Patios/Garden Escapes

The owners of this Venice, California, home needed places to eat and to relax in their renovated yard. A floating bench and a fire bowl, created from a colored concrete planter, make up the new living space. Blue bamboo helps screen the dining area.

A nap on this ship-shaped daybed, inspired by a Chinese boat, may just feel like a journey across the ocean. It turns a simple backyard corner into a perfect lounging spot.



This traditional porch near Palmetto Beach, South Carolina, employs coastal-style architecture to give this new home old Southern charm with shutters that reach all the way to the ceiling. The folding shutters can be opened to let in light and air or closed for more privacy. The slats can be adjusted to let air circulate.



A large stone fireplace is the centerpiece to this screened porch that sits in a wood cabin along Lake Michigan. Fire logs are nestled in a silver drink tub next to a slipcovered ottoman with a floral and fruity pattern.



Two lounge chairs and a fountain make this patio a great place to hang out with friends or take a nap. The lounge chairs are upholstered with chocolate brown fabric, which can stand up to outdoor conditions and easily hide stains.



Just outside this home's kitchen is a patio for casual meals. Paved with saltillo tile, it overlooks the courtyard, with its cooling custom-designed fountain

Sofa Styles

Sofa Style

The style of a sofa is generally determined by three things: the arms, the back, and the legs or skirt. Certain arms and backs connote modern or traditional styles, but the way a sofa is upholstered and trimmed can also great influence its appeal. In addition to a glossary of terms describing backs, arms, seats, and legs, we’ve compiled some of the most classic and well-known styles.

English or Club

This sofa has a slightly rounded arm set back from the front of the seat, often with a tight seat and slightly rolled back, no skirt, and low, turned legs on castors.

Tuxedo

In the tuxedo sofa, the arms are as high as the back. It usually has fairly clean lines with straight or slightly flared arms. Some people find a lower arm more comfortable for resting, but with the right pillows, the tuxedo can be very cozy.

Camelback

A more traditional, formal style made by Thomas Chippendale in the 18th century, the camelback sofa has a tight, serpentine back, high rolled arms, often a tight seat, and sometimes exposed legs and stretchers.

Knole

Based on an early to mid-17th-century sofa made for Knole, a house in Kent, England, and a classic of English country houses, this sofa has a straight, high back and angled arms that can be adjusted to open out or stand up straight (once useful for keeping out drafts). The back and arms traditionally connect with finials wrapped in cords.

Cabriole

The back of this 18th-century Louis XV–style sofa curves into the arms in a continuous line. It usually has wood trim and carved wood legs that may be curved. This example is a more clean-lined take on the classic form, which would have more downswept, curvy arms.

Lawson

The Lawson has a low, squarish back, with arms that are lower than the back. The form can have square or rolled arms.

Chesterfield

The Chesterfield conjures visions of English libraries or men’s clubs, with its tufted back, high rolled arms, and sometimes tufted seat. It is often upholstered in leather.

Midcentury Modern

These sofas have straight, squared lines and a very streamlined form, with low, often squared legs.

Sectional

This modular seating is configured from components that include armless sofas, as well as end and corner units, ottomans, and sometimes even recliners, sleep sofas, or chaises. Its style is usually clean-lined and modern.

Bridgewater

A Bridgewater sofa has low, set-back arms and an elegant profile. It is usually skirted and sometimes has a softly rolled back.

Watch the video for how to shop for a sofa:

Carolina Cottage Tour

Instead of facing the street, the front of this house looks out onto a canal. Taking a cue from West Indies architecture, a second-story porch juts out over the first story. Drought-resistant plants like crape myrtles, boxwoods, and palms decorate the facade.

Watch a video of the the entire home  Watch the Video 


Typically indoor elements such as draperies, an Oriental rug, and throw pillows make this outdoor space feel like a traditional entryway.

Den

Two large sliding doors separate the den from the rest of the house, and can easily become an extension of the living room, or a private space for reading or napping. A natural fiber rug and an ikat window shade add interest and texture to the room.

Den Details

White linen upholstered furniture pops against the all-eggplant den (Like the color? It’s Jamaican Java by Lord and Evans). Pops of bright yellow seen in the artwork accent the space.

Den Sleeping Nook

What was once a closet, this space was transformed into a chic nap nook with a built-in twin bed, swing-arm wall sconces, and sumptuous fabrics and throw pillows.

Great Room

Putting walls between the dining room, living room, and kitchen would have completely closed off the heart of the house. Leaving the space open lets light, people, and conversation flow from one room to the next.

Family Room

Furniture and a statement-making rug create a comfortable family room in this wide, open space. Flea market and vintage finds, such as the rattan chair and coffee table, combined with newer elements, such as the upholstered sofa and throw pillows, keep the room from being too sterile or dated.

Dining Room

It’s all about mixing in the dining room. Designer Angie Hranowsky paired sculptural wire chairs with comfortable slip-covered chairs, which scoot up to a handmade, rustic table juxtaposed with a sleek, mod sideboard. Artist Molly B. Right created the striking artwork completely out of bottle caps.

Kitchen

An entire wall covered in handmade Italian tile (Nottingham Honeycomb ceramic tile in Veil by Ann Sacks), transforms the kitchen’s back wall into a textured mosaic. Open shelving allows the fabulous tile to be the center of attention in this clean kitchen. Instead, storage is found in the island, on the right side of the kitchen, and in the butler’s pantry toward the back of the room.

