sunrise or sunset.

These girls love shelling just as much as their Momma.

In fact, I wrote about this passion of shelling and the gentle ways it refreshes my spirit, HERE, in this post.

One thing I love to do, whenever I find a particularly special treasure…is to write the date on the shell.

Like this whelk I found in Ocean City in 2010.

Shelling is a family tradition that our family has come to love.

Along with a friendly shell competition thrown in every Summer.

We like to call it the “moon eye competition” to see who can collect the most moon eye shells within a 30 minute beach walk. Of course, we collect other “keepers,” but we only count the moon eye or shark eye shells for the shell competition. 🙂

So friend…if you have never really adopted “shelling” as a hobby?

Might I suggest to you that you start this Summer?

Not only will you collect treasures that evoke special memories…but your mind will breathe a different beat as you browse the beach and bend with an extended arm to receive a gift from the sea.

And?

In bonus news…shells are so much fun to decorate with.

In today’s post, I am sharing 21 super simple ways to decorate with shells.

And let me just tell you, I had to cut myself off.

After spending all morning decorating our home with shells…I could have kept going and going.

There are SO many ways to decorate with seashells.

Whether it be to create a statement focal point or simply to set the mood with a small moment in the kitchen.

I can’t wait to show you all the ways you can decorate your home with shells.

Shell we get to it?

(See what I did there…I couldn’t resist.) 🙂

21 Simple Ways To Decorate With Shells

1. Display shells in an oversized fabric bowl

It’s fun to empty this bowl every Summer and start again from zero shells.

After each beach walk, we simply add the “keepers” to this oversized fabric bowl from HomeGoods.

2. Decorate with shells by placing them in a metal basket on the floor

I particularly find this appealing to the eye, when the shells are all the same type of shell.

Grouping all of our Alphabet Cone shells, that we collected from Sanibel together makes for a pretty and unexpected statement.

3. Display shells in a wooden bowl on a side table

I just picked up this beautiful wooden bowl from Target. I love the washed light wood color of it, perfect for displaying seashells.

4. Decorate with shells by using them as book topper decor

5. Display shells in a flat wooden tray in your entryway

6. Display shells in a bird bath

Feeling Crafty?

These next few shell decorating ideas…are for my crafty friends.

Here are 3 ideas for decorating with shells that go from levels: easy, to medium to more advanced craftiness required. 🙂

7. Glue shells to fabric or burlap, wrapped around a mason jar (EASY)

You could also add a battery operated tea candle inside the mason jar or fill the mason jars with fairy lights for extra Summer time whimsy.

8. Make a shell cross with driftwood and shells (Medium)

You can see more pictures of how we made these driftwood crosses and decorated them with shells, HERE in this post.

This little DIY shell craft made for a perfect craft during a cold and rainy beach weekend over Memorial Day two Summers ago.

9. Make a shell wreath and display your shells in a masterpiece made by you (or your Mom) (Advanced)

In case you didn’t already know?

My Mom is amazing.

She made this shell wreath one Summer, by simply hot glueing shells to a wreath form.

Ahh—maaaz—ing. In my shell loving opinion.

10. Decorate with shells by placing them in a large glass vessle

I bought this glass ginger jar from the Pottery Barn outlet over ten years ago and I love swapping out the decor. I also love using it as an oversized vase.

However, my favorite decor to use in this glass jar…is of course?

Shells.

I use my larger whelk shells and add in a few neutral decorative balls to help fill the container.

11. Add shells and sand to an Apothecary Jar.

In some decorating cases…I like to bring a little bit more of the beach back with me, than just shells.

And in this apothecary jar situation?

I added sand first and then decorated the jar by laying sand dollars from Sanibel in the sand.

Makes sense right?

Sand dollars need sand. 🙂

At the end of the Summer, I always like to bring a zip locked bag of sand home with me from our favorite beach to have on hand to decorate with.

(Interested in seeing even more beach decorating ideas? See this post full of before and after pictures of our family beach condo in Ocean City, Maryland. Also, this decorating post from last Summer when I shared a few updates to the condo.)

12. Decorate with shells by placing them in groups of 3

In full shell disclosure?

I do not buy shells.

Except…

Except for this one time I did.

But in fairness to myself – that was before I had this rule. 🙂

I bought the large white whelk shell, sitting on the far right to use as a door stop.

So if you need a door stop?

Buy a large heavy shell. 🙂

In this shell decorating situation, I have layered a grouping by placing all the same kind of shells from Sanibel in a glass jar, another group of shells in an antique milk glass bowl and then finished it off with a store bought shell.

Promise you won’t tell anyone.

13. Decorate with small shells by putting them in tiny glass jars of different types and sizes

14. Decorate with shells in mason jars

15. Display a shell collection in a glass cabinet

16. Display shells in front of a shell art print

We found these beautiful tulip shells while on our trip to Sanibel and Captiva.

And so?

When I found out that Lindsay Letters had a tulip shell art print for sale…I knew I needed it.

I just love love love decorating with Lindsay Letters art prints…almost as much as I love decorating with shells.

Here is the link to this tulip shell art print.

If you fall in love with Lindsay Letters watercolor art too?

Use promo code: HomewithHeather for 10% off your order. 🙂

17. Decorate with shells or starfish by laying several together in a woven basket

You can see here also, that I am decorating with shells and starfish decor by also layering in a beach watercolor art print in the background.

18. Decorate with shells by adding small shells to a tiny dish

I love decorating with shells by adding small moments to my every day, by placing some of my favorite finds in special dishes, like this vintage dish from my Mom on my nightstand.

And this angel wing dish on my desk.

19. Decorate with shells by adding a shell or two, to a plant container

I wash my hands and dishes a lot.

So, I love having this “small shell moment” that meets me multiple times of day here at the sink, tucked in this Pothos plant.

20. Decorate with shells by laying 1 or 2 larger shells on a small side table

21. Decorate with shells by placing them in a glass candle holder or lantern

And last but not least?

Take the shells outside.

Bonus Shell Decorating Idea: Decorate with shells outside near a water feature

We built this waterfall in our side yard before we even had any kids!

It has been one of my favorite spots to relax and enjoy a quiet evening at home. You might remember giving this space some extra love and cleaning it out, here in this post and this post.

And now?

I love sitting in our Adirondack chairs and enjoying a little bit of the seaside in the form of shells, even when my toes are in the grass and not in the sand.

Phew!

Do you see what I mean?

I could go on and on with all of these easy shell decorating ideas!

But right here is where I am going to leave you.

I hope this post inspires you start your own shell collecting hobby this Summer and also? To start decorating your home by using these simple shell decorating ideas.

Because why not?

Its free.

It’s fun.

It’s beautiful.

Now, go get your shell on friend.

Living on a prayer,

Heather

PS: Want more coastal and beach theme decorating ideas? Be sure to see this coastal bedroom makeover I gave to our daughter last year HERE.