#summerhomestyle

Five Ways to Bring a Summer Feel to Your Home

June 9, 2022 By kimwheeler 26 Comments

Today I’m joining a fun group of bloggers for Project Design.. and today’s subject is Summer Decor Refresh. Having a deadline to share ideas here got me into gear getting the house freshened up. There have been a few things laying around, piles of winter blankets, wool pillow and a lot of clutter we just don’t need.

Summer has come upon us so fast. I noticed our local schools are out and everyone seems to be breathing a sort of collective sigh. Kids are playing in sprinklers, people are taking late evening strolls and lining up for ice cream in the evenings. This time of year goes fast, so why not make our homes have that happy vacation vibe too? Have some fun with this and think of it as ‘staging’ your home, but for your enjoyment… some ideas I’ll share.

Ways to bring a summer vibe to your home..

Bring the outside in. Get some pretty woven baskets ( I like these from Target) and drop in a snake plants or a monstera which are low care and look fantastic. I just added both of those plants. Think beach house. On my coffee table where plants tend to die, I added a faux green branch and a driftwood stick we treasure in a modern glass vase. The natural stick with the faux looks richer and gives a fresh pop to the table.

I also just got this Beaufort Tray I’ve been coveting from Serena & Lily and it was just what I needed here to lighten it and give it a California feel. I added a coral on top of these books and have some of my favorite shells scattered about. Pottery Barn also has these lovely real shells that you can add to vases or bowls.

Lighten up. Clear the floors and put away extra rugs. I love the feel of bare floor underfoot in the summer and rolled my extra throw rugs away until colder months. My faux fur throws and wool blankets got stored and we now have our linen and cotton throws by the sectional and in our basket. I love this PB throw which is perfect for a summer chair or sofa.. My wool and heavy pillows are replaced with some lighter block print and linen ones.

In my dining room I changes out a darker rug with a light colored cotton/wool Kilim style rug I’ve been saving for… which just arrived! I love as it lightens the whole house. Nice that this is a two-sided rug that I hope will last a long time!

Soften your bedding. This is a nice time to change out your duvet or heavy comforter with a cotton matelasse quilt and crisp white sheets. I’ve just taken all my older white sets out of storage and washed them with oxyclean to brighten them up. I tie them with a ribbon and place lavender sachets with them. I love white sheets in the summer. This Celeste Cotton quilt is my summer bed cover and in the winter I layer it with my duvet. Love this and it feels like a cloud.

Declutter. Go through the house and see what items can be put away for the season. Too often we live with ‘stuff’ because it’s just always there. If you walk through your home and try and put away one or two things on each surface. Summer is all about breathing room. If you must have stuff out, try basketizing things. A pretty basket can help corral mail, papers, keys and things and and looks calmer. I also switch up my books and put any summer themed books front and center.

Add in natural materials. Think island living type of materials, which give a vacation vibe. This is a good time to pull out baskets, rattan pieces, cane anything, and things with a woven feel or natural wood. I have my market baskets and hats by the door with my linen pillows I have collected over the years from Patine in Santa Cruz. I find the coolest baskets can be found at thrift and second hand stores, so keep your eyes open for those unique pieces.

I moved a floral print and a rope basket by the door. I have a faux air plant here and a chunk of coral on my books here. If you style your home as you would a vacation getaway, it will have that feel!

Don’t forget the kitchen. I love my black dishes and things, but for summer they go in the drawer and I pull out my Italian pottery bowls from Positano. Also helping with the holiday home feel are my travel souvenir tea towels, summer themed cookbooks, and a couple new plants with trailing vines. Don’t discount the produce section for decor. I love big bowls of summer peaches and apricots and baskets of tomatoes and pots of basil. They also make the kitchen smell amazing.

Give a summer welcome. Add fresh plants to your porch or entry to set the tone for your home. An easy care geranium or asparagus fern needs almost no effort and feels summertime pretty. I like extra baskets for your delivery packages or flip flops. If you need a mat, I love the look of a braided grass coir mat. You might consider adding a lantern or two with an automatic candle for that evening flicker.

