Hi, Friends, I hope you're having the best start to your summer!  I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying the longer days and the warmer weather outside on our patio.  The smell of honeysuckle is in the air and my hydrangeas are blooming.  This year I am changing out our seating on the patio with a new outdoor sofa. I ordered one that has deep seating and would fit our small 10'x10' space.


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After I found the inspiration pieces I began to research affordable options.  Below are my top ten favorite outdoor sofas and sectionals.  These are stylish and a few are budget-friendly.  To shop these pieces click on the link below the images.


















Having a sofa with deep seating is going to be a game-changer!  I am going for a dark base with white cushions, then adding pops of color with pillows.  The thing I love about deep-seated sofas and sectionals is they are family-friendly and they allow for comfortable and cozy seating. 
This is the sofa I ordered from Target. 



Threshold Fernhill Metal Patio Sofa



































Today I'm revealing our front door paint color! Last month I posted about my plans for painting the front door teal and the different shade options I was considering.  The paint color I picked is called Teal Motif by Behr Paint.



If you love bold paint colors but don't want the risk of painting a wall or a whole room and end up hating it, try using it on your front door. You can always paint it again if you really don't like it. I have to admit that I was really nervous painting our front door this vibrant color and wasn't sure I would like it in the end, but I said I wanted teal and here it is, and you know what? I really like it!  It looks welcoming and pops against the gray color of the house.

A front door makes it the best place to go big with color in a small way.  If you're thinking of painting your front door consider these tips...






My grimy old front door was begging me to paint it!  "Hello, Julie remember me it's your front door I'm thick with dirt and not looking very pretty.  I'm reminding you that you should paint me!




Choose your color:

Choosing a new color for your home's front door can be overwhelming whether you're going neutral or taking the plunge with a bold hue. Tape a few swatches to your door, the colors will appear quite different outdoors than they do inside the paint store.





Prep your door:

Clean the door with soap and water.  If your door has existing paint on it roughen it up with a palm sander.  You may have to hand sand in the crevices and around the trim.  Wipe the entire door clean with a dry rag to remove dust.

It's easier to achieve a professional-looking finish if you take the time to remove the locks and knobs.  If you're considering new hardware, now is the time to get it.  If you don't want to remove the hardware you can tape them off with painter's tape and paint around them.

I decided to keep the hardware on our door and give them a new look with flat black spray paint. I did this before I painted the door.  I taped newspaper on the door around the hardware and placed painter's tape over the lock.


Then I started to paint the door. 

Paint the details first:

You will need one quart of exterior paint.  I used Behr Marquee exterior semi-gloss enamel with advanced stain-blocking paint and primer.  Using a high-quality paintbrush-like Purdy, begin by brushing the inset or trim details so that you can lay an even base coat.  Use the brush to feather out the edges of the paint so that there are no drips.

Once all of the trim details are painted and dry you can go ahead and paint the rest of the door.  You will need three coats!  Follow the directions on the can for dry time between coats.   TIP: Wrap your paintbrush in a plastic bag to keep the paint on the brush from drying between coats.


AND.......
 here she is looking all pretty with her new coat of paint.
A vibrant, teal front door is probably not for everyone, but it makes me smile!   





Rethink your home decor and get inspired by the cool, bright colors of summer. See how easy it is to refresh your home for summer by bringing in cool colors, accessories, and a few collections.  Even none summer lovers can do this.  All it takes is some creativity, so let's get started!



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Ideas on how to love your home for summer


Summer is the time to lighten your decor with cool colors and natural elements such as plants, driftwood, and seashells.  Blue is my favorite color and also reflects my love of the ocean. You will see a lot of blue in our home, it is my go-to color for paint and accessories.



Let's talk bookshelves...Use found objects collected on the beach to decorate them.  If you have a collection use your collection as art.  I like to collect driftwood, seashells and beach glass. Try leaning a couple of pieces of driftwood against the wall of a shelf for instant art. Cloches are a favorite of mine, you can display anything inside them. I displayed a starfish and a small rope found on the beach inside mine.  Seashells are easy to come by when strolling along the water's edge. Display them in glass jars or simply place them on a shelf.  If you are crafty, show off your work on a shelf or two.  The driftwood sailboat, driftwood SEA sign and feather print on canvas were made by me!   

love-my-simple-home


I purchased cotton branches from Decor Steals. You can find the link here.
They offer home decor and vintage reproduction products at incredible savings of up to 80% off retail.  There are so many ways to use these branches.  I arranged mine in three clear glass bottles and added beach grass from my yard for a summer feel.



This is my favorite nook in the dining room.  I made a side table using a wooden TV tray with a mirror on top. Now I have a place to hold a lamp and some pretty summer flowers.  I made the planter out of a cardboard box and used seashells to decorate it.  The photo on the wall was taken by me.  It is my favorite one of our daughter when she was little. The curtains have all my favorite summer colors.



Stock your kitchen cabinets with summer essentials and use baskets to contain drinks and snacks for on the go.  My antique medical cabinet packs a lot of summer goodies.






Flowers are always around in the summer, clip a few and display them on your kitchen table along with fresh fruit for snacking.


I hope you leave here refreshed and inspired to give your home that summer love!
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