Newbie Summer Link Party!

May I just say, I am loving the coastal style right now. It is a trend I don't want to see going anytime soon. However, living smack in the middle of the desert, I feel a little ridiculous putting up oceanic decor in my home. So, this is my small attempt at "hinting" the coastal style without feeling like a fool.

The inspiration for this began with a lantern that I found at Goodwill for $4. It was a lovely, brassy thing, and the glass panes were still perfectly intact. After a couple of coats of some black spray paint, it looked good as new:

I filled it with some Dollar Tree rocks, a candle, and paired it with a votive holder turned Q-tip holder. :) I found that votive holder at the Dollar Tree and thought it kind of looked like a sand dollar. I also added some coastal looking shower hooks and a hurricane vase:

The shower hooks and vase were clearance finds at Target ($3 for each hook) and Walmart ($7 vase). The base of the vase was brown so I gave it a quick coat of black. This is what my guest bath looked like before:

A bit empty, wouldn't you say? And now: 

We bought the picture frames a long time ago and they had been sitting in storage because I didn't know where to hang them. I put some of my favorite pictures of the hubs with his ladybugs.

So, there you have it. This is my summer, coastal inspired, guest bath. I really didn't know how long I would enjoy a "gray room," but all the white and black accents just make this guest bath feel very crisp and refreshing. Perfect for a candlelit soak! Now, it's your turn! Let's see those summer inspired projects.

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Here's a quick reminder about the rules and who can post:

* You don't have to be a follower to link up (although, I really hope to meet new friends at my party)

* Please link back to my party somewhere in your post AND/OR post my button

* You must be qualified as a NEWBIE