My blue heaven...

As part of the challenge of writing for 31 Days about the color blue I thought I would feature a few glimpses into "my blue heaven" aka my Summer garden before we move fully into the Fall season. I have a collection of cobalt blue pots, blue glassware, china, fabrics and rugs that I use throughout the garden. During the warm months we live outside so it is important to bring all the items that make a space work inside...out!


Cobalt blue pots in a garden just give everything such a POP!




This is the hearth and heart of our outdoor living room. I designed the fireplace specifically so I could accent it with flowers and fun treasures. I love to change it up with the changing seasons and events!





I often fill these large blue orbs with Christmas lights for a magical effect at night.




We built our koi fish ponds ourselves...(and I will blog about that another day) but I wanted to show you the "blue hue" found even in the sailboats and bluestones we accented the pond with as well as the long blue flower box and windows of our Summer art studio (there is a peak there on the left). The art studio also does double duty in the Winter as  a storage shed. I am a big believer in double duty spaces when you can get them!




A favorite combination for Summer. I take all the hydrangeas I put in pots over the Summer and replant them in the ground in my garden in late October so I can continue to enjoy them for years to come!






When my children were little we designed a fun playhouse (with bunks and naptime nooks) from an ordinary shed from a local home improvement store. We customized it with windows, french doors and skylights in order to create a light and happy space. We put wainscoting on the walls that can easily wash away paint and dirt and painted the floors a fun "blue on blue" checkerboard.  When the children got older and I had a budding artist on my hands I transformed it into an Art Studio that overlooks our koi ponds with another secret garden space behind it. We wired it for electricity for music and light and in the Winter we store many of our pots and garden accessories within it as I mentioned above.

 


Behind the Art Studio- accessed over the bridge between the two koi ponds. I have a number of glass blue balls of varying shades that I found at Christmas that I hang throughout my garden from the trees just for fun. I use fishing wire so they look as if they are floating. I also found two pretty basic wire chandeliers at IKEA that were too skimpy by themselves. I put them together and added glass beads and a blue ball in the middle to make it the whole thing a bit more memorable. I am OBSESSED with interesting outdoor floor design. I am also in LOVE with crushed blue stone. So in this quaint little space I designed a checkerboard ...made out of cut blue stone squares and crushed blue stone....with the help of my "oh so talented"  husband (he is great with painting stripes and anything that requires precision in the layout..like the pattern above) I love how it plays off the checkerboard pattern inside the art studio. 



One view of our outdoor living room




Our round dining room table sits opposite the living room. I just love the vibrancy of this centerpiece.



My husband Skip...the "perspiration" behind my "inspiration" with most of the undertakings around our house and garden. I am very lucky to have a husband and best friend that allows me to "roam free" with creative dreams! Thanks honey!