WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog

WELCOME to Nest by Tamara blog
Hi- It's Tamara. I'm happy you've stopped by, and since 2010 I've been sharing my passion for interior design, history, art, entertaining, travel & fashion. I am an interior designer, textile designer and writer living and working in New York City and East Hampton, Long Island. My musings have taken me to international design, art, antique and epicurean events and I have lots to share. I'm grateful to have been listed as the #1 top design blog, blogs to watch, top design blogs and named and awarded Rising Star of Design by the IFDA NY industry organization. Please feel free to reach out to our team for an interior design consultation at NestbyTamara.com -Tamara

Seashell-Inspired Design Sources For The Home, Spring 2017


 interior designer Annie Selke via House Beautiful 
Nest By Tamara's Home & Design Sources, Spring 2017: 
Part 1: 8 Seashell-Inspired Wares for the Home!
With the season changing and the weather getting significantly warmer, we have beach-going on the mind. Over the next month there are a plethora of design industry trade shows throughout the country like High Point Furniture Market, ICFF and others where brands and artisans will be showcasing new products.  April is the perfect month to offer our readers sneak peeks and a series of stellar products on the market. Look for these stories in genres, and we hope you'll pin these images, maybe save them in your inspiration folders for your spring and summer decorating.  
Jingle shells often found along the 
shoreline in Long Island (above)
Today, we kick-off this series of shares with a first focus on seashell designs.  Ever since the days of my youth when our family packed the car to the brim and we drove down to the southern coast of Florida, I have loved seashells.  It's more of an obsession really, and on any given summer day you will find bowls of seashells throughout my home like little beauty offerings.  For years, our kids collected local varieties of shells from the Maidstone Beach across the street from our cottage in East Hampton, and we have thousands of these lovely, little peach/orange beauties called Jingle Shells or Mermaid Toes.  We've even stuffed a suitcase with Conch Shells a time or two after visiting the Bahamas.  We've partaken in a variety of Do-It-Yourself shell glue gun extravaganzas, and I created mirrors and lamps to fulfill our shell passion.  I think you may be getting the picture of our family's fascination with shells. 
our kids on Martha's Vineyard; our beach house (above);
shell inspired chair I created and decoupaged for a charity chair event (below)

It appears we are not the only one holding this interest in bringing seashells in the home.  Many design brands have taken the passion to high-style design. Some of these are brand new designs while others are continued best sellers, but all of them take the seashell craze to a sophisticated place.  These pieces would work equally well in a beach cottage as they would in an urban dwelling.  To me, a little bit of seashell in a home adds the perfect handmade, natural charm, and yet there is something glamorous about them as well!  They are nature's iridescent little jewels.  Some of these designs below are simply inspired by the shape and beauty of seashells, while others utilize the seashells in their design.  

Susan and I will be decorating a tabletop design on April 18 for the annual Lenox Hill Neighborhood House gala in the swanky ballroom in Grand Central Station at Cipriani.  The theme this year is "all that glitters", and we are creating a seashell inspired centerpiece showcasing the jewels of the sea alongside our brand new fabric collection called exotica from root cellar designs!  In the meantime, throughout our hunt, we have noted these top 8 favorites...
Happy Nesting
XO Tamara
 
1.  Venus by Christopher Guy 
is one stylized, sophisticated occasional chair. This takes the seashell idea to another place altogether, and this chair is very fashion-forward.  I'd love to incorporate a pair of these in the foyer of a swanky NYC apartment for an unexpected feel

2. Currey and Company's Currey In A Hurry 
are perfect options when the client needs it now.
The Marchmont sideboard is beautifully encrusted with faux coral, natural seashells and wood, and would certainly become the "star" in any guest bedroom, foyer or breakfast nook.  
3. Currey and Company's Seaforth Orb showcases pretty white Pen shells on a wrought iron frame, and takes the shell idea to a modern viewpoint while using these tiny, white shells in the round shape.
4. Soane's Venus Chair comes upholstered or without upholstery and has a lovely scallop edge and is hand-woven in their rattan shop in Leicestershire, England.  Paying homage to the beautiful shell shape, the cane base is bounded with rattan with decorative detailing on the feet

5. Evelyn by Made Good is a translucent resin material channeling the shape and feel of an oversized scallop shell.  The channel chain and this new design read very  sophisticated. 
6. Oly Studio in California consistently puts out cutting edge design.  This showroom at High Point is my favorite to visit each Market.  The Sea Urchin accessory is made of a resin composite and offered in three sizes is a great accessory to adorn a cocktail table or bar cart.  The oversized 24" is substantial and stunning!
7. the Abalone Bunching Cocktail Table from Bernhardt make a stunning pair of nesting tables for a dining or living room.  The iridescence of the Abalone shell offers high style appeal. 

8. Pearled Magnolia chandelier, Anthropologie
is a light fixture that is accessible to everyone.  No need for a designer to whip your home into shape when shopping on their online home section, and they certainly have the bohemian chic market cornered.  This pearled light fixture has a hint of shells but feels very versatile as well.