Counting Stars in Your Own Backyard

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Peonies grace a Connecticut front yard

Summertime is perfect for travel, to see new sights, taste new foods, and refresh our spirits. Sometimes we return from a vacation, though, only to sigh with relief at the sight of our own front door. There’s something to be said for a chance to relax without packing a suitcase, airport delays, and crowds of tourists. With a little advance planning, we can turn a stay at home into a luxurious retreat.

 

Start by thinking about what you love when you travel. If the feeling of luxury and being pampered is part of what makes a hotel stay desirable, then recreate that escape at home. Toss out old bedding, and invest in good quality organic cotton sheets. They’ll feel wonderful against your skin, and will support your health by being toxin-free. Buy new pillows, and add a soft alpaca throw at the bottom of the bed.

 

Rejuvenating your body as well as your mind and spirit should be your priority for this vacation. Consider purchasing a room air purifier. A HEPA filter will remove allergens and particulates from the air you breathe, then recirculate purified air back into the room.

 

I have a whole house air purification system that keeps the air in my home pristine, and my guests tell me they’ve never felt better or more energized.

 

Bring the best summer has to offer inside! I love the look of nautical throw pillows. Add shells and beach-inspired decor to keep you feeling like your toes are in the sand.

 

I love my collection of vintage sand pails, reminding me that this is the season to remember the delights of childhood, or enjoy them again with little people you love.

 

Plan a day trip (or three!) to places in your area that you just don’t have time to get to on a regular basis. One of my favorite destinations on Nantucket is Madaket Beach. I also love Pumpkin Pond Farm. My good friend Marty McGowan is an organic farmer who blesses the island with gorgeous flowers and delicious homegrown produce.

 

Indulge in all the bounty of fresh summer foods–-tomatoes, corn, peaches, plums, and fragrant herbs. Try a new recipe every night!

 

When the afternoon sun starts to make you drowsy, there’s nothing like a window seat where you can curl up with a book to read or to nap.

 

Since you’re staying home, family and friends may be traveling to see you. Arrange guest rooms with the kind of touches that help people feel at home. A small table or chair where they can place their luggage is appreciated. Fill a basket with books you’ve enjoyed, soaps and lotions, and extra towels. The best way to decide if your guest room is ready is to sleep there for a night yourself.

 

There’s nothing more romantic than a summer evening, so don’t stay indoors and miss it. Be sure to make your patio or deck as comfortable as the interior of your home, with tables, umbrellas, and lots of wonderful places to sit, with cushions and throw pillows so you can relax.

 

String white lights…

 

Add lots of candles..

 

Then listen for the owls, and count the stars in your own backyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Create a Home with Island Style

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Everyone’s talking about the Netflix mini-series “The Perfect Couple,” and the beauty of its setting on Nantucket. There’s something magical about life on an island. No wonder people watch the Netflix show and dream of creating their own serene, seaside retreat–no matter where they live!

 

 

I’ve been so fortunate to live on Nantucket through the beauty of its seasons over many years. I’ve helped my clients create their own island dream homes in historical sea captains’ houses, beachfront bungalows, upside down cottages (where the living room is upstairs instead of the bedrooms–better for the views!) and gracious, windswept estates very much like the home Summerland owned by Tag and Greer in the TV show.

 

 

The good news is: you don’t have to live on the island, or even close to the coast, to incorporate the charm of a nautical, island look, and feel like you’re on vacation all year round. Here are my favorite ways to create that New England island style:

 

1. Go BREEZY with Blue and White.

 

Blue and white are the colors of waves splashing onto the sand.,

 

Blue and white keeps your rooms feeling airy and light, as if it’s possible to throw open the windows and feel an ocean breeze. I love to use “white plus one color” to keep a room feeling calm and relaxing. This is your island sanctuary!

 

 

This living room was decorated in island shades of sand, driftwood, and deep sea blue.

 

2. If your windows don’t FRAME AN OCEAN VIEW, frame some art that does.

 

 

The painting above the sofa, Summer’s Magic 2013, by marine artist David Bareford, is almost another window to the outside. The room’s color palette is crisp and clean. Most of the walls are painted white or ivory, with bright white trim and a pale blue recessed coffered ceiling, evoking a summer sky.

 

 

 

This painting is by the late American marine artist, Robert R. Newell, who was well-known for his whaling ship watercolors. His work hangs in both the Nantucket and New Bedford Whaling Museums. A lighthouse lens is on the end table behind a piece of whale art that was carved by my late uncle, the furniture designer William Stefanov.

 

3. USE A LIGHT TOUCH to tell a story of a simpler way of life.

 

 

The hanging light fixtures are contemporary versions of the 19th century Colonial “smoke bell,” designed to keep candles from blowing out and smoke from marking the ceiling. The  wall carving, Ahab and the Whale, was created by Paul McCarthy, a Nantucket master woodcarver. A harpoon hangs by its side, reflecting the rich history of Nantucket.

 

4. REWRITE HISTORY by evoking the charm of early seaside cottages.

 

 

There was a time when every home on Nantucket had these leather fire buckets, needed for fighting fires at home as well as helping out when neighbors were in trouble. Bring in a few meaningful pieces from the past to add depth and interest to your rooms, while evoking earlier island life.

 

 

The compass rose in fabric and floor designs, either painted or inlaid, is a favorite for our island clients. The first magnet compass was likely made in Italy around 1200 BCE. Designed in a fashion that looked like the petals of a flower, the points of the compass rose indicated the cardinal directions of East, West, North, and South. It helped to orient a map in the proper reading direction.

 

5. Have a WHALE OF A TIME! Whatever you do, remember to have fun! Whale art is found everywhere on Nantucket, but there are lots of seaside motifs to choose from.

 

 

Large cetaceans not your vibe? Sailboats also evoke a marine-based lifestyle!

 

 

A beautiful design incorporating three shades of blue on a custom-made carpet naturally leads the eye to the antique ship’s model in the window.

 

 

A simple starfish draws the eye to the sunny garden, and says a lot with just a little.

 

 

And starfish are a simple motif to repeat.

 

No couple is ever really “perfect,” but with a little time and attention, your partner can be perfect for you!  Frank and I wish you smooth sailing and many happy landings!