6 Unique Shell Decorations for Your Home This Summer

Abbie M
by Abbie M
3 Materials
$10
1 Hour
Easy

Being lucky enough to live close to the beach has taught me that some of the most beautiful and meaningful home decorations can come straight from mother nature herself. A serene walk by the beach in the summer months provides the opportunity to scoop up hundreds of unique decorative items in the form of seashells. If you want to put these beautiful natural formations to use in your home, here are my favorite shell decorations that only take a few short minutes to put together.

Wine Glass Candlesticks 

Using some spare wine glasses, some sand, and some seashells from my latest beach hall, I was able to put together this gorgeous candleholder for the dinner table in just a couple of minutes. Here's how I created this unique piece of shell decor. 

Tools and Materials 

Here's what you'll need to create your own seashell candlesticks: 


  • A mixture of seashells - you can go hunting for shells at your nearest beach or, if this isn't an easy option for you, you can buy a multipack of shells on Amazon for just a few bucks
  • Two large wine glasses
  • Cardboard
  • Sand - again, I just scooped some up from the beach, but you can buy sand online or at Home Depot
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue
  • Candles


Step 1: Gather Your Materials

First up, you'll want to gather all of your materials in one place. There is very little mess with this DIY project, which is why I felt comfortable putting it together at the dining room table. Once you have your wine glass, cardboard, glue gun, sand, and shells in one place, it's time to get started!  

Step 2: Fill the Wine Glass with Shells and Sand 

First thing's first, you'll want to choose the shells to go into your wine glasses and place them inside the glass. After this, simply pour sand into the glass until it is about halfway full. Remember, it's better to place the shells inside before adding the sand. 

Step 3: Glue on a Cover 

Once you have placed all of your chosen shells into the glass, you'll want to seal it. I drew a circle on my cardboard by drawing around the rim of the wine glass. This made it the perfect size to cover it up. Simply cut the circle out and use your glue gun to attach it to the rim of your wine glass. I also added some twine around the edge, as this will make the candleholder a little more sturdy. 

Step 4: Flip and Add a Candle!

Now the fun part. Simply flip your creation upside down and give it a thorough shake. This will allow the sand and shells to settle in a beautiful arrangement as you see here. Next up, I balanced some sea-blue candles on top, and they were ready to go. 

My favorite thing about these shell decorations is that they are guaranteed to be a conversation starter at the dinner table. Choose some seashells that best fit your own taste and personality, and you'll have a timeless statement piece for your next dinner party. 


Decorative Shell Balls 

Another quick, easy, and stunning piece of shell decor that can be made in a few seconds is decorative shell balls. All you need is plenty of shells, some glue, and a cheap polystyrene ball to put together some stylish summery decorations for your living room. 

Tools and Materials 

You really don't need much to get the ball rolling with this one. Here's what you should have: 


  • Seashells - I quickly realized how important it is to ensure you have enough shells to cover every inch of the ball. You can't have too many shells for this one, so go crazy. 
  • Some polystyrene balls - I opted for some quite large, cantaloupe-sized ones, but you can choose a size that works for you. 
  • Plenty of glue.
  • A decorative bowl to place them in. 


Step 1: Gather Your Materials

This is another low-fuss project that you can do on any flat surface in your home. Assemble your shells, balls, and glue together to get started. 

Step 2: Attach Shells to the Ball

This really is as simple as it looks. All I did was use my glue gun to apply a little bit of glue to the outside of my seashells, before placing them around the polystyrene ball. You can go in any direction with this one, so let your creativity run wild when choosing how to arrange your shell decor. 

Step 3: Decorate!

Finally, you simply need to place your decorated seashell balls wherever you think they would work best. I placed them in a decorative glass bowl on my coffee table, as I feel the tropical colors help to brighten up my living room. 

These simple shell decorations work all year round but are great for anyone looking to inject some summer vibes into their home. 


Seashell Planter

I find those standard terracotta plant pots incredibly dull, which is why I thought I'd give a tropical touch to my houseplants by creating this seashell planter. Here's how I did it. 

Tools and Materials 

This is another simple project using many of the same materials as before. Here's what you'll need: 


  • Seashells
  • Some houseplants - I opted for a couple of simple dracaena plants, but you can choose whichever plant you prefer
  • A glue gun
  • Some standard plant pots


Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Get your plant pot, your seashells, and your glue at the ready. You can do this anywhere, but since you will be repotting a plant, you might want to do this outside or somewhere that is easy to sweep up, such as the kitchen.

Step 2: Attach Shells to the Planter

Once I was ready to go, I simply applied the glue to the shells and stuck them around the outside of the plant pot. I worked my way around the pot slowly to ensure that every inch of it was covered with seashells. 

