I put this in the category of dreaming of summer. I know. I’m rushing the season. But this is such a beautiful oasis in one of my favorite Key West homes that I have to share. And while the palm trees aren’t found in Nantucket this casual porch scene could be anywhere.
Bamboo furniture is hot again. I’m not sure if it ever went out of style but it’s sturdy but light, care free maintenance and good looking. It can be left outdoors and if you cover the cushions with Sunbrella or another weather resistant fabric its pretty durable for our weather.
The thing I like are the playful retro accessories. The homeowner collects early sand pails with delightful illustrations on them. She buys them on eBay. The old time radio is another artifact from the past, retrofitted to work.. Even the lamp made of bamboo spokes was an eBay find. I love a table lamp in an outdoor room. Turns it into a real living room feeling.
The turquoise fabric and the white orchid add an element of elegance. This little vignette would be simple to duplicate on your Nantucket deck sans Palm trees. Big pots of ferns or grassy plants around the perimeter could be just as effective. Or even pots of white hydrangea bushes.
Another interesting material for summer furniture is sea grass. It’s sturdy and good-looking. We don’t usually see this on Nantucket.
Much of the interior decorating in Key West is downright creative. It has personality. Not too many rules and lots of individuality. The only consistent object that’s ubiquitous is the orchid. It’s kind of like our hydrangea. If you don’t see the orchid (or hydrangeas) on the table – well, the décor falls flat. I know it’s a cliché. I get it. But I’m a victim like everyone else. When in Key West I have orchids. If it’s June in Nantucket its gotta be a vase filled with roses and if it’s August, OMG if you don’t have a few fat blue blossoms in a clear glass vase. It just plain works! No sense protesting against a sure thing. This year I’m going to get daring and favor all white hydrangeas.
But you have to admit, this all natural room has character. While it’s in Key West a lot of the details translate to a Nantucket home. Those carved wooden shell valences alone. You could make this by painting a plain wood valance white and then covering it with shells so they overlap each other. Use a glue gun to secure them. What fun! I think I might try this in my powder room which I plan to paint black. I’ve been plaing to paint this room for ages. Last year I had decided on Mole’s Breathe, a grey color from Farrow & Ball. The year before it was celadon green. In the fall I thought about sailcloth. After a winter in Key West I thought coral would be good. But a friend of mine painted her bathroom black with pure white glossy trim. It is so sensational! That is what I am going to do ` as soon as I stop procrastinating.
Got a great email from someone names “Jack”. He wants to know two things: 1. What kind of iron do I use and 2. How do you fold fitted sheets? Any suggestions?