A Seaside Tale

Seaside Bedding...we are searching for you...

2011-03-31T12:16:00.002-04:00

C & F Enterprises is where we get many of our bedding products. C & F Enterprises was established originally in 1976 with the ownership being a woman by the name of Carol Fang. The company started as a one woman operation. They originally focused on imported porcelain and antiques from China, selling the products from Mrs. Fang’s home in Yorktown, Virginia. The business grew steadily with a profit showing every year. This allowed C & F to expand and gain more territory through the southeast United States. In the early 1980’s, the company branched out and began selling table linen and seasonal gift categories. This was a tremendous success. Mrs. Fang then decided to branch out even more and sell handcrafted quilted bedding and merchandise made of needlepoint. Quickly C & F became the leader in these two industries. C & F Enterprise’s success is mainly due to the fact that they have their own design team, which is unlike most other import companies. This gives C & F the ability to be different from their competitors. They also have their own licensing department which means they can obtain designs from the best artists in the country. We carry many products from C & F Enterprises and will be highlighting more about the company and the products we carry at reasonable costs in future blogs. In the meanwhile, if you are ever in the Tampa Bay area, stop by Seaside Home Accents and Gifts or give us a call at 813.839.4544, or send us an email with any questions.

Blue Shells Bedding Collection at Seaside

2011-03-30T15:02:00.000-04:00

At Seaside Home Accents and Gifts we want to highlight a bedding collection that we now carry. It’s called our “Blue Shells” bedding collection by C & F Enterprises. This is a beautiful bedding set that is made of the finest quality materials available today at a very reasonable price. The bedding collection includes quilts, shams, pillows, draperies, bed skirts and rugs. They are cotton filled and pre-washed. The quilts are luxury oversized. It is an exciting collection that is beautiful and radiant in its coloring and perfect for the seaside home or for a gift for a loved one. The bedding has a scalloped edge detail and is bright and wonderful for any seaside or tropical home. An excellent quality assemblage, these hand crafted sea shell themed pieces will add coastal flair to your tropical décor. Order today online and the bedding will be shipped directly to your door. We at Seaside Home Accents and Gifts want to make your home the most comfortable and beautiful it can possibly be and we are here for you. Feel free to contact us anytime.

Seaside Home Accents & Gifts...what we are all about...

2011-03-09T15:25:00.001-05:00

Sitting in the heart of beautiful Florida is where our store resides. It is a quaint place with the best you can find in accents for your home and/or gifts for others.

Seaside Home Accents and Gifts offer a wide selection of coastal and nautical decorum that will enhance any room in your home. We take considerable time in selecting the articles and products that we offer. We buy only the best and it is represented in the beauty each piece is classically designed in.

We give you, our customers, the utmost in customer service and offer you the ability to order here from our website. It’s simple and will be delivered right to your door. Each week we will focus on different products and give you information that you may not know about with regard to the product.

We will also share news with you about what’s going on here at Seaside Home Accents and Gifts. Additionally we will keep you informed of the industry and what is going on that might interest you.

Return often and enjoy all that Seaside Home Accents and Gifts has to offer!

Seaside updates and a local artist...

2010-08-30T13:52:00.005-04:00

We’ve been pretty busy working on our little store, Seaside, at 1902 S. MacDill Avenue, here in South Tampa and we should be open soon. September is our month and things are moving along nicely…we’ve hung chandeliers, finished painting and repairs, shopped for new and exciting home accessories, coastal pillows, seaside jewelry, and our newest category of beautiful coastal furniture…some of which has arrived…and more of which we are expecting over the next couple of weeks. We’ll update you more on this, as our new pieces arrive…I think this is the most exciting part.

We’ve also been working with a local artist, Heather Kendall, in our little sea shell world. Heather and her inspiring team, custom design works of art for your home, which are reflective of life by the sea. She creates absolutely stunning shell chandeliers, shell mirrors, and decorative home accents. We’ve asked Heather to design a few things for our store…and we are so excited to present them to you. Here is one of our newest items, which will be for sale here at Seaside…

Heather is an unbelievably imaginative individual…who not only has fun with her work, she is extremely conscientious of the environment in bringing nature’s beauty into your home. Did I mention what a beautiful person she is on the inside, as well? All while balancing three growing boys…she’s amazing!

