Pattern Surface Design: Seashells on the Beach

Finding and collecting shells on Florida’s beaches is one of my favorite things to do when I visit that side of the country. There are so many treasures to find in the sand, from conch shells, to sand dollars. After walking the beach, I usually find myself lounging on a beachside patio taking in the view while sipping on a refreshing beverage and feeling the ocean breeze on my face while it rustles through the tall beachgrass. These are the feelings I tried to subtly capture in my Seashells on the Beach design.

While illustrating this design, I tried to simplify the complicated shapes of different types of shells and beach treasures to create a minimalist and modern aesthetic. The shapes ended up being more organic than symmetrical and freeform than controlled. Imagining what I would want to see on fabrics if I were decorating a coastal lounge or breakfast nook, I went with a contrasting color palette of pretty pink, bright coral, and soft blue and tan.

The original design was entered into a seashell Spoonflower challenge as a bold size design - making it ideal for curtains and furniture coverings. To complement it, I created a smaller, more detailed print for table linens and other home decor items, and liked it so much, I had cocktail napkins made for gifting. 

In general, I’ve always liked contemporary coastal beach decor so it was fun working with the shell illustrations, and I’ve come up with different compositions and color palettes to work with since. In the future, we’ll see what other seashell compositions come to me. Find this combination of seashell coastal fabrics as well as all kinds of other originally illustrated patterns in my Spoonflower shop.

Image: beach inspired shell pattern design by OcuLoop.