For Beach or Bench

5 INSPIRING INTERIORS PAGE-TURNERS

By Lisa J. Gotto

Whether you’re relaxing on a beach towel or porch swing this month, having an inspiring read in-hand makes this time all the more valued and enjoyable.

For those who adore interior design, this collection of the finest works in the field provides five opportunities to explore your passion: perhaps even sparking a new project in the upcoming change of season.

Bay Living

A Summer Place: Living by the Sea

With an inspirational background location much like our own here near the Chesapeake, A Summer Place: Living by the Sea explores the environments of modern waterfront residences designed to celebrate their cerebral views, vintage, shingle-style cottages restored and enhanced for how we live today, and artsy, eclectic retreats bursting with color, pattern, and personality. In this book, author and accomplished life and style expert Tricia Foley guides you down the garden paths of her Long Island hometown of Bellevue-Brookhaven to find not only seminal homes, but also their charming outbuildings brimming with detail, and landscaped summer gardens at the peak of their beauty and bloom. Along with the visual treats offered in this 240-page paper escape, readers will find expert tips on outdoor entertaining, summer décor, and hosting guests for memorable weekends on the water.

Cozy Living

Colefax & Fowler: The Best in English Interior Decoration

For some of us, nothing beats the classical luster of an interior scheme that is gracious yet casual; well-mannered yet not too rule-laden or pretentious. Such is the design sensibility of one of the most lauded interiors experts from across the pond, John Fowler. By the mid-20th century, Fowler, along with his original partner in design, Sybil Colefax, became known as a dynamic, influential duo for their warm, rich, and classic bespoke interiors synonymous with English country houses. Indeed, by mid-century the firm of Colefax & Fowler’s work could be seen everywhere from Buckingham Palace to London townhouses and rural getaways. An American, and a 20th century tastemaker, Nancy Lancaster, had also joined the firm by then bringing her own sense of luxury and subtle sophistication to the mix. With our local wealth of historically significant homes, we wouldn’t be surprised if this “interiors bible” with its hundreds of color illustrations may already be sitting on bookshelves both here, and on the Eastern Shore.