Seashells Form Decorative Indoor Displays

Seashells are not only home to mollusks, they can also be used to decorate.

Seashells arranged in geometrical or floral patterns embellish objects such as picture frames, boxes, mirrors and tables. They can also be arranged to form pictures or strung for hanging plants.

Historically, shells and pebbles were used to decorate the interiors of grottoes, especially in 16th- and 17th-century Greece and Rome. Decorative shell mosaic work is also found in Pompeian ruins.

Shellwork became a popular pastime in the late 18th through 19th centuries. It remains a popular pastime for amateurs, craftspeople and artists.

The Victorians were fond of elaborate shell art creations in shadow boxes. Because they were fascinated with nature, they valued natural curiosities, such as shells, to show their sophisticated awareness of the world around them.

Shells are collectible souvenirs from travels to the shore, which not everyone was able to do in earlier centuries.

Heart-shaped or octagonal boxes encrusted with shells were known as sailors’ valentines because 19th-century sailors purchased these gifts to take home to their sweethearts. Early engravings depict these Victorian shell pieces being peddled to tourists.

Seashells are also calming, which is why they are a common theme in interior design, especially for the bath.

Arrangements of shells might be displayed under glass domes to protect their surfaces from chips and nicks.

Images and designs were created by setting the shells in wet plaster to dry in place or sewn to silk fabric. Today, epoxy glues and glue guns are used for a quick set.

Shells and shell art can be found at several sites on the Internet or at antiques shops, auctions and flea markets.

Don’t throw away shards of broken shells; use them as mosaic material on flower pots and birdbaths, or as a border or cornice in a tile bath or cemented to window and door frames.