Out of The Box: Island Inspired Giftwrap

When my grandmum unwraps a gift she does so at painstaking speed. A habit I never really understood as a child, my patience always wearing thin. Now an adult, with a creative inclination to call my own, I too see wrapping as an extension of what’s inside, I too see it as a gift in of itself. In that spirit, I along with Seaglass Interiors – who beyond staging homes with holiday garland at hand offered their gift wrapping expertise this season – turned to nature and unexpected materials to give our presents personality. Here are a few of our favourite combinations:


Faux Bois Wrapping Paper | Driftwood | Sisal Twine | Palm Tree Branch
As we did here, challenge yourself and look no further than the beach or your yard for inspiration.

Wrapping Paper | Spineless Sea Urchin |  Straw Plait Ribbon available at Home Fabrics | Sisal Twine | Kraft Gift Tags
Naturally when our eyes landed on this paper our immediate thought was “sea urchins!”

Slate Chevron Wrapping Paper | Yellow Sea Fans | Straw Plait Ribbon from Home Fabrics | Kraft Gift Tags
Layering textures adds an unexpected touch. Select a ribbon, or in this case a straw plait that mimics the print. Don’t be afraid to interrupt the direction of the pattern as it brings an abstract element to the gift floor. Also the yellow sea fans can be seen as yet another gift entirely.

Chevron Paper | Straw Plait Ribbon available at Home Fabrics | Seagrape Leaf | Sisal Twine | Kraft Gift Tags
Nature always proves to be a great source of inspiration and materials. We love how the shape of the sea grape leaf compliments the gift tag and how the black speckled straw plait continues the zig-zag pattern drawing the eyes upwards.

Chalkboard Wrapping Paper | Large Gold Paper Clip | Casuarina Needles | Chalk
The needles from the invasive casuarina trees are the islands’ version of Christmas pine needles so it’s only natural to turn to the greenery for craft projects at the height of the season.

Red Glitter Wrapping Paper | Craft Paper | Bahamian Policeman | Ribbon | Chalkboard Bracket Cards
The red glitter paper, ribbon and chalkboard tag are the perfect compliment to the felt Royal Bahamian Policeman dressed in traditional garb influenced by our British heritage.

Craft Paper | Blue Ribbon | “The Bahamas ” Name Plate from Nassau’s Straw Market | Starfish Stamp + Ink Pad from Michaels
Grab a sheet of craft paper and with a stamp in hand create a repetitive pattern.
The souvenir name plate is a great to-from tag and a gift in of itself for the little ones.

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