Hello hello! We’re still off on our island vacation this week, visiting enchanting places that make you sigh and dream and wish you could stay forever. But we all know that’s not a reality (at least in the here and now) so it’s essential to create special nooks, corners, or places of bliss indoors and out in our homes for those weeks of the year that we can’t be on holiday.
Summer is upon us, so what better time to create a “staycation spot” of your own if it doesn’t exist yet ?! I asked some of my favorite bloggers to share theirs, be inspired to create one of your own too!
Melissa from The Inspired Room:
“In the spring and summer months, my favorite “staycation spot” is on my covered front porch! It is such a peaceful and relaxing setting. The breezes are cool here so I can escape to read, write or just get away for awhile by stepping outside my front door”
Dana from House*Tweaking:
“If I were on staycation at home, you would probably find me in my bedroom. With swing arm wall lamps, an upholstered headboard and a nightstand full of design books, my bed is the perfect place to relax and read. Add live greenery and a glass of wine and it’s a bona fide vacation to me!”
Matthew Mead from Holiday with Matthew Mead:
“Engage your backyard and make it magical for entertaining and relaxing. Corral vintage bamboo furniture, candles in colorful vintage glass, cozy pillows and white lights to hang from trees, decks and pergolas. I love evening in my backyard with a few simple decorations, candle light and lots of refreshing drinks to entertain my guests and enjoy a long summer evening.”
Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick:
“Our favorite place to hang this time of year is our stone patio that we had built a few years back. It is truly a dream come true for us and we love sitting out there at night enjoying drinks and making s’mores in the fireplace. The nature, fire and quiet relax us immediately — and isn’t that what a staycation is all about? “
Jennifer from Rambling Renovators:
“When I want to vacation at home, I head down to the comfy banquette and old craft table in my basement. Its the one place where I can set my imagination free and surround myself with the things I love – pretty papers, gold-handled scissors, colourful washi tape. And if I’m really lucky, my daughter joins me and we make a big old crafting mess and find ourselves covered in glitter.”
Kristin from Hunted Interior:
“Even though our new patio is in on view to the nearby streets, we have somehow achieved a feeling of being tucked away and secluded in our suburban oasis. Being able to relax with my husband, play bocce ball with our daughter, or entertaining with friends makes this our new favorite spot.”
Carmel of Our Fifth House:
“My husband and I have said it a million times already, ‘Screening in our deck was the best house decision we’ve ever made!’ This space is so cozy and livable, we do everything from entertaining friends and playing board games with the kids to at home movie date nights after the kids have gone off to bed.”
Holly from In The Fun Lane:
“My staycation spot is easily our dining room. We have a coffee station in one corner and one of my favorite things in the world is lounging around in my PJs here with my morning coffee, a good pastry and catching up on the news or my latest book. Also, using the dining room during the morning for a big family breakfast is pretty high up on my idea of a perfect day (my love of waffles might have some influence on that).”
Where do Matt and I hang out during the summer months? Most evenings, you can catch us sipping Chardonnay in our courtyard just off the kitchen. A vintage iron sofa and chair found at an antique faire years ago covered with DIY cushions and pillows makes our summer nights at home casual and cozy.
I hope you’re inspired by this collection of “staycation” spots! Where do you relax at home during the summer months? Link to your spaces in the comments, I’d love to see them!
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A covered porch would be my ideal staycation spot too. Or just my very own couch, with a Netflix binge!
x Lily
What a fun post, Kate! My favorite Summer staycation spot is my family room. It has 3 big windows that look out into our large private backyard. The family room is connected to the kitchen which contains a large glass door to the back patio space. So from the comfort of my cozy couch I can look out into fields of green and pretend I’m far away (really I’m just keeping my eye on the kids playing outside).:-). Here’s a link with pics of this space.http://providenthomedesign.com/2014/05/21/diy-window-pane-mirror/. If you notice in the reflection of the mirror you can see our lilac bush right outside one of our windows. I highly recommend planting lilac bushes by a first floor window. Just open the window and you get the fntoxicating fragrance of lilacs throughout your home! Sorry for writing a book here!:-)
Fantastic Tamara, love that project!!
I love the idea of just staying in bed. I think this comes because right before my junior year in college, my mom had a bad heart attack. Her room was awesome with a window air conditioner and a big king sized bed. We spent the best days of our lives that summer in that brass bed watching MTV and enjoying being together. She died a day after I got back to school.
Now I see the bed as the ultimate comfort spot. I prefer a fluffy white comforter with pink roses. Wrought iron…sigh but generally I’ll take anything. It’s just the best place to be for me and where I feel safest.
My second choice would be a screened in porch with a nice chaise lounge, a tv and radio and my computer, kindle and yarm :)
Our staycation is next week and I wonder what it will bring. My sweetie likes to be outside working or watching TV so I bet I end up cuddled into the couch somehow making the rest come about…but since I am a SAHM, I guess I can do that any week huh?
So many great staycation ideas in this post Kate! Now all I need is a covered porch and an outdoor courtyard and I’ll be set for the summer. Thanks for including me. Hope you are enjoying your island getaway!
I am dying over that craft room and the outdoor fireplace. I can’t decide which one I want more!
In the tub. Ya don’t want the link, just sayin’.
Love Mathews folly! And the black walled patio
reminds me of this…which would make a fab staycation…
http://www.coconutsandlimes.blogspot.com/2014/05/black-jack-home-tour.html
So many great ideas here! Thanks for including me! Can’t wait to finish up a few more outdoor projects so I can put my feet and enjoy.
Beautiful rooms and outdoor spaces…my favorite is from Hunted Interior….secluded oasis…love
I love Melissa’s outdoor room! I’d be reading out there for days…
I’m probably a wee bit more gardening obsessed than the Average Joe, so my blog this time of year is overrun by yard and plant posts. Trying to pick one is like asking me to pick my favorite kid (It changes day to day – Ha!).
Anywho, I bought our house as a single gal, 12 years ago. To say it was a dump would be the understatement of the decade. (Where was the blog then?!?!) A dog, cat, husband, and three kids later, here we are. So the post I’ll throw out there is one I did just recently of before and after pictures. The yard then, and the yard now. With a couple inside-the-house before pics thrown in for a reality check.
http://rindymae.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-yard-12-years-in-making.html
It really is my own personal Eden and I’d rather be here than anywhere else.
Fun post, Kate! Thanks for including my porch! :-) I’d love to visit each of these spaces, they all look like a wonderful escape!!
My favourite summer spot is the swimming pool, maybe also because I know how long it took to finish this really not easy “DIY project”. It was inspired by the beautiful examples I found on Pinterest, something in this style (especially like the detail on the 8th picture) and turned out of course not that fancy, but we are still very happy with the result and it became my shelter where I can relax during all the hot days… :)