New Beach Bathroom Accessories Added to OceanStyles.com

Just added! New beach bathroom accessories for your coastal home:

Board Meeting Bath Accessories

Coastal Cottage Bath Accessories

Harbour Lights Bath Accessories

Sea Breeze Bath Accessories

More New Bedding Sets From OceanStyles.com

Here are a few more just added tropical bedding sets!

Bahamian Coffee Bedding

Bahamian Surf Bedding

Bahamian Nights Bedding

Freeport Bedding

Nags Head Bedding

St. Croix Bedding

Top Sail Bedding

Brand New Bedding Sets At OceanStyles.com

Introducing a few brand new, fantastic tropical bedding sets just added to OceanStyles.com:

 Folly Beach Bedding

Shell Island Bedding

Passion Cay Bedding

Callaway Stripe Bedding

 

Callaway Bedding

Island Song Coffee Bedding

Island Song Surf Bedding

Island Song Coal Bedding

Beach Fence Picture Collage

So I was reading Coastal Living Magazine a few months ago and I saw a picture in one of their featured home articles of a photo collage on the wall that looked like one of those great weathered fences you sometimes see along sand dunes at the beach. I fell in love with it immediately!

I kept reading the article, trying to find out where to buy one. And then I read that the homeowner had made it herself. Even still, I had to have one. So I set out to make my own. That's mine pictured above. After 6 months of looking for just the right pieces and lots of trial and error, my labor of love is finally a reality.

Want one too? Here's how to make it, without a all of my missteps in the middle.

My "fence" is basically made out of 3/4" x 1 1/2" x 24" landscape stakes, which you can get at the hardware store for cheap. You can get other sizes that would work as well, like 1" x 2" x 18", etc. I think they come by the dozen, so buy as many as you need for whatever size fence you'd like.

While you're at the hardware store, you need a small can of paint or stain to color the raw wood stakes whatever color you want. I went with a dark brown because I thought it was very natural, and it goes with my couch that is below the fence (not shown). It may take 2 coats of paint or stain to get the color you're looking for. Paint all sides of the stakes and then decide which side will look the best facing out.

To connect them together, I used heavy duty wrapped floral wire from the craft store.  I got mine at Michaels, but I'd bet most craft stores carry it. Remember, heavy duty, because you will be hanging the fence by the wire.

After the paint is completely dry, line up the stakes on a flat surface with the bottom edges all aligned (not in the wavy pattern as seen on my wall - that comes when you hang it). put the "bad" side facing up, i.e. the side of the stake that you want against the wall. Space them apart however far you want. The beautiful thing about this project is nothing has to be perfect.

Cut 3 lengths of wire to go across the entire fence. Cut extra to make sure it is long enough; you can always trim afterward. Using a powerful staple gun with 9/16" staples, attach the 3 lengths of wire to each stake, one near the bottom, one in the middle and near the top. This is where I ran into problems. First I used staples that were too small and they kept falling out. Then my staple gun wasn't powerful enough to penetrate the wood so the longer staples had a hard time going in. I eventually had to use a hammer to pound the staples in the rest of the way.

For the photos, I used acrylic plastic picture frames with a magnet on the back. I got them at Walmart. I ended up using all 4"x6" frames, but I have since found this multi-pack (pictured right) of 20 in all different sizes. If I had it to do over, I probably would have done that to add more visual appeal.

I recommend inserting your photos into the frames and arranging them on the fence the way you want them prior to hanging. But don't attach them yet. This way you will already have a general idea of how it will look and don't risk ending up with too much blank space or being too crowded in one spot. Now, take a picture(s) of the fence so you can reference back where each photo should be when you go to put them on the fence.

Now that the staples are in, the wire is trimmed to how you want it and your photo layout decided, the fence should be ready to hang. You'll need more than one person for this. I placed screws (you could probably use heavy duty nails also) under the top wire at the left hand side where I wanted the fence to start. Then, because the wire is flexible, I was able to create the rolling wavy pattern along my wall by letting some of the stakes fall lower and then raising others up and securing with more screws under the top wire. After you have it positioned the way you want it with those screws, you can add more in other places and under some of the middle and bottom wires for stability.

Here's where I made another mistake the first time around. Using the magnet on the back of these frames did not work well. The sticky back magnets that I bought at the craft store wouldn't hold to the wood well and then the pictures wouldn't stay on the magnet either; they kept falling down. So I switched it up and used sticky back velcro (at craft store) - 2 one inch pieces per frame. I mixed it up and put some on top and bottom to attach to a single fence post, and some on the top and bottom corners if I wanted the photo to span two posts.

You can use whatever photos you like. I decided, in keeping with the theme, to display photos of my family at the beach, which I have a lot of. One of the great things about these frames is that, with the velcro, they are easily removable so I can take them down and put in new photos over the older ones as my kids grow up without having to try to squeeze in new frames onto the fence.

I can tell you that I am not, by nature, a very crafty person. So I am especially proud of this project, which is why I wanted to share it. Good luck! If you do make one, I'd love for you to send me pictures of the finished product!

If you don't want to work so hard, check out some of my great beach decor stuff at OceanStyles.com.

Newport Pier Bedding

Newport Pier Bedding

If you're into nautical bedding, then this is a perfect ensemble for you.

The Newport Pier Bedding Collection is brand new and is so wonderful with its crisp patchwork design in traditional red, white and blue.

Nautical motifs abound in the accessories including a sailor's knot, sailboat, bouys and more. You can actually mix and match accessories in this set with the Sail Away Bedding Collection as well. 

Surf's Up Tropic Bedding

Surf's Up Tropic Bedding

A surfer girl's dream come true!

This fantastic new beach bedding set is bright, fun and cheery. It features a surfing theme with surfboards, palm trees and Hawaiian hibiscus flowers in hot pink, lime green and turquoise.

It's called the Surf's Up Tropic Bedding Collection and would be perfect for any beach babe's bedroom or college dorm.

A boy's version of this collection is coming soon so keep your eye out at OceanStyles.com for it!

Sand Dunes Bedding

Sand Dunes Bedding

Who says that tropical bedding must necessarily consist of bright, bold colors? If you are looking for something a little more relaxing for your coastal bedroom, then this brand new pattern is the one for you.

The Sand Dunes Bedding Collection features a warm, neutral colored quilt and accessories with simple designs for an elegant look.  And, because of its sandy shades, it can easily match almost any decor. I think it would look great against light blue walls, making your room reminiscent of the Sand and Sea.

More great new bedding styles to come at OceanStyles.com!

Under The Sea Bedding

Under The Sea Bedding

Introducing another brand new (and fabulous) bedding collection! The Under The Sea Bedding Collection has a distinctly coral reef design in soothing aqua, brown and taupe colors.

The colors in this bedding can go with almost any decor, from dark wood to wicker. Not seen in this picture, this set would look magnificent set against clean white walls, bringing out the light accents in the design.  

I can just imagine myself floating in the clear blue ocean when lying in this awesome bed! It comes with a ton of great accessories to dress it up as well. Check out OceanStyles.com to see them all as well as our other fantastic tropical bedding collections.

Palm Stripes Bedding

Palm Stripes Bedding

It's the time of year when lots of new bedding patterns come out and here is the first of my favorites.  It's the Palm Stripes Bedding Collection and is a great tropical design with earthy greens, blues and tans.

Adorned with palm trees and other leafy designs in a striped pattern, this collection is great for a more mature room that is still looking for great tropical style.

Keep an eye out here for the introduction of many more new designs coming to OceanStyles.com!