I find if your treat you home like a holiday house, your summer days can feel like a vacation!

Summer home things I love…

Please go hop on over to these fab blogs and see what spring refresh ideas they have for your home. All of these women have such great ideas and style…

CARLA ASTON DESIGNED

CINDY HATTERSLEY DESIGN

CLASSIC CASUAL HOME

MOST LOVELY THINGS

Kim

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Summer Refresh- Bring a Hawaiian Vibe to Your Home

June 24, 2021 By kimwheeler 11 Comments

Hello sorry I skipped blogging last week. I got a little busy with things and I have to motivate myself in the summer to sit down and write. I am loving being out a bit and this summer feels like a vacation itself compared to last year..

In the vacation mindset, I have been keeping Hawaii in my thoughts since coming home from the Big Island. Being in Hawaii to me is a total exhale. Something about the flowers, the scents and the soft air just hit mew as soon as I am off the plane. Cue the Hawaiian music and I am transported even when I am home, so I like to keep the feeling going. When I return from Hawaii, I add a few souvenirs from my trip to the house. This time it was some necklaces and some ideas for bedding…Maybe it’s because of my trip, but I’ve noticed a whole lot of home accents with a Hawaiian feel. Below a few ideas to give your home some island zen for the summer!

Without buying a thing, focus on natural elements like rattan chairs, woven baskets, shells, coral and anything with a tropical leaf in it. I love an entry in summer with hats, straw totes and big baskets. Bringing in some tropical trees and plants from your local nursery is another way to make it feel like you’re on island time. A great resource for all things woven is World Market.

Here’s a few photos from spots in my home where I upped the Hawaiian feel..

I had a few Kukui nut necklaces they give you when you arrive at a hotel and I wanted to use them. I also have a long Acacia Wood centerpiece bowl from Crate & Barrel that needed something.

We have collected coral over the years from travels and have a few pieces. I thought the coral pieces, with air plants and the Kukui nut necklaces looked summery. You could try this at home if you have some of those saved necklaces from Hawaii, or wooden beads (also here) and things collected like shells, etc from past travels. I just like the idea of bringing a tropical vibe in this time of year. The blue table throw is a season’s past Pottery Barn one, but you can find similar Shibori cloth from Etsy

Our rental had this pretty blue ginger jar with Kukui nut necklaces strewn on it. Kind of fun so I tried the same here at home on my big grey ginger jar, but I need some of the other color Kukui nuts. They have more colors at this Hawaiian Etsy shop here.

Did you know Hawaiians consider the Kukui tree a canoe plant because they came over with the Polynesians originally in canoes? I love those kind of factoids. By the way, the lovely jars from my rental came from Williams Sonoma I think..and some good ones here too.

I think I need more nuts and more colors!

The other thing I fell in love with in Hawaii were matelasse bed covers that were on all the beds at our rental. I loved the feminine look, easy light feel for summer and I wanted them for all the beds when I came home.

I have yet to find the same that were on the beds there, but I noticed two places have similar ones..Pottery Barn has a lovely one that is actually Hawaiian inspired called the Lilo Quilt...In white and also a pretty grey blue, they are hand-stitched. SO perfect for a summer bed.

Serena & Lily has the adorable scalloped Baywood Quilt. It comes in a navy and light blue. Also hand-stiched and eco cotton.

There is also this quilt with a dove.. from the Jungalow pieces at Target..

This is mine right now-with a mix of Matelasse pillows and a too small quilt I had.. I am deciding which of these quilts to buy and will give this quilt to my son for summer.

For authentically made Hawaiian quilts, Etsy is a great go-to. Like this shop that makes Hawaiian quilts, and are this with darling pillows and rainbow banners, and this is not quilts, but carries lovely totes made in Hawaii too.

While pursuing the Pottery Barn site this oversized pillow caught my eye. Love this large pillow with a leaf motif that goes with the Lilo pieces above.