Step 3: Fill with a Plant

Finally, all you need to do is fill it with a plant and you're ready to go! 

This beautiful seashell planter works both indoors and outdoors, giving a unique splash of color to an otherwise boring household item.


Dyed Seashell Mirror 

Those looking for some shell wall decor could follow my lead by putting together this quirky dyed seashell mirror. It adds a nice retro touch to my bedroom and certainly helps to brighten up the space. Here's how to do it. 

Tools and Materials 

This piece of shell decor required a little bit more than my previous projects. Here's what you'll need: 


  • Seashells
  • A mirror - I opted for a circular mirror from IKEA. Try not to choose a huge mirror unless you're prepared to dye and glue hundreds of seashells
  • Heinz All-Natural Distilled White Vinegar
  • Blue and green dye - you can even use standard food coloring for this
  • A glue gun
  • Some cardboard
  • Scissors


Step 1: Gather Your Materials

The first thing I did was set up my workstation in the kitchen. I pulled out two separate bowls for the dye and gathered all of the necessary tools and materials.  

Step 2: Create the Dye

To create the dye, I filled the two bowls with the white vinegar, before adding blue dye to one bowl and green to the other. You don't need to mix them together - just leave the mixture for a couple of minutes. 

Step 3: Dye the Seashells

Next up, it's time to dye your seashells! For this step, I placed half of the seashells in one bowl and half in the other, to create a two-tiered color scheme. Leave them to soak in the dye for an hour or so. 

Step 4: Dry the Seashells

When I felt that my seashells had absorbed as much dye as they could, I laid out a sheet of kitchen towel and placed my seashells on them to let them dry. This should really only take a few minutes, but be patient. 

Step 5: Create the Mirror

To create the final piece of shell wall decor, I cut out a cardboard circle that was larger than the actual mirror, before gluing the mirror to it. I then glued the shells to the outer layer of cardboard, working my way around until it was completely covered. 

As you can see, a shell mirror can be used for anything. If you don't want to hang it on your wall, you can use it as a candleholder or table decoration. The options are limitless! 


Seashell Sign 

I absolutely adore symbols and statement pieces on my walls. When I realized I had an old ampersand wall hanging, I immediately thought it would look a million times better with some colorful seashells attached. Here's how I did it. 

Tools and Materials 

You won't need much for this project. Here's what I used: 


  • An ampersand wall hanging - you can find these in Target, Home Depot, TJ Maxx, and Bed, Bath & Beyond
  • A glue gun
  • Seashells


Step 1: Gather Your Materials

This one only takes a few seconds. Start by gathering your shells and your glue gun and place your wall hanging face down on a flat surface. 

Step 2: Attach Shells to the Sign

Once I was ready to go, I added a small amount of glue to each shell before sticking it flat-side down on the ampersand. Continue this until the entire sign is covered. 

Step 3: Decorate

Once you have covered your sign, you can hang it anywhere you want! 

I chose to place my seashell wall hanging above my fireplace, as I felt that it added a dramatic touch of orange to the center of my living room. Hope you like it! 


Seashell Frame 

Finally, you can hack your dull old photo frames by adding some colorful seashells, just as I did. This shell wall decor is super simple and effective. Here's how I did it. 

Tools and Materials 

You don't need much for this one. Here's what I used. 


  • A photo frame. I used a 4x6 frame from Walmart, but you can apply this technique to any frame in your house
  • A glue gun
  • Seashells


Step 1: Gather Your Materials

First off, grab your photo frame and make sure to remove any photos from it if it is already used. Once you have your seashells and glue gun by your side, you're ready to go. 

Step 2: Attach Seashells to the Frame

For this one, I used my glue gun to add glue across the entire surface of the frame. Then I applied the seashells around it while the glue was still wet. 

Step 3: Decorate

Once you have finished covering your photo frame with shells, leave it to dry for a few minutes. After this, pick a photo of your choice and place it in the frame, before hanging it up somewhere nice and visible. 

Naturally, I chose a classic vacation shot from the beach for my seashell photo frame. I love how the shell pattern brings it to life, and you definitely will too. 

As you can see, just some seashells and hot glue can provide tons of inspirational decor. If you were inspired by my Hometalker DIY projects, be sure to comment below to let me know what you think!

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2 of 5 comments
  • Diane Diane on Jul 12, 2020

    Can't wait to share with future daughter in law, the wine glasses would be great wedding decorations!!








  • Robin Robin on Oct 15, 2022

    Great holiday gifts for my grandkids to make for their mom & dad. Will use flameless tea lights in the candles.

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