I love the look of tortoiseshell furniture and accessories in interior design. The mottled amber and brown pattern is chic, timeless, and adds interest and texture to any space. Like animal print, it acts as a neutral, so it works with any color scheme and design style from modern to traditional. The slideshow above shows some ways designers have incorporated tortoise into their designs.
Tortoiseshell was originally obtained from the hawksbill turtle’s curved shield and historically used in items like combs, boxes, and inlays in furniture. Because of the endangerment of the turtle population, genuine tortoiseshell use was banned in 1977. Luckily, the look is easily replicated with a variety of materials like celluloid, plastic, horn, paint techniques, and wallpaper. Here are a few of my favorite tortoiseshell items for the home and a few personal accessories as well!
Click on the images to shop!
For a great selection of vintage/antique tortoiseshell items check out 1stdibs.
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