I thought about the dark leaf pillow a lot for my white sofa. I’ve needed some punch on it. I was at the mall and ran into Pottery Barn to see it and person and ended up taking it home. I like the island look of it and the hand stitched appliqué . The all white pillow is also pretty if you’re going for that all-white bed look. Don’t forget you need the insert for these pillows too.

I added my fringe pillow from Target in here. I think anything with a little fringe or tassel evokes Hawaii too.

Target has the new Jungalow collection and these Fringe Cotton Percale Sheets have an island look.

On the pillow topic, when I am in the Big Island one place I always make a stop at is SOHA Living for Hawaiian inspired pillows, decor and gifts. I have many pillows from them and some of the coolest right now are the Tropical Leaves Pillow , the Kukui Nut Pillow, and Plumerias on Blue, but there are so many you have to look at the whole collection! All beautifully made.

I also spotted this Handwoven Jute Table Lamp from West Elm has that island feel to it..

Anything with a bamboo feel or shape can bring a Hawaiian vibe in. The Serena & Lily Halsey Lamp has always been on my radar with it’s bamboo look and an als most retro Hawaiian vibe. Serena & Lily has a whole collection of rattan pieces from lighting to chairs and cute tables.

Also cute is this bamboo flatware from Pottery Barn! So nice to have a set for summer entertaining.

If your looking for art, there are some good things to be found on Etsy. Trendtex is Hawaii’s leading fabric wholesaler and they have an Etsy shop with some cool prints like this one below..

I also love this set of Protea Prints.. Wouldn’t these be pretty on a grasscloth wall? The Protea is one of my favorite flowers..

When you travel, it can be great to get art. There are many artists and galleries galore in the islands.. If you cannot get there, there are many galleries online. One is Maui Hands – so many kinds of art here.

You can also have a bouquet called Summer in Hawaii delivered to you from Williams Sonoma! It’s quite pretty and would be lovely for a centerpiece if you are having a Hawaiian themed party or luau.

At our rental, the owners had Malie products – the soaps, lotions and shampoos and they were very luxe and had the softest scent. I just bought a hand wash for my own bathroom and I think I’ll be ordering the shampoo and the soap. They are headquartered in Kauai and there are skin products as well. I also love the Mango shampoo, a very luxurious and subtly scented treat! This will bring the islands to your home!

Lastly, I have a fun cookbook for you. Cook Real Hawaii is a beautiful book filled with wonderful recipes that reflect the diversity that is Hawaii. I loved the story of Sheldon’s journey from cooking in his yard with his dad to creating menus at noodle shops, neighborhood sandwich shops to the best restaurants and then Top Chef. I can’t wait to try some of these, especially the noodle dishes. If you love Hawaii and the culture, this book is a treat.

May you all have a little Hawaiian spirit and island vibe in your summer!

Kim

A few other things to get the Hawaiian feel…

Sage Floral Napkins, Round Gray Wipe Off Placemats, Natural Seagrass Belly Basket, Bungalow Rose Ginger Jar, Boater Hat, Brush Stroke Napkins,

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Summer Things

June 26, 2019 By kimwheeler 10 Comments

Hello friends. How is your summer going? I hope you are getting out to savor a few of those quintessential things I am like evening bike rides and ice cream bars (way too many!) I just wanted to check in for a minute and give you a few updates… Epic insanity here right now trying to move back to our house in about a week and a half. I told my husband the other night it was the first time I thought I may actually have a break-down. I realized I four lights that have to be returned didn’t work and need to be replaced and about 100+ knobs were still to be chosen for the house! Not to mention a whole host of other things I haven’t even gotten to yet. I was feeling it.

Then shockingly yesterday I got the knobs chosen in a miracle one hour with a wonderfully helpful gal from Belmont Hardware in Cupertino. I couldn’t believe it. I was so relieved I could have cried as I am naturally a bit indecisive and the choices for cabinet hardware are infinite and we had eight spaces that needed knobs. Crazy right? I was so happy and then a friend who just finished a renovation contacted me to ask if I’d like to purchase two of her bathroom lights she didn’t use. They were my style and adorable. Unbelievable. So things were looking up by time I went to bed yesterday! On that note, I felt I could take a few minutes to blog about things I’ve been loving for summer. I’m able to breathe a little today.

