Thursday, July 3, 2008

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)

7 comments:

  1. I loved seeing all of those fantastic photos! It's funny, if you asked me I would probably say that I'm not a big fan of Asian decor but I love all the blue vases in the 5th picture.

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  2. Beautiful pictures!!! I loved that bedroom with the blue walls. A LOT.

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  3. Love all these photos. That one of the screened porch has been in my "inspiration file" forever. It's one of my all-time favorite outdoor rooms. Also love that big porch at the top of the post. And that picture with the red Adirondack chair next to the fireplace is fun. Oh, and the beach house at the bottom is beautiful!

    (Did I just name every single one?)

    Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend, Courtney! We'll be celebrating my grandmother's 92nd birthday with a big family get-together (and the nation's bday, too, of course!). -Julia :-)

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  4. Oh, these are so pretty! I love that long entry way! I hope you have a great holiday! Jen R

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  5. Oooooo...So much eye candy! Great for the shore house files. Thanks for sharing...I'm bookmarking this page...and enjoy your holiday weekend!

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  6. Brilliant red, white and blue post. I would love a whole home or cottage in that scheme - so timeless.

    Was that MILK in the milk bottle holding the gerbers?

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  7. Great ideas - so much goodness to look at!

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thank you for commenting, dahling! I can't wait to hear what you have to say. :-)