The Sand Bar
Believe it or not, summer’s end is around the corner, but I’d still like to live in the sunny reverie while I can. Keep the spirit of summer alive by recreating this beach bar look. The high white wainscoting, marine blue walls, and the taste of Sex on the Beach cocktails should do the trick!
Keep things light and so beachy you feel like you have to keep dusting the sand off your feet. Incorporate these Lucite barstools which create an airy and edgy look, because you do not want the old Sea Captain’s bar…you want a fun and chill place to entertain your guests. Definitely include classic materials such as Carrara countertops, and other natural material such as exposed wood beams and patterned wood flooring.
Don your bar with all the mixers and martini shakers, and you’ll be drinking in paradise!
Glowbug Summer Soirees
Before you even think about No. 2 pencils and autumn leaves, remind yourself of the heat of the summer. The way the sunshine glows in your photographs of summers past, and the memorable sunsets signifies summer.
Celebrate the glow of the night with the help of the crafty masterminds at Martha Stewart. We brought you her DIY tulle pom-poms, and now with a flip of the switch you can use IKEA paper lanterns and tissue paper to create a scalloped decoration perfect for summer soirees.
Peach, orange, mello yellow, and blush will create a soft yet captivating look. Follow the simple instructions, and whip up some chilled cocktails. FYI, no one ever said the cocktails do not start until after the guests arrived…happy DIY Day!
Celebrate Your Independance with Red, White & Blue
As a party aficionada, a party isn’t complete without the perfect DIY décor that will have your guests swooning! Fire up the grill and slice up the berries, this 4th of July is going to be one to remember!
Your tablescape should not include cheesy decorations, save those for the dollar store lovers, and create a simple yet tasteful display that will set the tone. A red Gerber Daisy centerpiece adorned with white accent flowers will create a country sophistication that will compliment your vintage blue glass goblets.
Instead of lemon water, quench your guests’ thirst with Strawberry water served in Mason Jars. A perfect nod to Americana, and a stylish way to reuse our grandmother’s canning jars.
Create paper pinwheel decorations with red, white, and blue scrapbook paper, and hang them over your dining table. The only thing missing is your decadent trifle dessert and lots of sparklers! Enjoy your fabulous 4th of July party with family and friends, and top the night off with a fireworks show that will make it a night to remember!
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Bubblicious Baubles
Nothing like tile that reminds you of floating bubbles to brighten up your kitchen or dining area. Even if it’s just a backsplash in an otherwise muted kitchen, Alys Edwards’ Bubblicious tile sets the tone for a fun summer gathering.
Sangria, cheese and good friends – what more would you need? Oh right, these fabulous cheese knives!
Source: Cheese display, knives, sangria
1 CommentIf You’re Going to "Have Her Over For Dinner," the Kitchen Better Cook!
Have Her Over For Dinner is a cool new cookbook by Nashvillian Matt Moore. This handy read is targeted for savvy bachelors willing to learn that the quickest way to a woman’s heart is through the kitchen. It’s the ultimate guide for guys.
Moore is a writer who not only can cook a great meal but can even sing for his supper. This accomplished, published author also sidelines as a singer-songwriter in Music City. Suffice to say, Moore’s a well-rounded fellow and the ultimate host anytime he has “her over for dinner.”
Moore also happens to possess a unique sense of style, so he’s well attuned to the fact that, if a guy’s going to have her over for dinner, the design of a kitchen should be as tasteful as the food that’s prepared in it.
So… When it came time to click pix for Moore’s new book, the publishing team chose none other than Mary Elizabeth Hulsey’s chef-ready, finely designed kitchen for the photo shoot. Photographer Paige Rumore captured inspiring and stunning imagery to enhance this hip handbook.
Hulsey, herself a savvy bachlorette and interior designer by trade, created a kitchen that’s as sleek and sophisticated as it is practical and functional.
With clean finishes and an open flow accented by a shock of deep orange, her kitchen is always open for business and inviting for guests. The cooking area blends beautifully into a generously proportioned living area. Made for entertaining a big group or just one-on-one, Hulsey’s kitchen really cooks.
Certainly, it was a fabulous backdrop for Have Her Over For Dinner.
Gothic Vino Light Box
For all you wine connoisseurs, these next images may make you consider building a wine cellar in your home! Beckwith Interiors in Brisbane, Australia remodeled a Gothic Revival home and designed this lucite wine cellar that you can view through the glass floors in the dining room. I can imagine the homeowners host swanky dinner parties, where the guests would take their time picking out the next bottle to drink!
Glass floors aren’t just for Las Vegas dance clubs. At least you know if a guest spills a glass of red wine, all you have to do is keep a bottle of Windex handy!
They mimicked the Gothic arches in the windows throughout the home to sustain continuity and create an alley of vino.
