ELEMENTS OF SUMMER~ CHIC BEACH IN THE DINING ROOM

When I think of summer the first thing that comes to my mind are shells. I have always had an affinity for them since childhood... collecting sea shells from summer trips to the beach and displaying them in pretty bowls all summer long was a favorite thing to do. Some thing never change... I still like to pull my collections out each summer and show them off...

I'm thrilled to be a part of...

30 Bloggers sharing ELEMENTS OF SUMMER... diy's, recipes, decor and more! Make sure you see the list at the end of this post!!!

I don't live anywhere near the beach, but that doesn't mean I can't decorate with beachy elements!

So, today I'm decorating "beach chic"... using natural things found at the beach but upscaling them to give my dining room sophisticated summer beach style!

The secret to keeping the beach theme from looking... well, too beachy... is to keep everything monochromatic and definitely not cutesy!

I started with a burlap runner down the center of the table. Just can't get enough burlap!

Then I filled the table with an antique tool caddy that reminded me of drift wood, white dishes, glass candlesticks and shells... lots and lots of shells!