Five ways to love your home for July
Photo by Sian Richards
Five ways to love your place (July)
Hang bike baskets on your wall
Looking for a space-saving storage solution for your entryway? Why not attach some inexpensive bicycle baskets to your wall. Give them a coat of spray paint in pretty pastels for a fresh summer look. Or try wicker baskets for a more rustic vibe.
Wall paint, Eco in Stratus, $19/gal., Rona. Basket paint, Dual Paint + Primer in Sky Blue, Sun Yellow and Ivy Leaf, from $7, Krylon. Bike baskets, $20 each, Trek Allant bicycle, $680, Duke Cycle. Storage console, $599, West Elm. Eve mirror, $295, black wire basket, $125, bird sculpture, $43, stainless steel tray, $50, Dash & Albert rug, $115, Elte.
Set the mood
(From left)
1. Hang a lantern
Use this distressed wood lantern to pretty up a covered porch, or as a casual centrepiece on your outdoor dining table. Shutter vintage lantern, $51, Garnet Hill.
2. Float a flame
Create a romantic scene with bobbing orbs of light in your pool, pond or lake. If your outdoor escape is sans a water feature, these torches will stay in one place fastened to the plastic stands included. Bola floating torch, $80, Urban Mode.
3. Wire it in
Boost your curb appeal (or brighten your back-deck barbecue area) with a wall-mounted carriage lantern. A simple take on a traditional style, this fixture's antiqued bronze finish works with any decor. Illumine outdoor light, $43, Home Depot.
Wrap it up
Take this bathroom trend outdoors! Pestemal towels — used in Turkish hammams — are ideal for poolside lounging or beach trips. Large enough to lie on, flat-woven and compact enough to roll up in your beach bag, they double as throws, tablecloths or picnic blankets. These organic ones are hand-loomed in Turkey and come in a mix of watery pastels.
Turkish towels, Bonbon Apricot, Aqua & Raspberry, $49 each, Ella Lou.
Let it climb
Add some graphic punch to an exterior wall by going vertical with a sculptural trellis. This modular honeycomb structure, designed by Arik Levy, is a zinc-plated piece of art in itself — plant it with climbing flowers and vines like clematis, hydrangea, roses, peas or tomatoes to create your own urban oasis. Not that you want to block out your neighbours, but it's a great balcony divider, too.
Arik Levy for Flora honey combination trellis, from $60, Jungle Design NYC.
See more vertical garden ideas
Feed the birds
Designer Marcel Wanders is having a moment — one that hasn't stopped since he established MOOOI, the renowned design house, in 2001. We're big fans of his Birdhouse feeder, constructed of a porcelain plate with an orange roof — a funky addition to a modern backyard or patio. Keep an eye on the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam for a major exhibition of his work coming in 2014.
Marcel Wanders for Droog Birdhouse feeder, $89, Generate.
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