My Beach Bucket Lamp

Weeks ago, I had mentioned wanting to put a lamp in the second bedroom that was inexpensive, yet beachy and different from some of the ones I have seen. A fairly tall order. Well, I was able to put together the lamp to the right for $15-- it was extremely easy to do and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

I took a beach bucket (or pail...whatever floats your boat), a plain lamp that was on sale at the hardware store for about $10, and a variety of different beach rocks, sand dollars, and beach glass. How easy was it? I just stuck the lamp in said bucket, filled with cool rocks and things (mostly found on the beach itself, and looped the cord back behind the bucket's handle. Totally simple.

You can see in the picture to the left, it adds a little something to the second bedroom's lobster theme...the real Rock Lobster! Ha! I suppose if you prefer you could use a lamp kit (you can get them at the store for around the same price as the on-sale and put-together model that I selected) and make it more permanent by adding plaster inside the base. I chose not to do that though....I like to move stuff around, and who knows what this little bucket has in store for the future!

Nautical Fix

I've been slowly trying to add some nautically-styled stuff to the Blue Gull Beach House without going overboard and by trying to incorporate some functional pieces. I did however, fall in love with this little red sail boat pictured to the left (not functional but I had so much fun putting it together!)-- it seemed to bring just enough extra color into the livingroom's overall scheme. I found it in Our Gig Two "Whatever"-- a shop in Sag Harbor with a mix of nautical antiques and just a variety of stuff. I could not find a website, but they are located on Main Street and have cool home furnishings in a price range to satisfy everyone's budget.

I also found this nautically-themed flag with two pockets-- I've hung it on the side wall, and it seems as though it will come in handy for holding pens, paper-- maybe things I should not misplace or forget. The yellow and red are helping to brighten things up a bit (I steered clear of the pink pillows I was considering-- maybe I will introduce those colors in the bedroom at some point, but for now I've got colors that the Coast Guard would approve of!).

Pillow Tauk

Today, I am on the hunt for some pillows and a comfy chair to brighten up the far corner of the Blue Gull Beach House's livingroom. Once again, I struck gold (to the left) online at Anthropologie, so I will hit a few shops today before making my final decision. The room has lots of navy and lime green, so I need to go back to ROY-G-BIV to find a complementary hue! This pink is growing on me, though.

The weekend was productive-- I was able to scoop up a bunch of fun stuff for my July guests (party tub, extra towels, cushions for the chaise lounges, board games) and I am looking forward to finishing that beach bucket lamp I mentioned so many weeks ago (yes, she moves with warp-like speed in theory, but in practice??)...stay tuned!

CB2...2CUTE!

Could not pass up these little appetizer plates, they had me all smiles today at work! As you can see, Oliver is ready to party! These are available at CB2-- they have some great stuff for summer entertaining, including table linens, barware, and even outdoor furniture, all at affordable prices and in modern styles.

If you're looking to spruce up your surf shack, check out their galvanized planters (available in different sizes), their sol pendant lamp, and their igloo chairs which were also featured on coastal living's blog (Sarah Latta has a great post on their store). As you can see in the pic to the left, the clean geometric lines help to add interest to an otherwise boring patio.

Coastal Furniture Find

In my search for some funky and unusual furniture pieces, I came across these beds and headboards at Cottage Home Maine. They have a huge selection of tables, chairs, upholstery, wall decor and more! Their furniture is custom made, and it comes in a variety of paint colors to perfectly match your beach shack (they have custom paint available as well). Not sure if these will be making a splash at the Blue Gull Beach House, as this coming weekend I will be trying my hand at painting the house's original headboard in the master bedroom. But, if the project falls flat, I may be giving Cottage Home a call!

Cottage Home also features design services and can help develop a "color package" to compliment any design package you might have. Check out "The Ledges Showhouse" and the "Dover Bluff Showhouse" on their website.

These beds (to the left) are from their Carolina Collection and come in a variety of sizes. I can see them fitting perfectly as a fun accent piece in a room for younger beach guests (or in my room, who am I kidding!). They also come topped with flamingos, palm trees, pelicans, whales and other beachy things.

Win a Rug for Your Beach House!

Completely Coastal, one of the latest beach blogs "Making Waves" has a free giveaway from Outer Banks Trading Group. Outer Banks Trading Group has a ton of cool beach-inspired home furnishings, and you could win one of their "jelly bean indoor/outdoor rugs." To enter, go to the Completely Coastal website and follow the instructions-- entries are accepted up until midnight on Thursday March 25. My favorite is the one to the left, called "Little Fleet." Check out their other styles and sign up to win!