VIV Says: Blog

The iron base of this Vivre vase features ceramic barnacles.

Even without a shell pressed up to our ear, we can hear the sea calling us to spend a leisurely day at the beach. But when escape’s not possible, we like the following ideas to bring the marine milieu to us.

While barnacles may be undesirable on a ship’s hull, the ceramic creations on the round barnacle vase ($675), available from Vivre, add interest and detail to the accent piece. The base is iron, so each “barnacle” can be filled with flowers or grasses without danger of tipping. Another eye-catching, intricate choice is a glass octopus ($395), which takes a full day to custom-make — from tentacles to suction cups — from Plantation Design. The sculptures are available in black, blue, brown, orange and ruby red and take up to three to four weeks for delivery.

Home décor site Burke Décor has an online Coastal Domicile Boutique, which features items to spruce up any beach house, from walls to table. Our pick is the Marseille Knot Door Stopper ($45) for a subtle nautical twist — the sphere also can be used as a bookend. For a bold, modern accent, check out Henry Road’s Koi pillows in indigo, available as 20-by-20 throws ($90) or in a 17-by-30 size ($120). To complete the theme, we recommend the Paul Robinett No. 39 Ocean candle ($13) — one of the top 10 sellers of more than 70 aromatherapy fragrances. The 8-ounce soy candle burns for about 60 hours and fills the air with a fresh, clean scent.

For summer beach reads and vacation gadgets, check out the July/August issue of VIVmag. We can almost hear the waves crashing and taste the salt air. What do you think is essential for a coastal feel?