Current Sensibility: Never Panic: Let’s look at pretty images together and smile.

There are so many things I’d love to complain to you about but this is a design and decorating blog and I think you could probably use some peace. We both know what’s going on in the world and hopefully you’re here because you could use a break from the 24 hour a day news cycle. I’ve even got two fun thrillers to recommend to you that don’t have anything to do with current events. Imagine that. Let’s get started with some interiors and a few exteriors that I’ve been loving recently!

Stylish outdoor furniture doesn’t need to be beige! The pool and the palm trees are splendid also. With the heat I’ve been hankering for a little outdoor, in-ground pool of my own, but even the little fellas are expensive!

I love the enormous, steel windows and doors here combined with the natural stone and the wood ceiling. The traditional furniture is such a fun choice for a room that might normally have very squared off modern pieces in it. I think it catches my eye because it’s so unexpected.

The wallpaper! The vintage furniture! The sheep art! This is such a target rich, textural and layered environment. The other rooms in this home are stunning.

The patterned tile with the lavender square tile above is remarkable. The vanity is a piece of art too. There’s something a little off between the tile color and the lavender that I find really attractive. It’s good to remember that rooms feel more alive when colors are varied and things aren’t “perfect.”

I think the architecture of the room combined with the pendants instead of can lights remind me a little bit of a Nancy Meyer movie. It’s easy to say you’re sick of white kitchens, but there’s a case to be had for the longevity of white.

Taupe with black is a classic color combination that’s really in style right now. It’s a traditional look that feels timeless to me right now, but I know when dealing with kitchens things are rarely timeless. I like the shape and look of the island here too. It’s a little more furniture-like with the legs.

I love painted tongue and groove and I like this easy color scheme for a tasting room in a vineyard.

I just finished Ruth Ware’s latest thriller, The It Girl, and couldn’t put it down. It’s set at an Oxford University college and it’s dripping with atmosphere. The current day timeline has the heroine working in a bookstore and there’s a lot of fabulous book references too. Another escapism recommendation? If you’re looking for a time travel, forensic science murder mystery with some romance (and who isn’t?) I recommend A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong.

Also, my new motto:

“So the pie isn’t perfect? Cut it into wedges. Stay in control, and never panic.” – Martha Stewart