Collect some seashells next time you're at the beach. You'll want to copy these brilliant DIYs

Is there anything that transports you to a state of calm and serenity as quickly as the sight of seashells? These ocean gems are a lot like snowflakes — each one has its own personality and fascinating characteristics.

As a child, you may have had a conch shell at home that you held up to your ear when you wanted to "hear the ocean." Now, you might find yourself with the same love of seashells and the urge to adorn your home with them, but there are plenty more grown-up — and incredibly trendy — ways to make seashells an accent piece in any room.

There's nothing more classic surfer-chic than a large crop of cowrie shells. Whether you want to achieve the ambiance of string lights without the dorm room connotation, or you simply love the floral-meets-beach look of this project, it's incredibly easy to achieve. By simply stringing together a large haul of cowrie shells and fitting them around the bulbs of string lights, you'll creatively bring a little beach and a lot of light to your bedroom or living room. You can get the full tutorial here.

If you love the look of seashells but can't stomach design elements that look unorganized and eclectic, then this is the project for you. Gather together enough smaller seashells — a rounded variety, like cockles — to line the bottom perimeter of a lamp shade. Then, you'll use a hot glue gun with glue, some metallic gold spray paint and a larger, ornate scallop shell. By painting all of the smaller shells with gold paint, you achieve a look of uniformity without compromising the down-to-earth aesthetic created by seashells You'll be delighted to see how that plain table lamp can become a conversation piece in your living room.

The macrame trend is a boho craze that many people can't get enough of. If you want to capitalize on that aesthetic while keeping it a little more organic, this mirror is the perfect happy medium. By knotting and fraying light-colored craft rope and gluing cowrie shells around the mirror's perimeter, you create subtle nods to the beach that will transport you and your guests to a soothing environment each time you look at it. If you're ready to dive into this simple upcycling project, check out the tutorial here.

Considering how expensive coffee tables and kitchen countertops are, it can be a crushing blow to morale when you discover heat or condensation rings on those surfaces. Luckily, there's an easy solution: Create a simple trivet dressed up with cowrie shells. While this project will require some use of power tools, the finished project is worth it when you can protect your favorite surfaces and make a design statement at the same time. Enjoy the full tutorial here.

Nothing brightens up a living room or kitchen quite like a bouquet. Lovely as fresh flowers may be for a few days, they can get messy as they start to wilt, so why not instead create an arrangement that will stay beautiful indefinitely? By wrapping floral wire with twine and gluing small conch shells to the top, you create a flower alternative that's equally beautiful, but much more individualistic. If your home could use some beachy character, get the tutorial here.

There are some places in the world where you can pay a hefty sum to dine in restaurants that are totally submerged underwater, protected only by glass on every side. If you can't shell out for that kind of experience, but still want to bring some nautical delight to your dining room table, spend a few minutes creating these seashell place settings. Simply consisting of personalized scallop shells and decorated netting, the settings won't take much time or money, but they'll make a splash at your next get together. You can find the tutorial here.

Some elements of the natural world are so intricate and beautiful that they look like intentional works of art. This is certainly the case with seashells. If you've been collecting your favorite shells from the beach for years and are looking for a way to get them the attention they deserve in your living room, office or bedroom, then this is the ideal project for you. You'd be surprised at just how professional a few canvases, some glue and a seashell collection can look. Check out the tutorial here.