In the process of shopping for the renovation I’ve been finding all kinds of cool things and I am in love with some of the vintage photos on One King’s Lane. This print by Santa Forlano, from a 1962 Glamour magazine is so lovely- the colors, the tree- it all feels like the tones in my house too. I am thinking this would be lovely somewhere..Not sure exactly, maybe in my all white bath or the bedroom?

This Slim Aarons print of women at a pool in Athens also is cool. I’d love this above a tub or in the pool bathroom. The vintage swimming cap reminds me of my grandmother who had a whole collection of these when we were kids and how cute are the bathing suits and sundresses here with Athens in the backdrop? Wish I could find such a swimsuit now!

This photo though seems more personal to me – also Slim Aarons titled Lake Tahoe couple. It reminds me of my parents who were both huge swimmers- my mom a water ballet ( synchro) swimmer and my dad, a water polo player. Looks like this was taken at the iconic CalNeva lodge which straddles the California Nevada border and was a glam hangout for the rat pack types in the 60s. We spent many a day by the pool as kids at home and we often had dragged the puffy chaise pads like this to the pool edge. I may have to get this one. It also makes me wonder if I could find our own vintage photos and do something like this though the likelihood of blowing one up successfully are probably slight given the quality and whereabouts of negatives…

While we are on pools, I collect pool themed books. Our house in wrapped by a pool so I decided to embrace it. I started accidentally one day at my local vintage bookshop I came across a rare copy of Kelly Kline’s Pools book for a song and then found a very old Slim Aaron’s book. That got me going and now I grab them when I see ones I like. I plan to have a stack on my coffee table when I move back. A new pool book just came on my radar..

Splash by Annie Kelly and her photographer husband looks gorgeous. I die just looking at this cover pool! It has photos by pool type and inspiration and has a few celebrity pools too.

In that summer state of mind, want to feel like French girl on your next trip to Whole Foods? Well then you need a proper market tote like they use in Provence and all over the Cote D’Azur for shopping trips and errands. This little gem showed above, popped up on an Amazon search for something else and I love it. I almost bought the exact one on last year in Antibes, but the challenge was getting it back with all the other stuff I crammed in the overhead bin. I didn’t want it ruined so I held off. Then here it is on Amazon and able to come in like a day!! Even if you use it for beach trips, or just to hang on a simple hook by the door you have instant summer chic.

I also love striped summer throws for sofas, across tables and on the ends of beds. When I see one I like I grab it and now have big basket full of these for the cool evenings here in Northern Cal. This striped one is cute, also Amazon. I’m thinking of getting a few for the boy’s beds and just having their sheets and this for summer.

By the way have you all gotten in to Turkish towels yet? They are so much better than the usual beach or bath towel as they dry crazy fast, look super cute too. I bought a bundle of these at Homegoods at the beginning of the summer as I plan to replace all the heavy pool towels with these. They can just get hung up and dry in a flash. No more big loads of beach towels – so much greener and I don’t need to use the dryer. In fact they are so cute I am thinking of getting everyone these for the bathrooms now too. They are also good for kids who need to take a towel to camp or to the beach. They roll up to nothing.

This brand is Oeko certified and has the gamut of colors! Check them out. Do not underestimate how cute these look hung on hooks. They add that summer something to a bath or the yard.

Speaking of summer chic, a photo I took two years summers ago in Sorrento came up online. How dreamy is this square with wicker baskets, blue glass bottles and the cutest gal with with her wayfarers and scarf tied bun enjoying a paperback? I look at this and see La Dolce Vita right there. A reminder to make time each day for more of those naps, books in sun-dappled corners and luxuriating in all the good of summer while we are in it.

That’s it for now kids. Hopefully I’ll be back soon with more if I survive the next two weeks!

Kim

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