Summer Decorating Inspiration

Today I thought it would be fun to show some inspiring photos of spaces that have been decorated in red, white, or blue (or some combination of these colors). I was browsing bhg.com and was loving what I found. I chose interiors - and exteriors - that reflect a laid-back style...nothing too fussy...just crisp and clean and looking like summer.

Um, yeah, I'd live here. Wouldn't you? Look at that front porch!

These deep cobalt walls are pretty striking - but they work with the clean white upholstery in the room.

Whoa, that's a lot of stripes on that porch, huh? But somehow they all work together and end up being fun and relaxed.

I've always like blue and white pottery. It's really the star of the show here, with simple white walls in the background. It can be traditional, Asian, or beachy.

Note the red mats around the pictures on the wall. That's a neat touch. I also like the red toile seat cushion cover on the chair.

Here are some dramatic blue walls again...not quite as dark as the last blue room, but dramatic all the same. It's a few more patterns than I would normally put together in one room - but somehow this Bohemian look really works here.

My favorite part of this room...the vintage sheets they used as chair covers! And more blue and white pottery.

In this mostly white entry, the blue and white bowl with the red apples stands out perfectly. This looks calming to me, and I almost feel like I can smell the salt air from the ocean, which is surely only a few steps away!

What a relaxing guest room this looks like. Sweet and simple.

And, okay, forget the first house I showed you...can I live here instead? Instead of a front yard they have a BEACH...instead of a street they have the OCEAN...instead of a view of their neighbor's house, they have a view of the SUNSET OVER THE WATER.

Let's all just close our eyes and pretend we're here for a moment...just a moment...

The ocean breeze smells wonderful, doesn't it?!

(all photo credits: bhg.com)