Summer Entertaining

This kitchen opens onto a beautiful outdoor area with a lovely pass-through, creating a wonderful area for serving, and also a great bar for parties!

This is definitely a feature I'd love to have in a beach house, and I especially love this beautiful bright white exterior. Mediterranean chic at its best...And that lounge chair upstairs is calling my name!

Image via Splendid Willow. 

Leafy Greens

As a city dweller without garden space of my own, I like to bring the outdoors inside with beautiful potted plants...

And, after seeing what a dramatic difference these lush greens make in this bright white East Hampton house, it makes me want to supersize the plants in my own apartment! They make the room. While such large fronds would definitely dominate our Manhattan one-bedroom, this is great inspiration for adding a little greenery to the space!

Ken Wyse's Hamptons house, as featured in Traditional Home, Photographer: Tria Giovan.

Framing the Outdoors

If I'm ever lucky enough to design the beach house of my dreams, I would be sure to include huge glass doors or windows in my dining room...

These large glass expanses allow the verdant surroundings to spill into the room, creating a serene space for eating and entertaining. I love the contrast of the lush greenery with the bright white walls, and both rooms are enhanced by pops of geometric design on the floors. With high ceilings, beautiful light fixtures, and great modern furniture, these rooms are totally delightful!

Image one by Nate Berkus; Image two via Refresh Designs.