It may be wishful thinking, however as an antidote to the Winter blues here’s an optimistic look back at images of a house designed for Summer enjoyment that might be a welcome respite for us all.

In 2000, author Anna Kasabian came out with her book East Coast Rooms: Contemporary Portfolios from 40 North American Interior Designers 

Kasabian is a freelance writer, journalist and the author of 14 books. Her writings on interior design and architecture, art, food and cooking, luxury and historic real estate, garden design, home and garden preservation projects and New England have been published in regional and national magazines.

An antique English Art & Crafts table and vintage American lamp add a level of ‘architectural’ interest to this modest Entry Hall.

Sea Grass and linen slip-covers and unlined linen curtains on stained wood rods evoke easy breezy Summer days. The graphic silhouettes of an eclectic mix of antiques – Aesthetic Movement, English Arts & Crafts, French and American – balance the heavier fully-upholstered pieces in the room.

A pair of vintage steel chandeliers hang over the custom table, surrounded by a set of caned circle-back chairs with arms from Robert Lighton.

The iron bed and plaid cotton area rug recalls simple old-school summer houses. The shutters are applied to the wall beneath the windows to ‘correct’ their awkward shape and placement on the wall, while adding more visual cues reminiscent of days gone by.