Courtyard

Two completely separate outdoor spaces are created on this patio—a small dining space, and an outdoor living room. Teak furniture with bright white cushions stands out against a grid made by planting grass between pavers. Raised plant beds on the left side of the courtyard lend a sculptural quality to planting and doubles as extra seating.

Master Bedroom

It’s all about the mix in the master bedroom. Silk bed linens are dressed down with a vintage rattan headboard, and dark brown lamps provide contrast to light blue bedding.

Guest Bedroom

An Old Florida palm frond print is applied to the bed linens, the headboard, and to the window treatments, giving the airy room a cozy feel. A longer bedspread that kisses the floor minus a bed skirt adds a chic 1950s touch.

More About I'On

Find out more about the Coastal Living Idea Cottage in I’On, South Carolina

Design Cures

Home Rehab

Designer Phoebe Howard of Mrs. Howard and Max & Company worked her magic on this coastal space -- to rid the condo of light-barring walls and cramped, cheerless spaces.

The Quick Fix: Infuse life into a small room by combining a variety of textile patterns in similar tones -- like the polka-dot, honeycomb, and geometric fabrics shown here.

Custom Kitchen Island

The designer installed oak floors stained dark to resemble old European hardwoods, then she enlisted help to design a kitchen island and bath vanities to distinguish the condo from the run-of-the-mill builder's special.

The Quick Fix: Craft your own kitchen island using a favorite antique piece as inspiration. This one was made with a wooden shiplap back and bracket feet.

Looks Built-In

The Quick Fix: Customize a kitchen corner with a tailored piece like this banquette that looks built in and saves space.

Versatile Palette

For the homeowner's requested palette (Brown, yes; wicker, no), Phoebe took a cue from the faux wood screens and incorporated natural-tone furnishings spanning from bleached driftwood to stained teak. "It's amazing how warm and cool brown can be, " Phoebe says of the anchoring color. "That's perfect for a family who uses a space year-round."

The Quick Fix: Enliven a plain-Jane drywall surface with a textural faux-bois wallcovering. Its vertical lines create the illusion of height within the 8-foot-high space.

Slimming Shutters

"In Condos like these, you have to work a little magic to make the space seem wider and taller. Sort of like when you want to look thinner -- you put on stripes that are going the right way." -Phoebe Howard .

Graphic Print

Beef up plain drywall with heavy trim, and let a bold geometric print be the starting point for a room's entire color scheme.

Mirror Magic

In this all-white master bathroom, the cabinets get a special treat with glued-on mirrors which reflect light in a windowless room.

I love these rooms and the palette used is calming. via

Cool Pools

Shore Inspired

Why We Love It: This unique tidal saltwater pool in Cape Neddick, Maine, embraces natural features for a seamless connection to the sea.

Modern Yet Timeless

Why We Love It: Crystal-blue water and Popsicle-color walls―enough said. The vibrant setting is simple, sophisticated, and fun.

Privacy, Please

Why We Love It: This small pool on the island of Mustique in the Grenadines gives renters a quiet spot to catch some rays, with the bonus of shade under the sturdy pergola. Dense tropical landscaping surrounds the retreat and offers a steady supply of oranges and figs.

A Perfect Fit

Why We Love It: These homeowners had to get creative when adding a pool to their small backyard, so they joined it to the house’s foundation. Folding doors in the family room slide back to reveal the water’s edge.

New England Luxury

Why We Love It: This Connecticut pool sits so close to the sea’s edge that you can cast a rod from one of the lounge chairs. It sports two poolside structures with ornamental roofs reminiscent of graceful, white sails.

Clear View

Why We Love It: A wavy shape nods to the nearby surf, and the infinity edge gives waders a seamless view out to sea―you can’t get much closer to beachfront than this!

This is my favorite design!!!!

Garden Rooms

Potting Room Deluxe

This workroom/potting room at the rear of the garage has a narrow sink with double faucets set into a poured concrete counter , which was stained green and given a rock-face edge. A small fridge doubles as a cooler for cut flowers. Painted tongue-and-groove paneling makes the space feel fresh and tidy but also resists mildew.

At the Ready

In this combination laundry and potting room, a swiveling cabinet door is hung with hooks for organizing hand tools.

A Simple Plan

A potting room can be as simple as a small shed or corner of the garage, as this one is, as long as there's a nearby water source. The most important feature is a counter at a comfortable height for performing the otherwise back-breaking task.

Floral Dream

This mudroom serves as a flower arranging workroom. The owner added decorative legs to the extra-large sink, which is often filled with freshly cut blooms for the yard.



.......And the Kitchen Sink
This antique sink may have originally come from a laboratory. So heavy it took four men to carry it, the owner has placed it on a solid slate counter with steel supports. This deep basin is large enough for flowers and dishes.

Expand the Kitchen

Next to the kitchen is a "garden room" that extends the kitchen's functionality and serves myriad of purposes. The deep farmhouse sink makes this an ideal spot for pruning and arranging flowers.

The Beauty of Utility

There is no reason a utility room can't be as beautiful as any other room in the house. This pantry/mudroom, which connects the home's living room to both kitchen and screened porch, has the same floors, cabinetry, and windows are the kitchen.