Falling For Autumn Style

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Summer is officially behind us… we have enjoyed our long, hot days, weekends at the beach, barbecues and baseball games (okay, they aren't over just yet!). Now it is time to embrace the cooler temperatures, crisp air, pull on a cozy hand-knit sweater, take a brisk walk through the woods, and come home to curl up fireside to enjoy a cup of hot apple cider or chili with friends and family.

Everyone naturally gravitates to a particular season's style, whether they realize it or not. You probably have the "autumn design gene" if you revel in the nature-inspired colors, leafy patterns and layered textures found outside you windows during the Fall. And in your home you might notice that it features some of these elements...

Whether it is casual or formal, your home is no doubt a welcoming and comfortable gathering place…

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You are drawn to the earthy, natural, & warm hues of Autumn’s harvest palette…

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You love to bask in the mellow glow of light filtered through stained glass…

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You are drawn to fabrics in leafy and floral patterns, and to rich, inviting textures…

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Your walls are decorated with landscape paintings, botanical prints, or other creative and colorful interpretations of natural elements, such as in a crazy quilt…

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Your furniture is most likely not a matching set but rather a collection of pieces with beautiful and varying wood grains, painted finishes or rustic designs…

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Although you love an outdoor view as your room's focal point, when a space calls for window treatments, you choose wood blinds or bamboo shades finished with draperies in leafy or floral fabrics…

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Of course, wood is the perfect flooring option for you, but with the addition of warm, nubby area rugs to sink your toes into…

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Not one to be a minimalist, you love to collect and display objects and books that have special meaning to you...

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You love to layer your dinnerware, which is probably in creamy, warm, golden and clay tones…

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Your kitchen is truly of “green” design, and is the heart of your home…

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If you look around your rooms and notice any similarities to what you have seen here… you just might be a natural “Autumn!”

Serene Summer Surroundings

I was recently asked by fellow design colleague & blogger Yvonne Blacker to contribute to the summer issue of the digital magazine New England Finery. The on-line publication was co-founded by Yvonne with Linda Smith, owner of New England Fine Living design studio and shop in Middleton, Massachusetts. It is always beautifully executed and highlights everything relating to the world of design… including home interiors, gardens, collectibles, fashion, photography, events, etc... approached with a decidedly New England, especially “North Shore” sensibility.

New England Finery Magazine

Yvonne had seen a feature in the May issue of House Beautiful in which designer Jeffrey Alan Marks, star of Bravo’s “Million Dollar Decorators,” sketched an “Instant Room,” in this case a boathouse, and showed the fabrics and pieces that he would put into it. Yvonne asked if I would take a similar approach for New England Finery. Of course, with Summer on its way at the time, combined with my never ending love of beachcombing along the shore, I arrived at a concept immediately… I would create a leisurely living space with a coastal feel and a serene sea glass palette.

You are invited to visit New England Finery Magazine to take in not only my article, but also all of the other wonderful features created by Yvonne, Linda and many other passionate and talented contributors.

In the meantime, without leaving Design 4 Seasons, I give you...

"Sea Glass Serenity"

The search for sea glass is a tranquil endeavor. While a beachcomber enjoys a relaxing walk along the beach they also feel sense of anticipation about what luminescent treasures will be discovered along their journey. Living with a sea glass inspired interior offers a similar feeling… a combination of tranquility and delight.

Sea glass at the water’s edge can actually be found in almost every hue, depending on the pieces’ origins… a medicine bottle from the 1800’s, a Coca Cola bottle from the 1960’s, and so on. But the hues most often affiliated with sea glass are beautiful, watery blues and greens. The beauty of sea glass lies not only in its color, but also in its softness… the glass shards that were originally shiny and bright become weathered by exposure to salty water and the tumbling of the seas which leave them gently frosted.

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The blue and green color palette combined with the soft textures, and of course, the allure of the sea, come together to create an irresistible, spa-like interior space.

I have created a relaxing, fantasy living space with a lovely ocean view inspired by the beauty of sea glass. The sectional is upholstered in a comfortable, sandy color fabric that invites you take in the seaside vista, or to curl up under the chunky cable throw and cuddle up to the seahorse and shell pillow to maybe take a nap!

