Gorgeous rooms for rainy days

Sarah Richardson's cottage living room.

Summer is not all sunshine, we've seen signs of that in recent days. And even though sunny weather is preferable, rainy days can also be beautiful in their own special way. I'm thinking of the dramatic colours, the freshness in the air after a downpour, the look of stone and other materials when they are wet...

Nothing beats watching a storm roll in from the vantage point of a cozy, comfortable room. 

Here are some of my favourite rooms for rainy days. Have a wonderful, long weekend - rain or shine!

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

 

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

 

Photo: Houzz. Eclectic Living Room by Santa Ynez
Media and Bloggers Going Home To Roost
 

Photo: Houzz.

 

Photo: Houzz. Charles Cunniffe Architects Aspen

 

Photo: Houzz. Kitty&Company Interior Design llc

Design hunt in Huntsville

Fortunately, I didn't see any real bears on my day trip to Huntsville last week. But I did see a lot of really neat design. Home decor and furniture stores lie practically shoulder to shoulder on Main Street in this cute little Muskoka town. So park your car and explore for a few hours! Maybe you'll come to the same conclusion as I did during my visit; that "cottage style" in reality is a very broad design concept. It can include rustic and primitive elements, French country-inspired pieces, breezy coastal vibes and modern, rough-hewn lines. The laid-back attitude and charming presentation are what set this style apart. See some of my favourites from the trip:

A bright red cupboard will

get you in the right, cottagy

mood. Put some light blue 

objects inside, and you'll have

a vibrant, attention-grabbing

piece. Veranda, Huntsville.

Here's an example of beachy, coastal

cottage style, with a stunning, silver-

coloured mirror and blue-and-white

striped upholstery. Summer fresh and 

gorgeous! Veranda.

Continuing the maritime theme...

A Steven and Chris  boat decoration

at Veranda.

Fun dresser/sideboard with lots of style. Veranda.

Interesting shape on this wooden table

base with glass top. Veranda.

Hides are definitely in! We mostly see them as

irregularly-shaped area rugs. Here, at Veranda,

as ottomans.

A beautiful, old church off Main Street 

in Huntsville is now home to the store

and design firm Urban Rustic Living. As 

the name suggests, rustic with an urban

spin is the name of the game here. 

Eye-catching antler chandelier. Urban Rustic Living.

Stunning chandelier with wooden

beads. Different! Urban Rustic Living.

Saturday Afternoons is a relatively new home store 

on Main Street in Huntsville, filled with elegant, light 

and breezy pieces. The beauty of these boat paintings 

is in their simplicity. 

I like the curved shapes of this antique chandelier

from Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve Ltd.'s 

store.

Can it get more natural than this?

Timber side table; my design magazines 

are full of them. Haliburton Forest & Wild 

Life Reserve Ltd.'s store.

Shabby chic in Bracebridge

Introduce colour by painting the drawers 

of an old dresser in contrasting hues. 

Simply Cottage.

Make sure to stop in Bracebridge the next time you're heading south. This quaint little summer city in the heart of Muskoka, offers both beautiful views and interesting stores. Lovers of the shabby chic look will discover a mecca in Simply Cottage. Here you'll find a mix of casual cottage chic and Canadiana. Two floors are loaded with slip-covered sofas and chairs, heirloom pieces, painted wood furniture and funky accessories. Everything with tons of style! Another must on Bracebridge's main street (actually Manitoba Street) is Your Home Interiors. This store is filled with French-inspired antique-style furniture and home décor with lots of charm. Don't miss it! Check out some of the highlights from my explorations in Bracebridge.

Slip-covered dining chair in a pale,

light-blue shade at Simply Cottage. 

Look how well the slipcover works 

with the white table. Isn't the turned 

leg on the table absolutely gorgeous?

Here is the pale blue again, this time striped on a cozy

couch. Simply Cottage.