Her works of art are noted in homes literally across the country and her mirrors are a masterpiece of artistic inspiration and dramatic elegance. Several designers around the country regularly use her designs in their projects and I can tell you from seeing her work in person, Heather’s designs are fabulous!

Take a look at this fabulous chandelier she created for us at Seaside. Of course, it is for sale, and it is more stunning in person than we can show through these pictures. I am in love with the soft colors which bring its beautiful sea life into the room. We are so excited for you to come by and see some of her work. You can contact us, as well, about special pieces to be commissioned for your home.

A new sea store look for our online shoppers...

2010-06-08T13:13:00.007-04:00

As you know, we’ve been pretty busy working on our new store location at 1902 S. MacDill Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33629, which will be home to all of our coastal décor ideas. It’s been a busy time of making repairs, moving doors, replacing hardware, painting (which I love to do), and generally cleaning our little location. We just love it and I’ll be posting some before and after pictures of the interior shortly. In the meantime, we’ve also been very busy working on a new look for our website, www.SeasideDG.com. We’d love to hear from you about our new look and here is a sneak peak…

Our fabulous web designer, Summer Taylor of Good Dog Bad Dog Creative Design, has brought our latest ideas to fruition and we love it! I hope you do too. Please send us your thoughts...we want to hear from you.

We brought our favorite hues of turquoise, summer blues, and fresh whites into the storefront and focused on our overall designs, leaving the individual coastal treasures to be found inside. We’ve kept our focus on finding the best coastal décor and beach house décor for our wonderful clients…we’ve just added more ideas and have some work ahead of us in adding new product.

In fact, here are a couple of things coming your way…some exciting new additions to our coastal home accents and seaside entertaining pieces…and there is so much more.

We’ll see you soon…and please keep checking back for more this summer.

We’re growing…into a store…

2010-05-17T21:21:00.004-04:00

Well we’ve been pretty busy here at Seaside Design Group…spring has sprung…summer is approaching…and new things are just around the corner…most importantly, we have found a location for a store!! All thanks to my husband, who was instrumental in pushing me into this location…we now have a Seaside destination in Tampa. We’ve found a new home for our growing company and an exciting place for our wonderful clients to visit us each day.

It’s so exciting and a little overwhelming but going to be great!! There aren’t too many things to do to our new location since it looks so good but we will be adding some fresh paint inside and a coastal appeal all around, to make our new home an exciting Seaside location. We just can’t wait to show off our new spot…so we’ll be sharing some of our before and after looks.

This is our new South Tampa spot, an old house converted into a business office, at 1902 South MacDill Avenue. We just love it!! We are located at the corner of Angeles and S. MacDill Avenue and hope to open in mid-June. With its cute little gated entrance, which we plan to fill with lots of greenery, flowers and maybe a fountain…this entrance will welcome our friends and customers with lots of coastal fun. We will, of course, let you know about our Grand Opening – once details are finalized!

The votes are in for color of the year…it's Turquoise!!

2010-03-10T12:14:00.006-05:00

Pantone…“the authority on color”… has recently announced its color of the year for 2010 and it is Turquoise-Pantone 15-5519! Pantone is the company responsible for exacting color standards in various industries beginning with the graphic arts community, which then expanded into digital technology, the fashion world, contract interiors, paint and more. They are pretty serious about color but are so fun in their use and analysis of each and every tone. I love the meaning given to each hue, for example, Turquoise “…evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of well being”...take a look at their full press release. Wow, that makes me feel like I’m ready for an island vacation and an umbrella drink. Ok - this really is a fun site for planning color changes or even helping to add color to an existing room through use of coordinating coastal home accents, rugs, pillows, or wall decor. They even have a link at the bottom of the pages for a color of the day!