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Next to the chaise is a unique textured raffia side table featuring a nail head design that reminds me of kelp or seaweed (I later found one that even has storage... all the better!) In the corner is a skirted table covered in a cloth with a spa green top with a wide natural linen border, which complements the natural theme. The cocktail table with its wave design feels right at home near the beach, and since it is made of reclaimed wood, captures the feel of driftwood.

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Another feature in the space that is ‘green’ is the area rug, which is woven of recycled denim and jute, making it comfortable under foot as well as beautiful. No space with a sea glass theme would be complete without glass! The collection of bottles on the skirted table has been tumbled to resemble real specimens rescued from the sea, and the shiny floats on the cocktail would have originally assisted fishermen with their daily catch. Glass glows and shines anywhere there is light, so being by the large window is one step toward making the glass accessories stand out.

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The lighting fixtures take the look to the next level. The lamp on the raffia side table is ceramic with a glazed wave pattern and seahorse handles. The gorgeous chandelier in the corner has a soft bluish-green shade and abalone shells gently cascading from it… an eye-catcher itself, it also puts a spotlight on the bottle collection. One more element necessary to create a glimmering room is the inclusion of a mirror. The mirror here is framed in a luminescent metallic turquoise that is stunning on its own, but is a perfect complement to the lighting and glass.

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Whether you create an entire room with a coastal theme, or simply embrace the color palette or elements of sea glass, you’ll feel as tranquil as when you return from a walk at the beach!

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A Spring In Your Step & Spring In Your Style

Spring has officially been around for several weeks now… but here in New England, we have experienced Winter, Spring and Summer all mixed together! On April Fool’s Day, the joke really was on us when we received several inches of snow… enough that the plows had to come through and dig us out. On the other hand, Easter Sunday was a delight with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the upper seventies... we celebrated the unseasonable warmth with untraditional lobster rolls for our holiday dinner outside on the deck!

The buds are out on the tree branches, robins are whistling their hearts out, and the forsythia are in bloom… which for me is the true sign of Spring. As an art student in high school, the sign that Spring had genuinely arrived occurred when we reported to the studio to find that our beloved and infamous art teacher, Sister Ignatius, had created her annual still life focused around a beautiful arrangement of forsythia. I am reminded of this special memory to this very day when my eyes glance upon the gorgeous yellow sprays dotting the landscape.

Spring is the time when the cold, hard soil gives way to budding plants. When the hours of daylight get longer and longer. When the color palette outdoors gets brighter and brighter, and the scents get more fragrant. Does Spring inspire you?

We all have a season of the year that speaks to our subconscious more than the others. When we have our colors “done” to help select the right wardrobe, we learn that we look best in certain colors that relate to our season… no surprise, I am a “Summer.” The art of Seasonal Design can be thought of in a similar way. You may not have thought about it, but the colors, patterns, textures, and styles that you are naturally drawn to in decorating your home tend to align with a particular time of the year. Think about it and let me know!

If Spring is in your style, you may call the overall look and mood of your home “romantic,” “country,” “cottagey,” or “Shabby Chic." Sound familiar?

The colors that you love are probably bright & cheery...

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The patterns you gravitate toward are florals...

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Lacey, sheer or floral treatments frame your windows...

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Your china pattern is most likely delicately painted with flowers or botanicals...

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Your favorite floor covering is wood...

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You prefer mismatched furniture pieces rather than cookie cutter collections...

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Your fireplace might have a vintage mantle and above it isn't necessarily a painting, but rather a grouping of antique china, collectibles, and of course flowers...

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This time of year, we all appreciate trading in the gray days, long, dark nights, and cold temperatures of Winter for the more uplifting, brighter, warmer days of Spring. But if Spring is also your personal style, you have even more to celebrate. So, do you detect any “Spring” tendencies in your decorating style? Please share how it shows up in your home!

Winter Warmers… Take The Chill Off

What does “Winter Warmer” mean to you?

If you are a beer enthusiast…

"Winter Warmer"

Harpoon Brewery, Boston, Massachusetts

If you are a fashionista...

