Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Animal Inspired Decor, A Turtle Tale

My affinity for turtles goes way back. As a scuba diver, some of my favorite memories under water have been seeing these graceful creatures glide by. In a nod to my water loving ways, I had a pet turtle in college {he now serves as a mascot in my friends kindergarten class-cute!} However, I digress.
{via}

I'm inspired as much by what turtles represent as their aesthetics. Turtles are said to symbolize "self-containment, creative source, earthiness, being grounded, longevity, protection, shelter and a steady approach to life" via .

As such, it seems a natural progression to incorporate turtle/tortoise decor in my home; and it seems I'm not alone. I've gathered some of my favorite inspirations:

A single shell hanging on a wall can make quite a statement such as seen here
Groupings of shells for larger walls add texture and a big impact

Phoebe Howard's office is WOW
This vignette is from Pheobe's porfolio too
Kelly Werstler decked the walls of the the Tides La Marea restaurant with resin shells with spectacular results

Erika of Urban Grace Interiors gave them a beachy vibe
I've been having a hard time finding replica's, but recently stumbled upon this one that I like

I also have been liking the look of turtle prints such as this look from Luca Studio

I'm not sure where this image came from, I apologize, but is it the same print and looks lovely

If you live in Charlotte, I recently found similar prints at one of my favorite stores, Traditions Interiors {please pardon the iphone image}
These vintage style prints from art.com are on my radar too
I also am loving Madagascar fabric from Perennials. Cheeky and cheerful I could see this in a child's room.

Please note: I do not, in any way, advocate the killing of turtles or tortoises for decorative purposes. I urge those who are utilizing shells in their home to purchase resin replicas or use caution when purchasing genuine antique shells {best to have a shell's antiquity documented by a reliable source}

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