Clean and Simple – A Note on Style

Maybe it’s the hot summer weather we’ve been enjoying so much of lately, which I love and won’t complain about one bit, but I have been craving more than usual cool, easy summer living. Rooms that look and feel fresh, clean and simple, yet interesting. And fun! Always fun. I came across a lovely fish shack the other day, on the outskirts of the internet, and it was love at first sight. A beautifully appointed beach house on Cape Cod that belongs to Tim O’Brein and T.R. Pescod, featured in Coastal Living magazine back in 2009. Maybe some of you are familiar with it, or better yet, have saved the article for inspiration. ( Interesting fact: Ina Garten once filmed an episode of her award-winning show Barefoot Contessa at this very fish shack, cooking in the company of T.R. Pescod whom she counts among her friends. )

Coincidences aside, the airy rooms got me thinking about design and how we can (and often do) like such vastly different, sometimes contradictory things.  For instance, I and many of you I’m sure, love the look of old English cottages, with wallpapered walls, deep rich hues and controlled clutter, with charming knick-knacks and mementos sprinkled generously throughout our rooms. 

However, just look at how beautiful is this space, clean and simple, uncluttered and easy. It is a space to relax, retreat to and decompress. Nautical in feel and easy on the senses, it achieves charm with only a few well-chosen, well-placed accessories and details. I love that.

And it also got me thinking about that magic recipe that creates the best of both worlds. Is that even possible? Can we have a home that looks cozy and English cottage-y but at the same time fresh and easy and light? I don’t know but I am still trying to do just that with our own little inland beach cottage. This room & house achieves that elusive balance for me, although I am having a hard time picturing it at Christmas and on cold winter nights…

So maybe what we need is seasonal residences? And a bank balance to boot?  A summer beach house on Cape Cod or East Hampton, a log cabin in Wyoming (like the one in the latest issue of Elle Decor designed by Jeffrey Bilhuber – gorgeous! ) or a Greek Revival home in Millbrook perhaps? Sure! But until that day comes, how about creating a beautiful shell in our own homes, a canvas on which we could easily switch out our accessories with the seasons? Make our rooms feel easy and light during the summer, comforting and warm always? Easier said than done.

What do you think?  Are you making any changes in your home during the hot summer months? Perhaps replacing wintry slipcovers or removing heavy drapes? Me, I’m off to get a gallon of white paint. Just kidding! Kind of.

And because we’re in a beach-house-kind-of-mood, here are a few fabulous rooms on Martha’s Vineyard by the equally fabulous Patrick Ahearn and his team, who’s done extensive architectural preservation work on the Island.

This last image by Lucy Cuneo is the prettiest photo I’ve come across recently… Welcome Summer!

P.S. Thank you all so much for the kind messages after our Wednesday post. You are all too kind!