Relaxed Summer Style

Summer! Lazy days of summer!

Something about summer makes all of us long for a slower pace, more casual surroundings and bright, crip colors. This week I will be adding relaxed summer style to some spaces in my home. I'm going to start with my sunroom and deck. These two areas will get a lot of use over the next few months especially with the kids home from school. Pulling a little inspiration from Pottery Barn, I think I will be off "shopping" the house and the garage later today to see what I come up with. Red, white and blue is a classic color scheme but for my house these colors won't work. So, I am going to modify them to a color pallette of orange, cream and turquoise. All of these colors are just various hues of the primary basics. Let's look at some pictures from my idea file. While these aren't the colors I will use, the look and style is what I'm going for.I'm going for a similar look with the mix-n-match pillows in my sunroom. I love the stripes, floral and geometric prints combined. Shopping the house for the right mix will be fun and challenging! I love the pop of sunny yellow thrown in the mix.

I have several pieces of older wicker. The plan is to paint it chocolate brown. My BFF, Bella~Mella, recently painted a wicker piece an espresso brown at my suggestion. After seeing pictures, I loved it so much that I think I'll take my own advice and paint my pieces. In the picture above I love the mix of wicker with metal folding chairs. The mix of pattern again caught my eye. I think mixing up patterns has a natural casual appeal perfect for the hot, sticky days of summer.

The bright navy blue of this umbrella is what drew my eye in this photo. I guess it's my association of blue with water that makes me lean towards shades of blue during the warm weather months. I have three umbrellas in the garage. A leopard print, a terracotta floral print and a solid golden yellow. Depending on what I pull together from my "shopping" trip, will determine which one is featured in the months to come.

I would LOVE to have an outdoor sectional like this! The whole set is just perfect for entertaining outdoors. Cushions so thick you can just sink down and daydream the day away.

Oh, to have a functional outdoor kitchen! We would eat every meal outside! This kitchen is covered by a porch. Whenever I get around to designing an outdoor kitchen, it will need to be weather proof since we have an uncovered deck.

At the end of a long day, to lay and relax on this summery chaise lounge would be perfect. Especially if your back yard bordered a lake or the coast.

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Well, I better get going if I'm going to get a start on that deck today....

Until I see you again,

Happy Decorating!

~Alisa

Host a Garden Party - Ready, SET, Go!

I love SPRING - here in North Carolina it's not too hot nor too cold! Just like Goldilocks said - it's just right - for hosting an outdoor event, that is. Yesterday, I surveyed my back yard and deck. Yuck! Winter has taken it's toll! Time to get out the pressure washer, the weedeater and plant some color in those empty containers! Well that's gonna take a while with all the other things piling up on my "To Do" list. Searching for some inspiration and letting my fingers do the walking - or surfing - I found a few pics to get my creative energy flowing. In order to host that Mother's Day luncheon in a few weeks, I thought I would share some ideas for hosting your own garden party - Ready? Set. GO! First thing - READY the Garden.

About 5 to 7 days before you plan to host your event is the perfect time to catch up on your yard work. Cut your grass at least two days before your party. In case any of your guests have seasonal allergies, this will give the pollen and dust time to settle. Mr. Panache always uses a bagging device on the mower. This way we don't track around grass clippings. In case your planters look like mine and haven't had time to bloom and fill out, try this little trick. Clip some greenery or stems from shrubs or flowering trees. Fill them in around your plants. The key to a lush look is fullness and color. No one will ever know and by the time the clippings start to wilt, the party is over.
Next, SET the Boundaries.
This means you need to decide the layout of your outdoor space. If you are hosting something duirng the middle of the day, try to arrange your table under some shade. Also have some seating tucked under an umbrella, porch, canopy or shade trees. This will be appreciated by any guests who are not sun lovers. I like to have multiple areas for food, drinks, desserts, etc. This way traffic flows just a little better and lines are always shorter.

Thirdly, SET the Mood.
There's just something magical about entering a lush, outdoor paradise. AND you don't have to have the backyard of the Rich and Famous! You can set a romantic mood by hanging sheets, shower curtains or unused sheer panels from fishing line tied in tree branches or on clothes lines. Tie them to the beams of a pergola or from bamboo stakes. You can also hang pretty quilts or throws over the railing of your deck. Draping colorful or sheer fabric around your space adds softness to your outdoor room. For a festive mood, use colorful paper lanterns or tie oodles of helium balloons on to weights and use them to define your party space. I use this idea for my kid's parties.

Lastly, SET the Table.

My BFF, Melanie, reminded me last week that "we eat with our eyes first". How true! And doesn't everything taste better when it looks good too! So make sure your table is as pretty as your food is tasty. For a more sophisticated affair, drape a pretty tablecloth over your table. Another great idea is to drape the backs of your chairs with pretty pillowcases. Yes, that's right - pillowcases. This will unify your chairbacks and add elegance to your garden party. I have an old, round dining table that I use and mismatched chairs. They are all pretty rough looking but magic happens when they get all dressed up in layers of pretty fabric. I love to mix and layer patterns - stripes, florals, polkadots and plaids - for fun and whimsical style.

For more casual entertaining, keep your table decorations simple and natural. I've been known to use garden boots to hold pretty, colorful annuals. Once the party is over, the annuals get planted in the garden. Another thing I like to do is mix daisies with fresh herbs - fresh Basil, Pineapple Mint, Chocolate Mint, Chives, Rosemary - not only do you get a pretty centerpiece but you have the delicious fragrant aroma filling the air.

Now, GO and enjoy yourself!

Turn on your favorite tunes, pour yourself an icy lemonade or tea and sit back, enjoy your friends and your beautiful outdoor space!

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Yesterday I took a trip to my local LOWES Home Improvement store. Guess what I found? A kitchen island all decked out in beadboard and black paint! It had been distressed for an aged look but offered me tons of inspiration for my Kitchen Island makeover. Check back tomorrow evening for a peek at my inspiration. Until then,

Happy Decorating!

~Alisa