Room with a View {Part I}

Summer. Officially time to head outdoors..beaches, pools, lakes, even backyards beckon us. Therein lies the promise of sun-filled memories. Memories made outside the walls of our homes, in our "rooms" with the best views. All of this got me thinking -->

1. A few years ago, a shelter magazine featured the home of a news anchor. On Sunday mornings, the woman and her husband set up folding chairs in their driveway and enjoyed coffee and The New York Times. Needless to say, the article focused on the extensive renovation of their home. The backyard was transformed into a breathtaking outdoor space. No more folding chairs.

2. Lately, my mailbox has been jammed full with catalogs featuring outdoor spaces on a grand scale..backyard fireplaces complete with sofas, chairs, and rugs. Sparkling pools flanked by chaise lounges and boxwoods potted in zinc planters. Teak dining sets set with china overlooking vineyards at sunset. The bar has been raised high, to say the least. What happened to the wooden picnic tables & adirondack chairs of the past?

3. Secret gardens. Like anything in life, to do something small means you have to do it well. There is no room for error. Every precious inch must be perfect. This is why I love a "secret garden"..diminutive, tucked away, outdoor spaces in cities. Often, when walking by, one barely catches a glimpse of the magic inside. Sometimes it is a cobbled, moss-covered path, twinkling lights, or a garden filled with overgrown plantings. A tiny piece of heaven.

tb

photo spied in "at home" magazine