Being back in Devon has given me a lot of inspiration for this piece. How better to brighten up your home than with a bit of seaside-loving? You know that feeling when you go to the beach and have a sense of calm, that overwhelming relaxation that causes us all to love the beach so much? This can be easily brought into your home. Why not try painting your bathroom blue, lining the window sill with wooden windmills and hanging blue stripy shower curtains to brighten up your morning routine.

Give the air that ‘beachy’ aroma

One of the best things about being by the sea is the smell. Yes, you can get that occasional waft of seaweed but one of my all-time favourite scents when I come home is walking along the pier and smelling candyfloss and doughnuts. An easy way to transfer this into your home is by using room diffusers, which are inexpensive and easy to find online. If you’re unable to access the internet, supermarkets usually stock a range of room diffusers. One of my personal favourite scents is the sea salt smell, because it gives the air that ‘beachy’ aroma.

As always, I’d like to give you a little DIY task to keep the cost down but also give one of your rooms a seaside appeal...

Seashell Mirror
Materials needed:
Framed mirror
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Seashells – get down to the beach (or eBay)
Stiff paintbrush
Straight razor
Window cleaner
Cloth or paper towel

Method:
1. If shells were collected from the beach, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry
2. Preheat the hot glue gun. Working from the inside of the mirror frame, apply the glue in small sections and press shells into the hot glue (BE CAREFUL)
3. Cover the entire frame in shells, using the smaller shells first and the big shells last so that application is easier
4. CLEAN: Glue guns can leave strings of glue behind. To remove these, gently sweep them off using a stiff paint brush. Use a razor edge to remove glue from mirror surface, then generally clean the mirror so it looks beautiful
5. Leave the mirror to dry and hang wherever you like. This gives your home that beachy, seaside feel, which is desirable and fashionable.

When I was younger, I made a mirror very similar to this and I still use it today. It’s a cute little addition to the house and it’s fun to make on those rainy days – the days you’re longing for the beach!