Winter scarves; google images

If you are a design aficionado…

Horchow glamourous Dansfield & Ross

silk & rayon velvety gray throw with pom pom trim

One of my favorite accessories for the home is something that can make a big design statement while also proving to be quite useful... the throw. I am a devotee of throws as decorative accessories all year round, but winter is an especially good time to toss a stylish and cozy blanket across your sofa or bed. It is wonderful to snuggle up under a plush, warm throw while watching the snow fall outside of your window (I know, many of you in colder climates are tired of the white stuff by now, so maybe “wonderful” is pushing it a little!), or while you read a book, watch a movie, or just enjoy a tasty hot beverage.

Here are some especially lovely throws that I have come across in my explorations…

Horchow understated quilted coverlets & cable knit throws by Ann Gish

Horchow Sofia super soft cabled cashmere throws woven with heathered yarns

Gracious Home simple but chic Capri cashmere throws with ribbed border

Gracious Home Matouk Arcadia elegant throws with Greek key design

(also love the paint color in the vignette!)

Gracious Home Matouk Torino throws in classic two-tone chevron weave

West Elm bold & textural chunky tassel throw

Pottery Barn casual hand-knit chunky cable throws

Bliss Living Home Temi plush throw in Whisper Blue is covered & edged with pom poms

(how fun is this?)

Throws have such a warming effect that these last few even give me the feeling that Spring is just around the corner! What about you you?

Winter Carnival... Design On Ice

Winter Carnival, St. Paul, Minnesota; google images

One of the elements important to seasonal design is being true to where you are at the time… both figuratively & literally. Inhabitants in areas that experience serious winters know what to expect after the frost first appears, and actually adopt nature’s chilly characteristics into their lives. They have learned to embrace the iciness!

Many cities in the northern United States and Canada celebrate the season with festive carnivals. Having grown up in Michigan, I have personal experience with two such events, albeit fairly humble ones. My parents and I had a cottage located near Houghton Lake, which is the largest inland lake in Michigan. Each year the town holds a festival on the frozen lake called “Tip Up Town,” in reference to the device that indicates above the ice that you indeed have a catch below ice. We were never into fishing, but we did enjoy being able to drive, walk and even dine (if dining includes a steaming bowl of chili and piping hot chocolate!) on a huge expanse of ice!

Tip Up Town, Houghton Lake, Michigan; google images

When I first went away to college, I really went AWAY to college… 550 miles from my home in the suburbs of Detroit… to Michigan Tech in Houghton, on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Suffice it to say that Houghton gets a lot of snow, and MTU’s mascot is a Husky for a reason! The major event of the year at Tech is Winter Carnival, which includes such revelry as the crowning of a Carnival Queen. But the big deal is the creation of bigger-than-life ice sculptures… as you can imagine, working with hoses gushing with water when it is zero degrees outside is not for the un-hearty souls! Each year the Carnival has a theme which inspires the student groups to design unique and hopefully winning sculptures in the competition.

Michigan Technological University Winter Carnival, Houghton, Michigan

Delta Sigma Phi won 2nd Place this year with "Harry the Wizard Fights in a Blizzard"

So, what does all this have to do with interior design? Well, design often imitates environment, and the crystalline ambiance of an icy Winter Carnival translates beautifully into a stunning interior space.

Winter Carnival, St. Paul, Minnesota; google images

Here are some ideas for bringing frosty features into your home...

Lit Mercury Glass Globes; Pottery Barn

Crystal Puck Light; Lamps Plus

Rippled Glass Bud Vases; Pottery Barn

Zelda Vase; Crate & Barrel

Twilight Candlesticks in Middle Blue; Objects of Envy

Crystal Paperweight; Lamps Plus

I am certainly not implying that you would change out your chandelier each season! However, if you live in the north country, or simply love a wintry aesthetic, a chandelier can truly exemplify iciness...

Acqua Chandelier; purelightsaonline.com; (This also has a wonderfully watery, under-the-sea look!)

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The look of a million icicles dangle from this breathtaking Seguso Chandelier; merrillantiques.com

Although I like the idea of bringing subtle nuances of the chilly north into my interiors, I am not sure what I think about staying in one on vacation...

Ice Hotel, Norway; google images

Ice Hotel, Sweden; google images

Royal Deluxe Suite at the Ice Hotel, Sweden; icehotel.com

Although the rooms are stunning, I don't know if I could ever get truly comfortable at an "Ice Hotel." What about you?