Shell is one of the materials we see most often in our collection. It appears as an ornament on a stand, as a pendant measuring two and a half metres, incorporated into wall panels and pots, and as a lampshade that softens the light.
In this article, we present the four forms. You will read what each form does in a room, where it comes into its own best, and how to keep the material looking beautiful.
Why shell works all year round
Shell has three properties that make it special in an interior.
It is light in colour and therefore stays close to off-white, beige, and sand tones. Those shades suit almost any palette.
It has texture. Where a smooth surface reflects the light all at once, a shell surface breaks the light into hundreds of small planes. This creates depth, even on a wall that otherwise remains calm.
And it is irregular. No two shells are alike, so each piece naturally gets its own pattern. You notice this most strongly in craftsmanship, where the maker decides where each shell will sit.
This combination makes shell suitable for both summer and the darker months. In summer, it reads as light and fresh; in winter, as warm and natural.
The ornament on a stand
The simplest form is one large shell on a metal stand. Bazar Bizar has a few in the collection, including the Martinique, the Réunion, and the Guadeloupe. J-Line makes a variant with the Dora, where a chain of small shells falls over a stand.
These ornaments work like a sculpture: one object that marks a place. A sideboard, a bookshelf, a windowsill, or the corner of a dining table.
Give such an ornament space around it. One shell on an empty surface has more presence than three next to each other.
View the ornaments · View Bazar Bizar
Handmade shell chains
At Pole to Pole, we find the shell chains that are handmade in Indonesia. Hundreds of small shells are strung on cord and placed in a narrow black frame.
The craftsmanship is visible in the details. The dimensions vary by a few centimetres per piece, and the colour ranges from creamy white to sand. That is part of it and makes each ornament unique.
These chains come into their own best against a calm background: a plastered wall, a linen curtain, a wall in a warm neutral shade. Hang a lamp diagonally above it, and the texture immediately comes forward.
Capiz: shell that lets light through
Capiz is a thin, flat shell that is so finely cut that light shines through it. This makes it suitable for hanging decoration, because the pieces move with the air and catch different light as they do so.
The shell pendants from J-Line range from sixty centimetres in diameter to eighty, with a length of up to two and a half metres. They are available in white, orange, and red.
A pendant of this size calls for height. An atrium, a stairwell, a window with lots of light behind it, or a ceiling from about three metres. In a regular living room, the smallest size works better above a dining table or in a corner.
Shell in panels and pots
PTMD incorporates shell together with bamboo in the Vojtech and Daven series. The small shells lie like scales over the surface, giving a panel or pot a fine texture up close and making it read as one uniform shape from a distance.
The Vojtech wall panel is one of our best-selling wall panels. That is precisely because of this effect: it fills a wall without becoming overwhelming.
The pots from the same series do the same on the floor. A large pot with an olive tree or a strelitzia inside completes a corner.
View the wall panels · View the pots
Shell in lighting
The most beautiful application remains light. J-Line makes table lamps with a shell shade and a floor lamp with a pearlescent effect, where the surface gets a soft sheen.
When lit, such a lamp gives warm, filtered light with small shadows along the edges. During the day, the shade stands as an object, even when the lamp is off.
Combining and keeping it beautiful
Shell stands strongest next to materials with their own texture. Think of linen, rattan, bamboo, mango wood, and travertine. They share the same natural undertone, which keeps the whole calm.
Two or three shell accents in one room are enough. One ornament, one panel, and perhaps a lamp: then it reads as a choice.
Maintenance is simple. Dust with a dry, soft brush or a feather duster, because a damp cloth will get caught in the edges. Keep the material out of the full afternoon sun, then it will retain its colour. A place with some air circulation keeps shell looking beautiful in a bathroom for the longest time.
Take a look yourself
Start small. One ornament on a stand immediately shows what the material does with a corner. If you like that, then a panel or a pendant is the logical next step.
View all ornaments at Living Lovely
Unsure which size fits your room or which pendant works with your ceiling height? Feel free to send us a message with a photo, and we will help you think it through.