FOCAL POINT STYLING: Carribean

Summer is just around the corner so it's time to uncork your imagination - and recycle those empty wine bottles to beachy decor treasures - with some of these items you probably already have: Caribbean Blue, Seafoam Green, or Simply White latex paint, water, old mixing bowls, mixing sticks, a funnel and an old cookie sheet. After you've already soaked & removed labels from your wine bottle collection, play around mixing the bottles into some of your beachy decor or vignettes. If you plan ahead where your bottles are going, then you'll know how many of which color you'll need and where.

Beach Bottle colors inspired by a recent walk on Hollywood Beach...

Clear an area to work (my fave choice - the floor), lay down your drop cloth, pour desired paint colors to a bowls, add water and stir. I already had these bowls & paint left over from another project (to be posted shortly) so it was really easy to knock this out within an hour. You definately want to use more water than paint to get a "washed" look. For a more saturated or opaque look for your bottles, use less water.

Using the funnel, pour some of your paint mixture into the bottle - White is good to use for clear bottles and I used last years turquoise dining room wall color for more blue-green glass bottles. I did all the white bottles first, swirling the watery paint mixture around in the inside to coat (wash) the bottle. I then poured the excess through the funnel into the next bottle (keep a damp cloth or paper towel handy to wipe drips). To ensure all the excess paint was removed as well as get a more even coat, I turned the wine bottles upside on an old cookie sheet and let the excess run out. (This should be down out sight & reach of kids & pets to prevent them from falling over. I set my cookie sheet on the kitchen counter next to the sink.)

After I felt the bottles had enough time to drain, I turned them right side up, placed them in their vignette, and cleaned up. Although there are quite a few ways out there to decorate a wine bottle, I kept a simple beachy look in mind. I not only adore home accessories, I love fashion accessories too ... so rather than have my summer necklaces and bracelets hidden in a jewelry box, I used them on my bottles. On the white washed bottles, along with the necklaces, I also used my starfish I had (used last year in A Coastal Summer Tablescape) and I also used the starfish inside of my white painted vessels in top of our TV / media unit (my mantel). Some turquoise beaded braclets worked great for a mix of ocean hues in blue.

While the carribean blue painted bottles turned out more saturated in color, the white washed bottles have a more vintage look to them (even the hubs noticed!). I might give them a second coat of the wash, but for now, this is a good start to transitioning our home from Spring to Summer. I've packed away the spring blossoms, and replaced some containers with seagrass. Tips for spring flower storage, sand & shell storage and filling your containers to be in an upcoming post...

I used these recycled wine bottles in a seaside vignette on the living room credenza, paired with a small driftwood branch I found while walking on Hollywood beach, tied shell necklaces, and starfish from my collection. In the dining room, I used the carribean blue painted wine bottles, adorned with some of my turquoise beaded bracelets, and a thrifted wooden bowl with some of my turquoise beaded necklaces. TIP: Why always keep these pretties hidden in a jewelry chest? Add some of your fave jewelry pieces in your home to personalize your decor and tell a story.

Recycling wine bottles is a great way to add some freshness to your homes seasonal decor: Bottles kept clear for Spring with single blooms (like I did on an Easter Karets Tablescape), spray paint your bottles satin black for Halloween and attach faux labels (like I did for a Spooky Stairway display) and now just simply wash the inside of your bottles to display some Seaside Style in your home for Summer...

And just think how much fun you'll have emptying them!

Have a GREAT day!