Of course, now that we’ve seen this article, we’ve seen Turquoise everywhere. It’s seared into our long term brain cells. Although, we love this color…we anticipate you will see it a lot this spring and summer. We’ve even run across an array of jewelry inspired by this beautiful shade…and, we will be launching our seaside inspired jewelry very soon. Everything is in the works and we have found some very exciting pieces made by local artists, we hope you will love. They are fabulous!!

So, I was curious…what was the 2009 color of the year? Mimosa - Pantone 14-0848, a warm, engaging yellow. You’ll have to check it out…however, back to Turquoise – this is one of Pantone’s press release pictures for the 2010 vote…I think they are right. It is relaxing and I want to be on that beach! Oh well, back to work…we are getting ready to launch a new look for Seaside so keep an eye on us this spring. We are so excited to bring you so many new coastal decor.

It’s starting to feel like spring…

2010-02-23T14:09:00.006-05:00

The sky has actually been blue and the sun shining for parts of 3 days now…I’m hoping this is a trend. It’s starting to feel a little bit like spring. The sun feels so good…just walking the dogs feels awesome. It motivates me…maybe it’s the small dose of Vitamin D…or just the proverbial warmth that feels so good.

We’ve been pretty busy this month adding new items to our site. One page, in particular, we are just beginning to work on is our bedding page. Spring weather always makes me feel like new bedroom ideas and classic white beach bedding is the ultimate. I love fresh looks and have found some great new bedding trends, which we are in process of adding to the site. Our white shell matelasse collection evokes timeless white beach bedding and this photograph from Coastal Living exudes a very similar coastal lifestyle. Sometimes all you need is a new duvet or a balancing set of pillows and throws.

Check with us often this month as we are adding some fun new pieces…including our green shells bedding collection…we just love green. Inspiration is all you need this spring…and we hope to bring you a lot of stimulating ideas.

www.SeasideDG.com

Anchors away with SeasideDG.com!

2010-02-11T14:58:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was one of those gorgeous days on the water…cold and
little breezy, but so incredibly inspiring! Somehow the magical combination of being out on the boat, gazing into the sparkling ocean waters and the beautiful sea breeze blowing… together…it’s the most relaxing combination and does wonders to relieve your stress. I say, Anchors Away, to everyone out there with the hope and wish for a great year.

As for anchors and all things nautical…we have found some of the most exciting and fun new nautical pillows and nautical gifts for your coastal décor. Of course we, specialize in pillows and some of our newest finds, including these great nautical pillows…coming to our site this week.

We’ve also found some great inspiration in searching through the web…what a terrific place to find remarkable insights. This week we have two blogs definitely worth their mention. In particular, Nautical by Nature, writes a great blog we just love! Not only is her site visually appealing, Kate seems to be amazing at finding the very fashionable and the newest enviable current nautical things. She even has this delightful “Anchor of the Week” section, where anyone can send her photo’s of a new found anchor for her segment. We are a follower and will be keeping our eyes on this blog.

Another great site for coastal ideas is Completely Coastal. This site is chock full of ideas for your home, cooking ideas, and project planning. Maya has such a keen sense of coastal iving. She brings together amazing things, new finds, and great coastal artists. We are a happy follower of her as well, and look forward to reading her blog each week.

Remember to visit us at SeasideDG.com, as we will be adding some exciting new home accents and nautical bedding to the site right away.

It’s Gasparilla!! Arrrrrgh…ye mateys!

2010-01-31T11:33:00.004-05:00

Its been a busy week here in Tampa, with our annual Gasparilla Invasion. I love this time of year and our famous Gasparilla pirate parade…a tradition since 1904.

Each year, the pirates of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla invade our waters and reclaim their victory over the City of Tampa, as was the legend of Jose Gaspar, “the last of the Buccaneers” and his band of marauding and pillaging pirates. Hundreds of these bandits take over our city and then parade through the streets, imbibing a bit of rum along the way. We just love the mayhem and excitement of the day, including the flotilla that follows the tall ship, the Jose Gaspar, which is filled to each crow’s nest with ravenous pirates. And, of course, we all love the bead throwing and doubloons. You can’t help but be caught up in the Invasion!!

