As I write this, it is a cloudy rainy day. Did you know in central Ohio we have only 178 days of sunshine a year? That’s not very many! It doesn’t seem we are that cloudy and gray.
But I have to say I have been over the gray interiors for a while. I received a trade newsletter in the mail and the cover is entirely bright yellow. This publication has the color of the month as Sherwin Williams June Day (SW6682). I’m not quite ready for this intense yellow inside. This bright shade will enliven your room and for sure lift your spirit on a cloudy day.
Bringing the Outoors In
You don’t have to bring the outside in with the intensity of SW6682, but a bouquet of fresh flowers is welcome in any room! I have a wonderful friend that loves sharing the blooms from her yard. I am fortunate to be on the receiving end frequently!
These arrangements don’t have to be elaborate. Sometimes a single bloom is a perfect accent. Small bottles or empty jars embellished with decorative paper and ribbon creates the perfect container for flowers and leaves.
It’s no secret that I love aqua glass bottles. I used 3 aqua wine bottles as vases and wrapped the threaded part of the bottleneck with raffia. Instead of flowers, large hosta leaves will last a week or more. Change the water and cut the bottom of the stem off and you might get 2 weeks or more. They balance the mantle and add a bit of freshness at the same time. It’s so easy to bring the outside in at this time of year.
Blocking the Brightness
Just as we are bringing the outside in, there are times we need to block out the sun. Horizon Shades offers a moveable liner on their natural shades. Light coming through the texture of the natural shades is beautiful. However, there are times when you may want to block out more light or the sun completely. The moveable liner is a light-blocking roller shade mounted just above the natural shade and concealed by a matching natural fiber valance. Recently I put them in my office and I love them. With West and South facing windows, I like having the ability to block out the hot sun when needed.
The texture of natural shades in a simple roman shade is very popular. If you would like to see the large assortment of colors and textures, I’d love to show them to you. Give me a call at 740-337-1649 to schedule a time to see them.
Lake House Update
We are bringing the outside colors of summer flowers inside in one of the guest bedrooms. The headboard wall will be papered in this fun cherry blossom (Northern Michigan is cherry country) wallpaper. The other walls are Simply White by Benjamin Moore. This preppy stripe in pink, green, and aqua will be relaxed roman shades at the windows. Bedding is yet to be selected for the local custom-made cherry bed.
The laundry room is getting this fabulous wallpaper with a definite nod to lake life! The oars and canoes, jumping dogs, fishing lures, and Adirondack chairs are signs of fun times to be made at the lake. The painted cabinets in this room are getting new “sun ” cabinet knobs. Surrounded by all of these lake signs will make folding laundry a pleasant job.
A Sweet Summer Treat
Do you know the difference between a crisp, cobbler and crumble? A cobbler is a batter topping baked over fruit. A crisp is flour, butter, brown sugar and oats. A crumble is butter, flour and brown sugar. My family is a fan of crumbles. This seasonal treat is pretty quick and easy. Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
A current client is in the midst of building a new home. She was overwhelmed with all the decisions and not prepared to make them in the “required” one day. Changes made after that day results in large change order premiums. If you find yourself in that situation, it’s the perfect time for a consult. I will accompany you and be that extra set of trained eyes and ears needed to assist in decision making. Most likely, my time will be covered by the cost of 1 or 2 change orders. It is a wise investment. When building your “dream” home, let the decisions made be ones you are thrilled with, not ones you settle for or have to live with until you can afford to change them.
