The Long Hot Summer
"Darling, this heat is intolerable! We simply must re-decorate."
Ouch!
Well, it's still in the 90's here (a much needed break from the 100's) and we have a good month (maybe more) to go.
This begs the question; How do you decorate to stay cool?
Are you the light, bright, white, airy, minimalist, or do dark, cozy rooms keep you happily refrigerated?
How do you maintain a tolerable temperature in your home without forking over your life savings to the local power company?
Most of my friends crave crisp, clean, light, and white. As far as I'm concerned, give me dark walls, a club chair, and the click, click, click of an old oscillating fan, dark wood venetian blinds (tilted up), soft lighting, a good book, and I can handle the heat.
What do you think?
Foyers set the tone of a home, but can they set the temperature?
Does this look work for you?
Or, is this the answer?
Do you prefer to let the sunshine in,
or do clouds make your day?
Would you rather toil over a hot stove here,
or here?
Would you enjoy a club sandwich and Arnold Palmer here,
or crab salad and chardonnay here?
Will you take the waters here,
or is this more refreshing to your senses?...
Soft and frosty retreats...
Chilled and composed sanctuary...
Now, short of a whole house flocking,
decorating for temperature relief is probably not a wise idea. If you love your space, that in itself will help you to maintain.
Go to the light, or take a walk on the dark side, but remember to enjoy your surroundings, and stay cool.
-k-
We prefer the light, airy and open spaces. However, we do like to have lots of curtains that can be drawn to match our mood at the moment.
ReplyDeleteAngela and Renee
I adore dark spaces and wrestle with myself about whether or not I could do it in my own house. I have come to the conclusion that I'd rather look at a picture than live with in one. I just need the light. You'll provided some lovely ones on both end of the spectrum. The dark grey dining room with the arched door? Yummy.
ReplyDeleteAs for using temperature as an excuse to redecorate? Hear, hear!
Camille
Wow!! The problem is that they're all beautiful! I must admit I'm not usually a fan of the stark all white but light and airy is fine with me. I like the more moody as well as long as it's not too dark and musty. I think my favorites are somewhere in between like the fabulous stone interior with the blue club chairs!! I do hope it cools down for you!!
ReplyDeletethe clouds make my day :) all gorgeous photos! xx
ReplyDeletethat one pic w/ the cubby beds (ea w/ their own light) and the chandalier and the two desks/working areas for the kids. great room. which mag was that from, ms. K? would like to look that one up.
ReplyDeletei remember well my summers in chesapeake and va beach (and pungo strawberry festival and jazz at the park and ghent for a movie) and those 100+ days when i was selling during the summer while going to law school.
miss those miserable days. fall was always just a few short weeks away. if i get back there for a law school reunion, i'll drop you a line.
;)
It's a fascinating question, to which there is, I suspect, not one singular answer.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the context of the building - is it full of windows under deeply shaded pergolas, or stuffy little windows which won't open enough on a hot night? Is it a small room or large? With a view of verdant green garden or oceans of soothing blue? Or does it look upon another hot concrete wall of the building next door?
I love the blue bathroom with the rustic timbered walls. It looks cool and calm and refreshing to me, no matter how hot the weather beyond.
Hoping your weather cools a little for you soon, so that you can enjoy it, rather than being exhausted by it.
I have a mix Kathy. Some lighter brighter rooms and then deep peacock blue entry hallway and office. It is all about personal style, unless you may be decorating a beach house!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Hello Kathy,
ReplyDeleteThese pics are my style, this looks perfect...
There is a small surprise on my blog for you :-)
Greetings
Jérôme
oh wow, so much incpiration! i would love to live in an old victorian home...but obviously that's not possible haha!
ReplyDeleteI like both scenarios. I would do better with the light over the long haul but oh I would love to sit in the deep blue kitchen or the techie back silver one.When it is very hot and humid, I prefer shaded rooms but overcast days can bring me down and make me worthless in tackling a to do list. Beauty always inspires me to loftier aspirations and I do appreciate so many different hues. that's why I need help when I go for it in design:) Thanks for your lovely post!
ReplyDeleteA.
I´m so sad that the summer finally is gone here in germany, but your pictures are great inspirations for me! But I never can decide if I do more like white or dark walls ;o) Have a lovely evening. geisslein
ReplyDelete