As for work at Seaside this week…we Seahag’s were busy planning our pirate parties and didn’t get much work done…I guess it’s a walk of the plank for us mates! We’ll get back on duty…but remember to visit us at www.SeasideDG.com... for many new treasures…we’ll be busy all week adding more coastal décor to the site again.

Out with the old...in with the new...at SeasideDG.com

2010-01-22T10:27:00.005-05:00

It’s that time of year when you start thinking about changes you want to make to your home and what you are willing to take on in this new year…creating a garden retreat, painting the guest room, changing out a sofa, or adding a little punch to your current tropical décor….and then ideas, ideas, ideas. What’s new…what’s exciting…I find the old adage, don’t re-create the wheel, definitely applies here. Magazines like Coastal Living and House Beautiful, two of my favorites, are outstanding at presenting new ideas and helping readers bring those plans to fruition.

I especially love the way House Beautiful will present the look of a makeover room and then dissect all of the stages for you…from wallpaper and paints to furnishings, textiles, lighting, and those great little accents. Their February issue is bursting with ideas for every room. We at SeasideDG.com try very hard to find those exciting accents, whether it’s a little something to add to a coffee table or a grand accent piece for your front entryway. You can see some of our latest home accents in the coastal décor category here.

Both of these magazines have incredible websites, as well…and include photo journals of many of their latest makeover projects. This “Colorful Cabana” is an idea plotter itself. Linked from the House Beautiful website, the designer and holder of this exclusive home, Moises Esquenazi, has brought his interior colors by way of his outdoor oasis, through the use of gorgeous color blocked pillows, textured throws and fresh outdoor lighting. (Photograph by Reed Davis). Challenge yourself on your next project but remember you aren’t alone…these sites have some great tools to get your mind processing your designs…and, possibly, check us out for some great new tropical pillows and coastal accents.

Spring begins with Coastal Pillows from SeasideDG.com!

2010-01-14T13:54:00.003-05:00

We’ve just arrived home from Spring Market, which I must say was fantastic! I just love this part of the year…new beginnings…fresh things…all new colors! We’ll be having so much added to the site in coming weeks…we are very excited to bring new seaside items to your life. I’ve added a couple of pictures here for your preview of 2010 and hopefully some inspiration for these early planning days.

Each showroom full of wonderful new shades of spring brought out the best of our coastal blues, tropical greens and yellows…even purple and magenta, which remind me of our gorgeous orchids in bloom. This season is going to be as fun as ever. It was all so fabulous.

Of course, pillows are one of the best ways to start your spring change. Just think about your home and lovely furniture with a new set of nautical pillows, some of our coastal pillows or our beach throw pillows…a big change in a small package…part of our change as well. We’ve been shopping around to bring some great new ideas to our website, www.SeasideDG.com, and we are so thrilled to show them off. Check back to our site, often, as we will be adding new items each week, as they arrive.

We’ve also brought in some fresh new bedding for spring, all of which will be added in the coming days and weeks. It’s amazing what a set of new sheets and a new quilt will do to add a fresh appeal to your bedroom. And, such an easy change! We know you’ll fall in love with our coastal bedding… See you soon.

Creating an exciting dinner table…

2008-09-26T13:29:00.003-04:00

So you’re planning your next casual dinner party, your entertaining a group of friends, and now the stress begins. It’s not just the menu choices and the guest list that causes anxiety…it’s all of the little “extras” in planning this small event. You just need to make it a little more fun by adding some excitement to the planning stage itself.