How unique; the top of this table resembles 

a flower. Simply Cottage.

These fun storage bags come in a wide

range of fabric options.

A new use for old board games: 

display a collection of them on the 

wall for a cheery pop of colour. 

Simply Cottage.

Red side table with a folkloric vibe.
Simply Cottage.

Find your perfect sign at Simply Cottage.

And below are some images from Your

Home Interiors. Make sure to check out

the store's Facebook page for more 

beautiful pics.

The intricate ornamentation makes this piece a 

showstopper. Your Home Interiors.

Beautifully carved fireplace mantel. 

See detail below.

A vignette filled with shapes; the chunky 

candleholders and sculptural vases contrast 

nicely with the more delicate table.

Shiny tin vases for some bling. 

Celebrating your cottage in style

White plank floors and walls provide a fresh
and clean base for your decor. Red and white
is a classic summer combination. Be consistent
and stick to the colour scheme also in the
smallest details (note the red geranium plant!).

Summer time, cottage time. Easy living is the order of the day, and that also applies to how you organize your summer home. Ideally, it has to stand up to sandy feet and dripping bathing suites; it has to accommodate visiting relatives and improvised corn-on-the-cob dinners with friends; and it has to invite you to crawl up and finally read that treasured book. All this and you still want it to look stylish! How do you achieve it? My solution includes a crisp, white base which you combine with one major accent colour, natural textures and accessories, and an effort to always try to limit your furniture and things in general to the essentials. I hope these pictures will inspire you to create your own easy, breezy summer haven!

A white-and-blue floral slipcover is

quintessentially cottage! Seek out 

local thrift stores for old tables that

you can refinish.

Enjoy a peaceful breakfast surrounded 

by stripes - a safe summer choice for
upholstery and cushions.

New and old - furniture as well as guests -

typically share the space around the summer 

table. The bright red mirror and chairs give

the room some needed punch - and tons of 

style! 

And here are a few accessories - all found in North Bay stores - which will complete your home's summer look:

Pot from Stewart's Decorating

Centre.

Lanterns from Winners.

Weathered mirrors from Winners.

White table from Manchester's 
Sleep Centre and Spas.

Wicker stool from Vested Interest and sisal rug from Stradwick's Carpet One.

Old is new at Manchester's Sleep Centre

It's not just the Fischer Street location that is new for Manchester's Sleep Centre & Spas. The store is also introducing a number of new, interesting products. The John Michael Originals, for example, is a line of hand-crafted furniture made from salvaged wood. Each piece is unique and uses mantels, flooring, porch posts and other details from 150-year-old homes in southern United States. The elaborate, salvaged components give the pieces personality, history and style. Precisely what we yearn for! I like how this rustic furniture line lends itself both to traditional country-style homes and to more modern cottage environments.
Take a look at the pieces here below, along with some of Manchester's Sleep Centre & Spas' fancy accessories.

This is a nice mix of old and new; the kitchen island 

is made from salvaged pieces and combines very 

well with the modern line of the bar stools. Island,

on sale for $2295, stools $299.

Detail from the kitchen island.

White cabinet, on sale

for $1599.

Details like these (above and below) add charm

and interest to a functional piece of furniture, 

such as the white cabinet above. Decorative tin 

(below) covers the back of the cabinet.

This cabinet provides tons of 

storage and plenty of country 

flair. On sale for $769.

Harvest table, bench and chairs, all on sale for

$2395, $649 and $199 respectively.

This gorgeous pillow is made from soft jute.

Can't get enough of royalty? Try these fun pillows

for a touch of glamour.

Some rooms call for calm patterns, such as this

botanical motif...

... other rooms need drama and contrast, and will

look vibrant with a pillow like this.

"Leila" is a new bed set for 2011 at Manchester's 

Sleep Centre & Spa and looks pretty in purple!

Want to show off something 

really beautiful in your home?

Give it extra exposure with a 

mirror! $400.