The Bead Curtain's Reincarnation

When we think bead curtains, we usually think hippie dens and incense, but recently we've noticed the decorative door alternative making a come back in some interesting new forms. More for embellishment than for privacy, the new curtains are less about beads and more about found natural objects strung together for ornamentation — think necklace for your door, or multi-stringed window mobile...

Most recently, we noticed West Elm selling strings of shells as part of their summer line.

The kid in me cannot help but collect shells whenever I visit the beach, and I love ideas for interesting ways to display seaside treasures that are not too theme-y. These simple garlands wood be easy enough to make yourself with a roll of kitchen twine and a standard drill for making the beads holes.

Or if shells are not your thing, Susie from ATSF did a wonderful post on using cut flowers to a similar effect.
gunnar kaj via poppy talk.jpg

We dig the airiness of the new forms. What about you?

(Images: 1: Hotel Azucar, 2,3: West Elm, 4: Gunnar Kaj/ Poppytalk via ATSF)

Comments (5)

That first image reminds me of the PBS Masterpiece Classic production of Sense & Sensibility. The girls' bedroom is strung with shells on twine, and it looks amazing.

posted by shockthebourgeois on April 6th 2009 at 1:31pm
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I really like the light, airy look of the shell strings. I've been wanting to do something like this for a long time... but I'm just not sure where in my house I'd like to apply this idea. Not to mention what to use for the 'beads'. Hmm....

posted by Miss Jess on April 6th 2009 at 2:29pm
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We have bead curtains in the kitchen!

Close up

General view of the window

Gracia

posted by xieta on April 6th 2009 at 2:30pm
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What kind of bikes are those? Anyone know???? I want one!

posted by firehousecat on April 6th 2009 at 7:25pm
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firehousecat - they look like Beach Cruisers.
http://store.shop72.com/beachcruiser.html

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I've always liked the bead look. Never thought about using flowers as shown in the photo.

posted by baileyb on April 13th 2009 at 6:10pm
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