One thing you might try is to create a unique look to your dinner table for your guests…and that task itself does not have to be an event of epic proportions. Think of just adding one or two additional items to your setting. A set of votive candle holders along the centerline of your table will create a warm and welcoming tone to the evening or use them as smaller vase holders across the table in lieu of a larger arrangement. You may also want to add a table enhancer like our Clear Glass Shaped Sea Shells or our Silver Sea Stars. These accessories can be “sprinkled” around the table to add a little seaside flare to your evening festivities. When the party is over, our Silver Sea Stars make a perfect accent to your nautical décor…just set them on your coffee table or around a bookcase. They even look fabulous in a large Hurricane candle holder as an everyday centerpiece. Our clear glass sea shells, while they look fantastic scattered about a dinner table, are a great stabilizer for fresh cut flowers in a clear glass vase…something different than the regular everyday glass pebbles. You can’t help but notice their cute designs. You can view all of these products and more at http://www.seasidedg.com/

Another resource you may want to try…Coastal Living magazine offers an online Slide Show with some great ideas on creating an exciting table setting for your guests and offers great pictures too. Try researching “Seaside Settings” in their search box or just click here.

Adding touches with accent pillows…

2008-08-21T07:02:00.002-04:00

Accent pillows are one of the easiest ways to change the look of a room. They are fun and are easy to experiment with fabric changes, as well as complete color transformations. Pillows can be all you need to update the look of your room. Whether on a favorite couch, draped across your bed, sitting on your floor or cuddling your favorite pet, pillows add depth and texture to a room. They are wonderful for introducing additional colors and lines to your room’s palette. Take for instance our nautical shell hooked pillows, as seen above…they really add the perfect finishing touch to this yacht’s sitting area. The golden yellow tones outlining the shells on these nautical accent pillows truly complement the soft buttery leather of this couch. When decorating and adding finishing touches to your room, a pillow can introduce all of the flair you need. Don’t be afraid to experiment with pillows…have fun with them. Browse through more of our nautical accent pillows at www.seasidedg.com/catalog/Pillows-27-1.html. You may also want to subscribe to our e-newsletter on the front page of our website, which is a great forum for some of our newest items and special promotions. Sign up at www.SeasideDG.com.

Painting a room with less stress

2008-07-26T16:42:00.000-04:00

Nothing freshens the look of a room more, or inspires creativity that you didn’t know you had, like a new coat of paint. Whether you are trying to enliven a room or jumping ship to a new hue…paint is the beginning and largest of easy changes. It can also be the most intimidating factor since no-one wants to “re-do” the job, which is why I am personally sold on paint samples. Once you’ve chosen your project (a bedroom, the kitchen, a bathroom), decide what you want this room to do. Ask yourself, what do you love when you think about this place? What does this space say to you? For instance, your bedroom…is this your personal sanctuary space that will be yours to relax from the hectic days of work? Or is it more simplified on your list? On a personal note, I just painted a bedroom Benjamin Moore’s - Kittery Point Green, a fun color! Remember not just the standard line about how paint will darken…or the second coat factor…but also add to the formula your lighting as well as any natural light. With my project room…I did the usual paint a section and see how you feel about it for a couple of days, however, take the time to see how your sample looks during different times of the day. Either paint a larger area and explore it for a couple of days to see what you think during different times of the day or, paint a large piece of wallboard or construction board…put it in the room and, again, see how you like it over a couple of days. Boards are easy to move around the room as well. I just love the paint samples from Benjamin Moore. They are the perfect amount of paint to let you examine your ideas and come in a wide variety of colors. Definitely worth the time and money.

A seaside first...

2008-07-14T12:36:00.006-04:00

It’s our first blog…a bit intimidating…but our goal is to develop our blog into a resource for you, our customer, to reference when looking for ideas to add spice to your coastal living area or when you need a unique gift for the friend who has everything.

Our web site caters to decorating your home with all things nautical and great gifts for the coastal lifestyle. So what do you need to know about these things? What about how to add that perfect accent piece to finish a room or the height at which you should hang your new chandelier over the dining room table? Little tidbits of information to help you feel good about your purchase and its place in your home. Maybe you need to plan a party for some friends this summer…but are nervous about where to start or what to serve…we’ll try to bring you some fun inspirations for your coastal entertaining and certainly the perfect serving piece.

Find us on our website at www.SeasideDG.com and sign up for our newsletter. We send out advanced notice of new arrivals and great promotions.