DIY Sea Glass Bottles: Summer Decor

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Sea Glass in Summer

Ever since I was a child back in California, I have always loved hunting for shells and sea glass. I remember spending many summer days walking along the beach. All the while, I searched for the most unique and perfect shells and the smoothest, most beautiful pieces of sea glass. It was like going on a treasure hunt and I would hunt for hours. It was so fun trying to imagine how long each piece of sea glass was tumbling around in the ocean and where each one came from. Some things never change. Even today, I still love hunting for shells and sea glass on the beaches of the east coast too.

Sea glass exudes the feeling of summer. The soft shades of green, blue, white, and amber create a feeling of serenity and tranquility, just like a relaxing day at the beach. With its frosted look, smooth texture, beautiful and soothing colors, and the uniqueness of each piece, sea glass is the perfect accent to use inside or outside in summer home decor.

The Inspiration

You may remember my first DIY project this year, Frosted Glass Bottle Winter Decor. Making these frosted glass bottles for winter home decor was a wonderful way to upcycle all the wine, champagne, and other bottles we had in the recycling bin after the holidays. They turned out beautifully! I used them as candle holders and flower vases around the farmhouse. I also filled some with fairy lights to use outside on the porch.

Initially, I spied sea glass spray paint when I bought the frosted glass spray paint for the winter bottles months ago. However, I kept that a secret from y’all because I had a surprise up my sleeve. Once I saw how beautiful the DIY frosted glass bottle winter decor turned out, I knew I was going to go back and get the sea glass spray paints for a summer version of this project.

Now, I find myself torn. I don’t know which DIY glass bottle version I love more, the frosted glass or the sea glass. They’re both so beautiful! … I’ll let you be the judge.

Supplies Needed to Make DIY Sea Glass Bottles

For this easy summer home decor project, all you need are a couple of things to make these gorgeous sea glass bottles.

1. Clear glass bottles, washed and labels removed
2. Krylon Sea Glass spray paint (comes in 3 colors: Sea Foam, Aqua, and Ice)

Optional: Twine, string, thin rope, ribbon, or yarn to wrap around part of the neck of the bottle to add a finishing touch.

For my sea glass bottles, I used a combination of Sea Foam and Aqua spray paints. I also used leftover frosted glass spray paint from the winter bottles I made earlier in the year. Instead of the white string that I used for the frosted glass bottles last winter, I used jute twine for the sea glass bottles this summer. I love the beachy/nautical feel the twine added.

How to Make DIY Sea Glass Bottles

• Remove any labels and adhesives from the bottles.
• Wash the bottles in soapy water or wipe them down with rubbing alcohol to remove all the adhesive and oils.

• In a well-ventilated area (ideally outside), place the bottles on a protected surface and spray the bottles with sea glass spray paint.

• Hold the spray can upright about 10-inches from the glass bottle and spray steadily in a back and forth motion. The sea glass spray paint will dry in about 10 minutes. Be sure to wait the full 10 minutes before deciding on whether or not to spray another coat. The transparency of the paint changes as the paint dries. For a deeper (and less transparent) color, apply 2-3 coats.

• Optional: Tie or wrap ribbon, yarn, or twine around the neck of the bottles for a finishing touch. For a more coastal or nautical feel, add thin rope.

Sea Glass Spray Paint Pointer

In the process of making these DIY sea glass bottles for the first time, I learned a little something about sea glass spray paint.

Transparency

1 coat vs. 2-3 coats: The colors on the lids of the spray paint cans are very accurate when applied in 2-3 coats. Ice is lovely, though it errs more on the side of grey than white. Sea Foam is a gorgeous shade of green. I applied two coats of it and loved the results. Aqua is also a beautiful color. However, the first t time I spray painted a glass bottle with it, I applied two coats (just like I did with Sea Foam). Two coats of Aqua color made the bottle a little too bright and bold for my taste and farmhouse summer decor. Therefore, when I sprayed the next bottles with Aqua, I applied a very light single coat. In the end, they had a much softer look that I really loved.

You can see from the photo above, that the taller glass bottle was sprayed with two coats of Aqua. The color is very saturated, bright, and bold. The shorter bottle was sprayed with one light coat. It’s much more opaque and has a softer, lighter look to it. Both bottles are beautiful.

The number of coats of paint you use will depend on the look you’re trying to achieve. As I mentioned earlier, be sure to wait the full 10 minutes before deciding whether or not to spray a bottle with another coat of paint. The transparency of the sea glass paint changes as it dries.

Styling DIY Sea Glass Bottles

These sea glass bottles have made an appearance all over the farmhouse! Style them on a tray for a coffee table in the living room or on the porch. They also look beautifully styled on an entry table, mantel, or on shelves. Sea glass bottles are the perfect decor to use on a summer tablescape too!

Whether you add fresh or faux flowers to the bottles or stick candles on the neck of the bottles, they create a lovely ambiance for summer. Fairy lights in the bottles make for a beautiful display on warm summer nights too.

Have fun creating and styling your own DIY sea glass bottles for summer decor!

Looking for more fun, easy, inexpensive, and beautiful DIYs for summer? You may want to check these out:

DIY Garden Markers

How to Build a Picnic Table

DIY Concrete Bowls

DIY Color Block Vase