Simple Coastal Decor Ideas for a Mantel and Built-In Shelves

Do you like to add summer touches around your home this time of year? I know I do, and I’m so excited to share the simple coastal decor ideas I used to decorate our mantel and built-in shelves.

Can you believe Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer, is right around the corner?

Time is flying by so fast, so to help inspire you to decorate for the new season, I’m participating in the Four Seasons Interior Design Blog Hop – Summer Edition.

I want to thank my friends MaryJo of Masterpieces of My Life and Susan of From the Bay to the Beach for hosting us today!

I’m excited to get started in my living room, and if you don’t have a mantel or built-in shelves, that’s ok, you can still incorporate these ideas to make any room in your home feel light, relaxed, and ready for summer.

And at the end of this post, you’ll be able to see all the beautiful ways my friends are decorating their homes for summer, too!

Let’s get started!

Create a Coastal Look on Your Mantel

I decided to start my summer decorating with our fireplace mantel because it’s one of the first things you notice when you walk into the living room.

Since our space is already decorated in blue and white, adding coastal touches for summer felt like a natural choice.

I wanted the mantel to have a relaxed, layered look to bring in that simple coastal feel I love this time of year.

Start with an Ocean-Inspired Focal Point

The first thing we changed for our summer mantel was the artwork on our Samsung Frame TV.

We chose a beautiful ocean scene filled with shades of blue, white, tan, and soft grays, and it instantly set the tone for the entire space.

I love how calming ocean artwork can be, and using it as the focal point made it easy to build the rest of the coastal mantel decor around those colors and textures.

If you don’t have a TV over your fireplace, you could easily create the same look with:

• a large piece of coastal artwork
• a mirror
• a framed printable

Add Height with Candlesticks

Next, I added white ceramic candlestick holders with blue candles to each end of the mantel.

Since the television is the main focal point above the fireplace, I didn’t want to place anything too tall in the center that would block the screen or make the mantel feel crowded.

Adding the candlesticks to the outer edges helped frame the mantel nicely while still bringing in some height and balance to the overall look.

I also love how the blue candles pick up the colors in the ocean artwork above the fireplace and tie the whole coastal-inspired mantel together.

Layer Coral, Starfish, and Shells

Once I had the candlesticks in place, it was time to start layering all the coastal elements across the mantel.

I did turn the television off for some of the photos because the ocean artwork was casting a green tint on the wall in pictures, and I wanted you to be able to see the shells and coral a little better.

I began with three white coral pieces (purchased from Home Goods), placing the tallest one in the center and the shorter ones on each side.

Then I propped six starfish of varying sizes along the back of the mantel to add height and texture without blocking the television.

After that, I tucked larger shells in between the coral and starfish before filling in some of the open spaces with smaller shells.

We’ve been collecting shells for several years.

The larger starfish and shells were purchased at yard sales, and the smaller shells were found at the beach.

I love mixing different shapes, sizes, and textures because it gives the mantel a more relaxed feel instead of looking too perfectly arranged.

Decorate Built-In Shelves with Coastal Touches

After finishing the fireplace mantel, I added a few simple coastal touches to the built-in shelves around the fireplace.

I like to keep most of the decor on the shelves the same year-round and then swap out a few seasonal accessories here and there.

It’s an easy way to give the living room a fresh look for summer without completely redecorating everything.

For this year’s coastal summer decor, I added shells, starfish, and a few beach-inspired accessories that work well with the blue and white colors already in the room.

The small changes helped tie the shelves in with the mantel and made the whole space feel ready for summer.

Update Decorative Cloches for Summer

One of my favorite things to decorate on these shelves is the pair of wire cloches sitting on wood bases.

For spring, I displayed little bunny figures inside them, but for summer, I swapped them out for a few coastal-inspired pieces instead.

Inside one cloche, I placed a large conch shell.

I love the soft neutral color and texture it adds, and the shape makes such a pretty statement on the shelf without needing anything else around it.

Inside the other cloche, I displayed the DIY seashell ball I made last year.

I always enjoy pulling this piece back out for summer because it instantly gives the shelves a coastal feel.

I think little seasonal swaps like this make such a difference.

Even changing just a few accessories inside the cloches helped the built-in shelves feel fresh and ready for summer.

Adding Glass Vases and Apothecary Jars

I removed two of the ferns that usually sit on the shelves in white pots and replaced them with glass vases filled with shells instead.

Then, I also replaced two of the finial statues with tall apothecary jars filled with more shells.

I think using clear glass containers is such a simple way to display shells because they become part of the decor while still keeping the shelves from feeling cluttered.

Layering Starfish into Existing Shelf Decor

I also added a few simple coastal touches to the shelves by propping starfish against the four DIY art pieces I already had displayed there.

The artwork itself isn’t coastal, but adding the starfish in front of each piece was an easy way to tie everything into the summer decor without completely changing the look of the shelves.

More Summer Decorating Ideas Around Our Home

Decorating our fireplace mantel and built-in shelves is always one of the first ways I like to welcome summer into our home, but I’m not stopping there!

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be adding more coastal-inspired touches to other areas of the house and sharing all the details here on the blog.

If you enjoy seasonal decorating ideas, DIY projects, and simple ways to refresh your home for summer, I’d love for you to join our email list so you don’t miss any of the upcoming posts.

I have lots more summer inspiration planned, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Four Seasons Interior Design Blog Hop – Summer Edition

Now it’s time to visit all of the talented bloggers participating in the Four Seasons Interior Design Blog Hop – Summer Edition.

I know you’ll find so much beautiful summer decorating inspiration from their homes!

Closing Thoughts

One of my favorite things about seasonal decorating is finding simple ways to refresh our home using pieces I already have and adding just a few new touches here and there.

Many of the coastal decor pieces I used in this space were actually thrifted or found at yard sales over the years, which makes decorating for the seasons even more fun and budget-friendly.

I hope these coastal mantel and shelf decorating ideas inspire you to add a little summer style to your own home this season.

Blessings, Donna and Rich

More Summer Decor Inspiration From Our Blog

Turn empty bottles into beautiful coastal decor with this easy DIY sea glass project.

If you love decorating with shells, you might also enjoy this DIY seashell wall decor project that adds beautiful coastal texture to your home for summer.

See how I created a beautiful nautical-inspired summer table with simple coastal decorating ideas perfect for summer entertaining.

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