Home decorating tips: make your own decorative fish net
Longing for the beach? Wishing you could dabble your toes in the surf as you walk along the cool, wt sand? Or are you just looking to bring part of the beach into your home? Nautical themes are very popular for homes at the beach and homes located nowhere near the beach. For the beach bum in all of us, one great way to bring the beach to your decor is to make a decorative fish net. These look absolutely great hanging on your wall, and it is easier than you think to make one yourself. All the items you could possible need or want can be picked up online, in a craft or hardware store and at your local beach.
Obviously, the first thing you need is a net. There are several choices here. Authentic, used nets can be purchased from a net supply store or online. These will need some airing out and perhaps a soak in some soap and water. The smell of a used net is strong! A simpler option is to buy a net that has not been used. They are more attractive and less fragrant. If you are looking for something to match your decor, colored nets are available online and in party and craft stores. Nets come a variety of sizes, but the usual size is 4 'x 14'.
The best place for a decorative fish net is a large, plain wall. You can hang your net on the wall with small nails or hooks, but it might also be fun to visit a hardware store or nautical store and pick up some brass hooks shaped like sailboats or fish. When hanging your net, you will want to drape is somewhat loosely, and overlap it in several spots to provide more visual interest. Try to make it appear random. Don't pull your net tight and stake in down to the wall flat. That is not only boring, but also it will make it hard to put decorative items in it.
Once you have your net secured to the wall, it is time to add things that will appear to be "caught" in it. This is where you can really have a lot of fun. The lists of things you can anchor in the net are endless. Plastic crabs, lobster and fish are always good. If you have some seashells, starfish, seahorses, urchins, and pieces of coral or sand dollars that you have gathered at the beach or on a trip, these would add a nice authentic touch-just be sure it is legal to harvest these items from the reef or beach you are visiting. You can also purchase these items. Hanging at intervals could be some cork or glass floats, which are used by real fishermen. Sea glass looks absolutely beautiful scattered throughout the net. Almost anything that has a nautical or beach theme will look great in a decorative net. If you have items that you have purchased such as pieces of driftwood or things salvaged from old ships, add them. The key is to personalize it and make it your own creation. Put as much or as little as you want in it.
When you are finished with your net, it might be fun to add some accessories nearby. A life preserver that has been personalized with your family name could be placed to one side, or a set of wooden paddles could be placed alongside as well. A captain's chest placed on the floor beneath your net would look very good. An old-fashioned metal sign with an appropriate saying, such as "mermaid's cove" or "the crab shack" would finish your nautical or beach themed wall very well. Whatever you choose, have fun and enjoy your results!