Easy DIY Thrift Store Basket Upcycle Tutorial for High-End Coastal Style

Hey friends, I’m back with another easy, high-end coastal-style tutorial to continue the updates on our beach cottage. In addition to the Serena & Lily-inspired vases and rattan candlestick holder dupes, I wanted to add a fun seashell basket to the mix. With just a few shells and paint, I turned a damaged thrift-store basket into boutique-worthy coastal decor.

If you’d like to add a breezy beach touch to your home, follow along with this simple step-by-step tutorial. I promise you will be amazed at the transformation.

Let’s get started!

Since the basket I’m using is a less-than-perfect thrift store find, I decided to paint it to cover some stains. The handle was broken, so I also needed to do some repairs. Let’s get started with my step-by-step process.

Step 1 – Paint The Basket

Since I’ve been updating the beach house decor, I decided to paint the basket a light, beachy green. I used cactus green because I had some leftover from a previous project. You know I’m a waste-not kind of girl, and the color will look great with our new updated bedding.

The biggest challenge in this upcycle is repairing the broken handle. I knew that just gluing the handle together would not hold up for the long haul, especially if I added anything to the basket. So I had some of the floral vine bind wire left over from the Serena & Lily candlestick holder dupe and decided to use it to wrap the basket handle.

1. I began with a little hot glue to hold the broken handle together until I could get it wrapped.
2. Then I added a drop of hot glue where the wrap begins to hold it in place.
3. Next, I wrapped the floral vine bind wire around the handle, covering it tightly.
4. I added more hot glue around the broken area while wrapping the wire.
5. Continue wrapping until the same amount of handle is showing at the end.
6. Finally, I added more hot glue to secure the end of the wire.

Step 3 – How To Add Wire & Jute Twine To Basket

I knew that attaching the seashells directly to the basket reed would be difficult and most likely not hold. Therefore, I added one row of the Floral Vine Bind Wire just under the basket’s rim. I used a small dot of hot glue randomly to secure the wire in place.

After adding the vine wire, I then began adding the jute twine in the same manner. I secured it with hot glue at the beginning, and as I wrapped it around the basket, I applied small amounts of glue to adhere the twine to the basket.

After I had the desired width of twine, I added two more rounds of vine wire to finish the area where the shells will attach. I secured the ends with hot glue.

Even with the jute twine as a base, I knew that the heavier shells would be difficult to adhere. They don’t have a flat surface, so only certain areas will touch the basket where the glue is applied. Therefore, I decided to use E6000 glue along with the hot glue.

First, lay out your shells and determine your placement. Have both glues ready to use.

• Apply E6000 to areas where you expect the shell to touch the basket.
• Then apply a layer of hot glue over the same areas.
• Press the shell to the jute twine and hold until the hot glue dries.
• Continue working around the basket until all the shells are attached.

Here are a few ideas for decorating with a seashell basket.

• Add a floral arrangement or greenery to the basket.
• Fill the basket with seashells and/or driftwood.
• Add books or magazines to the basket.
• Use the basket to hold kitchen utensils.
• Fill with moss balls or other bowl filler materials.
• Add architectural elements to fill the basket.
• Leave the basket empty and add it to a bookcase or cabinet top.