I may not live near the coast, but summer always makes me crave that seaside, coastal look in my home. Whether it’s the soothing color palette or all the elements that give beach vacation vibes, I just can’t get enough of it at this time of year. Thankfully, there are a lot of thrifty ways to upcycle items from the thrift store into coastal home decor.
Coastal Candle Holders
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A set of plain wooden candle holders from the thrift store wasn’t much to look at, honestly. But this beachy/nautical makeover with chalk paint and jute rope turned them into showstoppers, didn’t it? They look straight out of a coastal boutique now, but they sure didn’t start out that way.
Beach in a Jar
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
If you love to collect shells ad other beach treasures, creating coastal scenes in aqua mason jars is a lovely way to display your beachcombing finds. They look divine when clustered on a coffee table or mantel, and require zero craft skills to put together.
Coastal Cloche
Image credit: Petticoat Junktion.
Netting changes anything from ordinary to coastal extraordinary, doesn’t it? But the craziest part is where the netting for this beach cloche came from! Talk about being resourceful for coastal home decor.
Coffee Table Decor
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Giving a plain tray a coastal-inspired makeover with inexpensive chalk paint from the craft store is a great place to start. Trays are always trendy and are a good base for displaying some beachy treasures on a coffee table.
Sailboats as Coastal Home Decor
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Decorative sailboats are a delightful touch of nautical decor for your home throughout summer and even year-round. You can make them with a variety of items, so long as the wooden part can pass as a boat shape!
Beachy Sunburst Mirror
Image credit: Lovely, Etc.
Weathered wood and coastal colors are a match made in beachy decorating heaven, aren’t they? This DIY Sunburst mirror project is perfect for anyone with scrap wood on hand who also longs for some beachy touches in their home.
Coastal Farmhouse Decor
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Clear glass candleholders are pretty common at thrift stores which means they are ideal for upcycled makeovers. In this case, they were given a sea glass look and paired with some chicken wire ribbon for a farmhouse touch. It’s an unexpected pairing, but it works really well for farmhouse lovers who also enjoy coastal home decor like this.
Coastal Home Decor with Lanterns
Image credit: Domestically Speaking.
Who doesn’t love the versatility of lanterns when it comes to home decor? They’re so easily modified from season to season, including summer’s coastal appeal. In this case, it was already minty green (but one that wasn’t could be easily painted). And some nautical rope on the handle sealed the deal for perfect seaside style.
Coastal Coasters
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A set of wooden coasters from the thrift store can be “beachified” with this easy makeover idea: chalk paint and string! Functional decor is especially thrifty because it works hard to earn its keep.
Coastal Wall Art on Sandpaper
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sure, sandpaper comes in handy when prepping a frame for DIY wall art. But using sandpaper as the actual wall art itself is COMPLETELY unexpected. Check out how perfect it is in a beachy coastal application like this…
Furniture Makeovers
Image credit: Confessions of a Serial DIYer.
Blue and white-painted furniture doesn’t always mean “coastal”. But the color pairing lends itself well to that style, especially with a lightly weathered finish and a few beachy furnishings to tie it all together. Ironically, this particular piece received a re-repurpose once the painter was tired of the previous makeover.
Coastal Home Decor from the Recycling Bin
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sea glass bottles look like they’ve rolled along the ocean floor for decades, maybe longer! But you can fake the look beautifully with some spray paint and wine bottles from your recycling bin.
Oversized Shell Bowl
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Abalone shells are sought after for that magical, iridescent color pattern that they have. But you can fake that look on a large wooden bowl with some specialty craft paints and it looks fantastic!
Driftwood Candle
Image credit: Sustain My Craft Habit.
If you can get your hands on some smooth, clean driftwood, it’s really a fabulous craft supply. And there are lots of things you can make with it: wreaths, wall art, and in this case, a candleholder. A little sea glass and jute twine tie it all together- literally AND figuratively.
Beachy Bottles
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Upcycling some bottles into these coastal beauties is an easy and inexpensive idea for coastal home decor- especially since the bottles may come from your own recycling bin! You can tint the bottles with specialty spray paint and add the netting yourself- DIY or pre-made.
Nautical Hooks
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
You might not think of dock cleats as coastal home decor, and these coat hooks didn’t originate from a boat slip. But, they did originate from a vintage dresser that was given a more modern makeover. So, the handles were repurposed into this set of coat hooks that has great coastal/nautical flair.
Shells on Bottles
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
There’s just something about old bottles that works perfectly with coastal home decor. But of course, you can fake that look with the right specialty paints and your recycling bin, too. Either way, using shells collected from your beach walk as “bottle toppers” is an easy and unexpected way to add some beachy flair to your home.
Beach-Embellished Candleholders
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Plain glass candleholders, either from your cupboard or a thrift store, are easy to elevate into stunning pieces with a beach house vibe! Especially if you incorporate seashells or starfish that you found on your beach walk.
Coastal Wall Art
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
A collage frame from the thrift store is a great piece to upcycle into themed wall decor using any number of prints. In this case, pages from a vintage nature atlas were salvaged to create some fishing-themed artwork for a man cave. But imagine how cute this would be with vintage beach prints or even postcards, too…
Coastal Home Decor from the Thrift Store
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
It really is true- thrift stores and yard sales are full of future coastal decor; all you need is the right inspiration and craft supplies. I hope you’ve found some summery inspiration here for your next beachy or coastal project- no matter where you live.
Craft on!
S
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Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
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