Summer Camp

The last days of summer are always more precious. The days are growing shorter, the light changes, the summer sunset has the promise of a crisp autumn. There has always been something magical about the last days of August. I tried to capture my late summer feelings in this moodboard - in fact, the middle photo was my jumping off point for this board. It shows the light, the clouds, the sunset in the way I see them around this time. And why not enjoy the passing of summer with camping out? 

Ice Cream Parlour

What could be better in the summer heat than an ice cream sundae? 

Enjoying it in a stylish setting, of course. 

Whenever I pick a new café or restaurant to try, I read the reviews and menu first, but it has to be a stellar review and a super exciting menu to go to the place if the interior does not live up to my expectations. I know that I am fussy, but the setting matters. Thankfully, most of the recently opened establishments boast with good design. Even ice cream parlours are beutifully created. 

The photo one the left is a place in Vienna (website: www.eis-greissler.at) I accidentally came accross on my last visit in the city. (I had known the photo beforehand, but had no idea it is located there.) I love the baby blue and white checked floor and the small details. 

I used this interior photo as a jumping-off point for my moodboard, but I went for a not-so-cool look. It means I added creamy colours, which also creates tension with the shiny stainless steel accessories (that Kitchen Aid mixer... so cool, in every colour). Instead of checked pattern I picked stripes, they are also timeless and elegant. 

I can imagine the male staff wearing those bow ties with white short-sleeve shirt and blue trousers. Probably not visible here, but the tie is decorated with ice cream cones! Similarly, female staff could wear hair band made of the same material. Actually, the girls working at Eis Grissler have blue and white checked hair bands! Good attention to the details. 

Modern Beach House Interior

Who said that a beach house interior must have some blue colour? Blue is supposed to be there when you look out of the window, so I went for a white look here, with some black accents. 

The inspiration for this moodboard came from the movie 'Dear John'. I haven't seen the film, just the trailer, and there's a scene when Channing Tatum is surfing. (I know what you think, but no, he is not my type at all.) This is how the surfboard became the main motif for this collage.
This set is designed for a young and hip man living an active life, someone dedicated to exciting sports like SUP or surfing. As he spends most of his time outdoors, interior is of secondary importance. It does not mean he wants to neglect it, it is just he goes for an easy solution. Combining black and white is exactly that, but with a bit of wood and some plants the look is not boring. Raw materials make the look a bit rustic - it is a beach cottage after all. 

Beachside Café

I drew the inspiration for this mood board partly from this menu I found on the Internet, and partly from this wonderfully designed delicate inscription on the wall. I thought they complement each other, and in front of my eyes I could already see a small café on the sandy beach...

If the café is situated on the beach, I reckoned that blue sky and the sand itself provides a colourful backdrop for interior, so there is no need for further colours. I imagined huge glass windows, whitewashed porch, red and white striped umbrellas and white furniture. Maybe you can add some very light brown, or ash grey if you think white is too sterile, but with red accents the whole setting is very delightful. You could say it has a bit of retro touch, but I belive it is rather timeless. Somehow people tend to remember back their childhood with nostalgia, and it was my goal with this moodboard - to create an athmosphere that brings you back to old times, long gone summers, when you were a child, and spent the days on the beach making sand castles, playing with your siblings, learning to swim, and the highlight of the day was the ice cream time before your parents brought you back home...  

greek style terrace

Summer is in full swing and you have a terrace. Let's suppose you have white walls, stone floor and hopefully gorgeous blue sea for backdrop (blue sky can do). How do you make it look like as if it was straight from Greece?

The answer is surprisingly easy. It does not matter if you have a modern building or a rustic one, this style can match both. You can not do wrong with neutral furniture: this one is the minimalistic Adelaide outdoor collection by BoConcept. (If you pick rustic furniture, white and brown are safe colours for that style, too.)

For instant Greekness you can do basically two things. Just think of the Mamma Mia! movie poster with Donna and Sophie standing in the arched doorway - it has all the features that makes the Greek mood (warning: actors of the movie do not make Greek mood and are considered pretty much unavailable). 

So the two key elements are:

1) Deep sky blue accent colours. In this mood board, it can be found only on the cushions, but you can paint your door blue, acquire blue chairs or stools. Even blue flower pots will do. Just remember the exact blue colour. 

2) One word: Bougainvillea. It is that creeper plant with that signiture vibrant colour that grows ideal in the Greek Islands. (It originates from South America anyway.) It does not like cold weather, but can be kept inside in the winter periods. 

If you want to add lanters, flower pots, cushions, it is up to you: with white walls, blue accents and deep pink flowers the mood is already set.

Grab a bottle of Mavrodaphne, and enjoy summer!

Uptown Rooftop Terrace

Come with me

And we shall run accross the sky

And illuminate the night

Oh I will try and guide you

To better times and brighter days

Don't be afraid...

Come up the ladder to the roof

Where we can see heaven much better

Come up the ladder to the roof

Where we can be closer to heaven...

- The Supremes sung this song long before I was born. 

It is summer in the Northern Hempisphere, so let's move up, but I doubt that ladders are leading to a rooftop terrace like this.

This elegant set is dominated by the classic combination of black and white. Adding concrete and rich dark wood it gets a contemporary swift, while green provides a natural touch. The cubic forms reflect the surrounding skycrapers. Perfect place to chill out on a Friday evening with your friends. 

Coffee Nook in the Summer House

The heat is always followed by a storm, she mused. In the far distance one could see the dark blue clouds hovering over the trees, approaching the hill slowly. The frowst was almost touchable and heavy with anticipation. 

It is going to be so much better after the storm has passed, she reckoned. There was nothing else to do in the garden anyway - she already picked the strawberries, deep red and juicy under the leaves, some half eaten by the snails - the garden was clean, the grass cut, and it was not the apple season yet. The cottage overlooked a slope that ended in a small, airy forest she loved taking walks in. Where she used to love taking walks in, she corrected herself, remembering the old times. Behind the house green meadows with tall grass streched until the horizon. She could easily see anyone coming - not that she had many visitors, at least not often, and most certainly not the one she really expected. The heat, she figured, is not everyone's cup of tea. 

When stepping into the cool hallway, she could hear the first raindrops on the roof. The wind has awakened and rattled the shutters. I could do with a cup of coffee, she thought. Kicking off her gum boots - the stone floor felt chilly against her soles - she headed into the tiny kitchen. 

The premises were small, just enough for two, so back then she had picked white furniture and simply whitewashed the exposed brick walls, as this way she could expand the sense of space. She also acquired some wicker baskets - they came very handy when she needed storage, yet wanted the kitchen to look organized. Some accessories in bright red and faded blue created tension - she loved it, but he never understood it. You do need some contrast on your life - she reasoned. 

The woman sunk into the comfortable wicker chair - the thick cushion made it softer, embracing her like a cocoon. Nibbling on the the berry cookies made in the morning, she sipped her coffee. The thunder could hardly be heard anymore, it was quiet outside. The light slowly found its way through the layers of clouds. 

Yes, she thought. After the storm the sun always shines brighter. 

Garden Picnic

The last couple of days were a bit rainy. I do not mind rain, but I do look forward to spend more time outdoors. I do not mean hiking, I mean having a picnic in the park, hillside or even the far end of your garden. Just out of the house. Go and grab a colourful blanket, pack your basket with goodies: homemade sandwiches, lemonade, fruits, anything you like. Make it a lazy afternoon, just enjoy the lovely weather and each other's company. Take your time.