8 DIY Beach Decor Ideas Bring Seaside Style To Any Room — On A Dime!
Easy ways to bring the beauty of the beach to your home
![DIY beach decor: Beachy place setting consisting of a dinner plate topped with a fish-shaped salad plate, striped cloth napkin, cutlery and a name-adorned fish ornament on a dinner table](/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/edit_AdobeStock_359656593_Preview.jpg?w=953)
You don’t need a beach house to enjoy seaside serenity this summer! Bring the blissful beauty of an oceanside paradise to your space with decorative accents made using a few craft store staples, around-the-house finds and beachy treasures. “Cool colors, sandy textures, serene vibes…coastal-inspired decor brings the beach to mind and offers you and your guests feelings of relaxation and calm,” says DIY pro Katie Striegel (@chiconashoestringdecorating on Instagram). “And bringing the shore to any space or tabletop is easy with simple DIY beachy accents!” From seashell-filled jars to palm-kissed place settings, our easy DIY beach decor ideas are sure to refresh your space and give you a taste of paradise from the comfort of your home. Read on for the easy how-to’s.
DIY beach decor ideas that are so easy to achieve
1. A nautical serving tray perks up a coffee table
![DIY beach decor: Striped wooden serving tray made from an old picture frame, rope and paint with two mugs of coffee sitting on top](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/AdobeStock_110016971_Preview.jpeg.jpg?w=1024)
“With just a little craft paint, rope and a couple of maritime adornments, you can revive an old photo frame by turning it into a nautical serving tray,” notes Striegel.
To do: Start with a medium-size photo frame with a thick wood border. Slip in a piece of sand-hued scrapbook paper where a photo would go. Next, paint the wood frame white; let dry. Then use painter’s tape to section off 4 horizontal stripes and paint areas between tape navy blue; let dry, then remove tape. Hot-glue brained rope “handles” to the frame as shown. To finish, hot-glue a few craft-store starfish to the frame. Use tray to serve drinks and snacks or hold remotes on a coffee table.
2. DIY beach decor idea: Bottles and vases showcase ocean treasures
![DIY beach decor: Decorative bottles, starfish, shells and shell-filled jar on white textured background](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-825341148.jpg?w=1024)
“These pretty jars offer beachy flair to any surface, but they also bring back sweet memories of fun times at the beach or on vacation,” says Striegel. She recommends collecting a handful of shells during summer day trips or vacations and using those sand treasures for your homemade accents throughout the year.
To do: Fill a glass jar or two with a thin layer of sand (from the beach or craft store). Then top with a handful or two of mini seashells and replace the lid. Display sand- and shell-filled jars alongside empty or sand-filled bottles and vases on a tabletop. Lean a starfish onto wall behind table to finish.
3. Dried blooms and grasses offer breezy, beachy flair
![DIY beach decor: Wrapped bouquet of dried filler flowers, sea shells and starfish on a blue rustic tabletop](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-839014940.jpg?w=1024)
A bouquet of dried white filler flowers (which resemble dune grass, thanks to their color and texture) looks lovely displayed alongside beachy finds.
To do: Gather baby’s breath and Queen Anne’s lace stems in your hand and secure bunch with a rubber band. Next, hang the bunch upside down by attaching the rubber band to a cabinet knob or drawer pull; let blooms air-dry fully. Wrap the bouquet with kraft paper and tie with white ribbon, then display on a tabletop alongside beachy extras like seashells and starfish.
4. DIY beach decor idea: Palm-kissed plates lend resort-worthy style
![DIY beach decor: Contemporary nautical tablescape with a dinner plate topped with a palm leaf, seashell ornament and cutlery bundle alongside a blue and white stripy runner and gold-trimmed glassware](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/AdobeStock_360515674_Preview.jpg?w=1024)
Topping simple dinner plates with palm leaves and seashell accents creates a relaxing, resort-worthy feel that will impress dinner guests!
To do: For each place setting, top stacked oval plates with palm-like greenery, a seashell ornament and a cutlery bundle cinched with a silver napkin ring. The fabulous finishing flair: Lay an ombré blue runner down the table’s center and top with seashell-shaped salt and pepper shakers and beachy pebbles or small river rocks, then add classic glassware to table.
5. Shell candle cups cast a sunset-inspired glow
![DIY beach decor: Female holding a scallop shell topped with a tea light candle above a wicker tray on a tabletop](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/GettyImages-2148214357.jpg?w=1024)
Scalloped seashells or clam shells make surprisingly stunning “candle cups” that lend a lovely oceanic ambience to any dinner table or side table.
To do: Start with a few medium or large shells (gather them from the beach or pick a few up from the craft store). Lay the shells upside-down on a tabletop, then add a small tea light-filled candle cup or battery-run tea light candle to center of shell. Tip: For a bigger impact, cluster a few shell-topped candles and extra loose shells on the table.
6. DIY beach decor idea: Fish-shaped plate IDs pretty up place settings
![DIY beach decor: Beachy place setting consisting of a dinner plate topped with a fish-shaped salad plate, striped cloth napkin, cutlery and a name-adorned fish ornament on a dinner table](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/edit_AdobeStock_359656593_Preview.jpg?w=1024)
Make guests feel special and help them find their seats with ease at a dinner party by creating too-cute fish IDs!
To create each, simply jot a guest’s name onto an unfinished wood fish ornament from the craft store using a gold permanent marker; let dry. Next, wrap a length of twine around the fish’s tale (for a decorative touch) and another length through the hole; knot ends together. Set each fish atop stacked dinner plates at each place setting.
Tip: For an extra-special touch, place maritime pulleys attached to nautical rope down the center of the table; loop fish ornaments onto pulleys.
7. A coastal vignette brightens a bare corner
![DIY beach decor: Still life with wooden cake stand topped with coral and a large shell alongside a candlestick, coral and a rope](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/AdobeStock_134780366_Preview.jpg?w=1024)
Create a beautiful seaside-inspired scene on a buffet or entryway table using a cake plate, a candlestick and beachy craft-store accents.
To do: Set a wooden pedestal in front of a wooden candlestick on a tabletop; place faux coral and a large shell atop the pedestal. Add coiled rope and more coral to the table to finish.
8. DIY beach decor idea: Sailboat apples serve as festive take-home favors
![DIY beach decor: Blue polka dot paper sail picks staked into green apples adorned with dinner guests' names and displayed on a white platter](https://www.firstforwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/AdobeStock_247865174_Preview.jpg?w=1024)
Sweet sail-topped apples make perfect take-home treats for dinner guests.
To make each, punch a hole at the top and bottom of a triangle of blue polka-dotted scrapbook paper; slip a wood skewer through holes. Add a washi tape flag to the sail; stake the skewer into an apple. Use a white food coloring marker to jot a name on the apple. Set finished apples on a platter and display on a buffet table or kitchen countertop.
For more decor ideas, keep reading!
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