One of the easiest ways I refresh my home each season is by changing the mantel. It’s my favorite updating trick, and since I’m a summer girl at heart, creating a beachy summer mantel is always a treat.
I prefer simple, low-fuss decor swaps that make a big impact without a lot of work.
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Welcome to my simple beachy living room and mantel tour!
This is the view you see when you walk through our front door. Because it’s the focal point of the house, I like to keep it thoughtfully styled and seasonally refreshed.
If you follow me on Instagram and watch my Stories, you may have seen the DIY beachy frame I made last week. When I first hung the canvas without a frame, it felt lost on the wall, so I built a chunky, distressed wooden frame from scrap wood to give it presence and texture.
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I wanted a chunky, beachy frame with lots of weathered detail, so I made one from wood scraps. It brought the whole wall to life, and I shared the step-by-step tutorial so you can make one, too.
Full Tutorial: Beach-Inspired DIY Framed Canvas Art
The photo in the frame was taken on our annual beach trip last year. I enlarged it for this display because the horizon colors — turquoise, navy, and mint — take my breath away every time I pass by. The ocean’s palette is what inspired the name of this blog.
Because the frame itself is asymmetrical, I chose symmetrical accents on either side of it to balance the arrangement.
These olive buckets caught my eye at Hobby Lobby. They were already filled with lamb’s ear, eucalyptus, and lavender, so I bought them ready-made—such a timesaver. (If you see similar arrangements, don’t hesitate to ask the store’s floral team to create one for you.)
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They looked perfect flanking the beach picture, so I kept the styling simple. The smaller vases were filled with faux shells I picked up last year—easy, beachy accents that read like collected treasures.
A mantel doesn’t need to be elaborate to read as styled. Choose a proportionally sized centerpiece, then add two smaller items on either side to create balance and visual interest.
The wooden box on the table is a project I made this spring—I still love it. Full tutorial: DIY Farmhouse Wooden Box Centerpiece.
I added patterned turquoise pillows to the sofa this year for a fresh pop of color. I picked them up on clearance at Target a while back and only started using them now. Affiliate links are used for your convenience. See my full disclosure policy here.
I didn’t add many other items for summer. The stack of books on my end table are recent favorites: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Grace Not Perfection, and Present Over Perfect (my current favorite).
One of my favorite reading corners didn’t need any changes, but you can find the DIY blanket ladder tutorial here: Easy Rustic DIY Blanket Ladder.
Now for a quick look at the entryway. I’m sharing these two spaces today and will show more summer decor in a few weeks.
The entryway is mostly styled with items I brought out from last year. I made the weathered rope “relax” sign myself—one of my favorite summer projects—and shared the tutorial because it’s simple and effective: DIY Weathered Rope Sign.
The sailboat decor is from Target; the navy-striped version is still available this season. I also picked up a cheerful lemon wreath—so perfect for summer—and I’m tempted to add a matching one to the front door.
Thanks for touring the living room and entryway with me today. I hope these simple ideas inspire you to create a beachy summer mantel and a welcoming entry of your own.