White Before Memorial Day? What is she Thinking?!

On Sunday this really lovely lady at church was wearing white shoes.  My friend Kate gave her a hard time about white before memorial day.  She was of course, just kidding.  It's not the Eisenhower administration anymore baby.  :)

Even still...we do tend to associate white with summer.  Doesn't white look great on tan skin?  Yes, I still I have a 'thing' for being tan.  Yes, I know the sun causes skin cancer.  I'll never get over it.  I'm not out laying in the sun slathered in baby oil all day either and I make my kids put sun block on.

But I still love it. (and for the record, I think most fake tans look ridiculous)

But I digress.  (it's my nature to digress...but isn't the journey more fun when you take the digressions?)

Where was I?  Summer...tans...oh yes, White...

Here are some lovely inspirational rooms of white decor.  You'll know how I generally feel about white walls if you've been paying attention to my blog much.  But I do see white rooms that I really like.  I'm just in not much in favor of it when it's done only because there's no imagination on the part of the home-owner, apartment dweller, etc. (though to be fair, many many landlords won't let you paint - I had to have white walls in several of my prior apartments - did you know you can "wallpaper" with a mixture of starch and water using fabric?  I did that in one of my apartments, it turned out much better than expected.  I always try to pass that tip along to apartment dwellers who aren't allowed to paint).

I digressed again didn't I?

I love the lighting here, and I always thinks it works well in a white room to use a distressed wood table - painted wood tables look really good too.  This just looks like a great room to hang out after school and do your homework at that table.  (what am I nine?  that's my first thought?  I do a lot of homework these days)

This is just a really urban hip room.  I think it's brave actually that there's no color other than the bare wood.  I think the photography above the bed is very cool.  It breaks every rule I personally have, which is that if you're going to do all white there should be lots of accent colors.  But it breaks it in the best possible way.

This is just so restful and peaceful.  Like you know that day you have to come home sick from school and it's no fun at all because it's nice outside but you're too sick to do anything and you go lay in your mom's bed?  this is the perfect room for that.  (I'm starting to feel that I'm reverting a little too much to my childhood here...)

I really really love this.  I could have used this as an example of how to do pastel's well.  There's just the little's hint of pink in the pillow on the chair.  I adore the pale powder blue on the mirror edge.  Just lovely.

one thing I will say about white rooms is that they can be so gosh darned cheerful don't you think?  and my favorite flowers are on the table here...LOVE peonies.

i know right?  again with the peonies.  but I also adore the white sink (let's face it, stainless steel sinks are pretty much a disaster...steer clear I say), love the faucet, and I adore that miniature subway tile, awesome green tint on the glass, what's not to like?  and you know what else? i'm just going to say for the record that I rarely, if ever, like marble or any other stone on the countertops in kitchens.  i just really don't.  i'd much prefer this minty green formica or whatever it is.  style points.

I'm probably unduly influenced by the hermes throw blanket and the great lime green, but this room is very understated cool.

so much to love.  all the accent colors work in perfect harmony.  fabulous lamp, awesome lampshade, adorable pillows.

this is some crazy business.  but it's some COOL crazy business.

you can't resist those yellow chairs and that electric blue, don't even try.

love love love

admittedly, i feel it needs a little pop of color, but i'm still drawn to the simplicity of it (and I kinda dig that grass centerpiece too)

love the chairs, but in think the black chandelier makes it.

how much is there to love here?  mucho mucho (and isn't that yellow chair adorable?)

i love when i see something that i'm POSITIVE every one on the planet could afford to do and make happen.  this room is a perfect example of that.  excellent affordable and simple design. when all else fails, add a convex mirror to your wall aren't they great?

Happy Summer!