Summertime. The very word sparks the memory, the very sound of it sends us back to childhood. Oh, the gorgeousness of that unstructured time, those sultry, endless days. And, oh, the agony of being called home once night was coming down. How dreary inside seemed, how lifeless. Truth be told, it’s not so different now. We are drawn outside; even in sizzling St. Louis, we cannot get enough. But here we are with a solution. Bring the outside in. Have it always.
One of the kings of outside-inside is Resito Pecson of twigs & MOSS (7715 Clayton, 314-454-0447). Pecson is passionate about his work, which usually involves coaxing natural materials into weird and wonderful forms.
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“Bring it all in!” he says, gesturing toward a large branch suspended from the ceiling and to a simple arrangement of slim sticks. Pecson is a lover of urns and suggests that they might be brought in from the garden for a summery effect.
“Just have them around, or make a table with a sheet of glass,” he says.
Kimberly Kowalski, interior designer at Ladue’s Savvy Surrounding Style (9753 Clayton, 314-432-7289), tries to incorporate natural materials wherever possible. “Furniture finished in shagreen [faux stingray skin] is an interesting way to remind us of nature and has an attractive pebbly appearance,” she says. Rather than redecorate an entire room for summer, Kowalski suggests picking a single “feature wall” and hanging it with wood planks, natural grass cloth, or mother-of-pearl tiles.
In that same vein, Pecson says the color of a room can be quickly and inexpensively achieved with panels of painted canvas.
“Buy the biggest canvases you can find and paint them with colors that transport you to another place,” he says. “Ocean blue, desert reds and oranges. Look for beautiful wall art. Be sure to steer clear of tacky ready-made beach scenes.”
Regina Alonso of K. Hall Studio (314-961-1990) likes to incorporate rich greens into a room with paint and other accents. “Go for a hike, and collect moss to start your own terrarium,” Alonso says. “Dry flowers, and frame them beautifully. Light a floral-scented candle.”
Architect George Johannes (314-276-4565) has a pre-occupation with “dissolving the envelope between outside and in,” he says. Johannes looks at walls and glass as simply means to “keep one comfortable.” In other words, the inside should flow to the outside, and vice versa.
In his own home, he brings in nature in other ways. “Plant your autumn seedlings and put them under a grow lamp,” he says. “Lettuces, radishes, and carrots coming up in your very own kitchen.”
In summer, think about color and smell, the sensation of things. The scent of citronella soap, the feel of a sea grass rug underfoot.
David Deatherage of David Deatherage Design (314-495-3719) brings in natural beauty by way of a simple water cooler. “Add summer fruits and herbs for flavor and color,” he says. Deatherage also suggests reorganizing furniture to change things up. If an arrangement has been centered on a fireplace, shift chairs and sofas to make the most of a garden view. Change bed and table linens to a lighter fabric. “Engage the senses with home fragrances that are airy and fresh—eucalyptus or lavender,” he says. “And make a summer sangria for evening.”
Laura Lynne Dyer of The Design Source (457 Briarwyck, 636-391-7640) suggests focusing on the elements: earth, air, fire, water. She recommends arrangements of driftwood, stones, and candles. Consider pots of fresh herbs for cooking, old wooden birdhouses, and bird nests.
Shells and pieces of coral are other simple reminders of summer, says Maria Erker of MKS Designs (11684 Manchester, 314-965-0300).
John Ansehl of John Philip Ansehl Design (939 W. North, Chicago, Ill., 312-646-2134) uses painted outdoor trellises on walls. It’s a quick, easy way to create the feel of the outdoors, and it provides an interesting accent.
“Use metal patio furniture in the dining room,” Ansehl adds. Mix it up with antiques and even garden statuary. He suggests bringing in urns and filling them with freeze-dried boxwoods.
“Buy as many orchids as you can afford and have room to place,” says Janice Rohan Hulse, owner of Park Avenue Design (10 S. Brentwood, 314-863-0095). “Make the most of a sunny window. Fill it with plants—palms and ferns. And keep some Tommy Bahama cocktail glasses close in anticipation of happy hour,” she adds.
As for larger-scale ways to incorporate the outside into a home, architect Robert Srote of Schaub + Srote Architects (1045 N. Harrison, 314-822-7006) says that “relative to new construction, it could be as simple as adding a strategically placed interior stone or brick accent wall to match the exterior veneer on a home.” Natural flooring is another relatively easy way to bring the outdoors in. And be mindful of window placement. “Flooding spaces with natural light is very effective in balancing the interior and exterior,” Srote says.
Similarly, says Johannes, a deck at the same level as the inside floor encourages seamless flow between the two spaces.
“We have a natural urge to bring the outside in,” Kowalski says. “Nature grounds us like nothing else.”
