The Magic of Coastal keepsakes in at thoughtfully curated home
- May 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 18
CURATED HOME
Preserving Memories
in found Coastal Keepsakes
When it comes to creating a home that feels layered with meaning, what we choose to keep matters. The most powerful pieces are not always purchased — they are found, gathered, remembered. Curating your space with objects that hold personal story turns decor into something far deeper than display.
Recently, after losing my father, I came across a simple plastic bucket filled with sea urchin shells. We had dived for them at Millers Point only weeks before. They were still dusted with salt, still carrying the warmth of that day.
My father was my hero. A man deeply connected to life in the way we are meant to live it — fully present, fully immersed. Snorkelling beside him, diving down together and surfacing with shells cupped in our hands, was one moment in a lifetime of adventure. It was how he moved through the world — curious, alive, unafraid.
That day at Millers Point was perfect. The water warmer than usual, the children laughing between dives, shoals of fish flashing beneath us. None of us knew it would become the last keepsake of a day shared like that.
When I found the bucket, I knew immediately the shells belonged in our home.
Not tucked away. Not forgotten. Honoured.
Cleaning them became part of the ritual. A soak in apple cider vinegar to lift the ocean residue. A gentle rinse or a light sun-kissed bleach wash, diluted carefully and followed by a full dry in natural light. The process restored their soft tones while keeping their texture intact, delicate, but enduring.
I found a glass case box. Simple, clear, structured and arranged them intentionally. What now sits on our shelf is more than a coastal object. It holds a day. The dive. The laughter. The rhythm of being side by side in the water.
Curating your home in this way transforms everyday findings, coastal keepsakes, into living memory. Some objects do not simply fill a space, they carry the imprint of love, of presence, of a moment that was once ordinary and is now everything.
Now, every time I pass that glass case, I am brought back to that afternoon in the water. It is no longer just a memory in my mind — it exists physically in our space. This is the power of intentional curation, turning ordinary fragments into meaningful reminders.
The objects we surround ourselves with shape how we remember. A shell, a stone, a handwritten note — when styled thoughtfully, they become art that carries story. Our homes can hold these quiet markers of time, grounding us in what truly matters.
Discover the magic of Millers Point,
our Coastal Best-kept Secret
Millers Point, just past Simon’s Town along the False Bay coastline, offers some of the warmest and clearest swimming waters in the area. Protected by the bay, it’s ideal for day trips with children.
Arrive early, especially in summer. Our ritual always begins with a stop at Olympia Café in Kalk Bay for a fresh Saturday focaccia — honestly, the best. Still warm, wrapped in paper, torn and shared in the car as we follow the curve of the coast toward Simon’s Town.
At Millers Point, take the left turn-off as if you’re heading to the slipway parking lot where the fishing boats launch. Before you reach the tidal pool — which can get noisy and crowded — duck off earlier down a sandy path.
If you follow it, you’ll find a stretch of large boulders enclosing wide, natural rock pools.
It feels like a secret spot. Protected. Warmer water. Clear enough to snorkel comfortably for hours. That’s where we go.
We snorkel, dive, float. The kids explore the shallows. There are shoals of small silver fish, reef fish flicking between rocks, and urchins tucked into the crevices. No rush. Just in and out of the water all day.
By late afternoon we’re sun-kissed, salty, and exhausted. The kids usually fall asleep on the drive home. Windows cracked. Dire Straits playing softly. The kind of tired that means it was a very good day.
The heart behind
my business
Hunter & Snow is a return to something more personal — a slower, more considered way of creating and living. For years, my work was rooted in building brands. Understanding people, shaping ideas, and bringing vision to life. But over time, I found myself drawn back to something quieter.
It started in small ways, making with my hands, rearranging my home, collecting meaningful pieces, writing again. Letting creativity unfold without pressure, guided by instinct. At my core, I am a creative, and it feels like a life force, something I feel compelled to share and encourage in others.
Hunter & Snow is an extension of that. A place for thoughtfully made pieces, shaped by everyday living, seasonality, and the quiet beauty of a home that evolves over time. A space to share what I’ve learnt, in the hope that it invites a slower, more personal way of living.