Shell Seekers

Coquillage

The practice of decorating furniture with shells goes back to the Rococo period of 18th- century France when the shell motif was popular as a carved decoration.

In the modern day, the term has come to refer to furniture literally encrusted with shells in decorative patterns. Alabama-based J. Marshall Sims created the fantastical pieces that decorate the Idea House.

Great Guest Room

The show-stopping large round mirror in the guest room sports a crown of coral sprays. The white highlights of the shells and coral echo the white accents in the room’s decor.

Tall Order

J. Marshall Sims custom designed all the mirrors in the house to fit their spaces. For the guest bath, he fashioned a tall, narrow mirror to hang in the limited space over the vanity. It provides a dramatic focal point and complements the height of the windows.

Oyster Bar

Designer Dale Trice supplied the Apalachicola oyster shells that J. Marshall Sims used to create the pair of encrusted lamps in the guest room. The local flavor adds a special note of authenticity to the beach house.

Bottle Tops

A spray of coral tops antique glass bottles in the living room, providing natural texture and serving as permanent natural decorations.

Neat Nest

Even a birdhouse in the breezeway is distinguished by a shell exterior, bringing the natural motif to the outdoors.

Shell Shot

Family photos by the bed personalize a beach house. In our Idea House, the frame is adorned with shells to carry the coquillage motif throughout the house.

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