Giving in to a fling with summer color
No matter how much you love to create a crisp, neutral envelope (or dull, colorless existence, to quote a 10-year-old who may or may not live with me) at home, summer inevitably chips away at that minimal resolve. First, it throws down the beach towels, then picnic plates, folk-art-flavored embroidery, popsicles ... watermelon. It tempts you with a fruity cocktail (there goes your avoidance of drinks that masquerade as Slurpees) and, when you need a fan (who doesn’t? it’s hot out) it flings into your path a bright-red enamel model (Vfan by Vornado, $99 at www.amazon.com) that makes the practical seem purely fun. Fans keep us cool and combat mosquitoes. They should come in shiny summer colors, right?
Once your guard is down, you find you’re drawn to all sorts of bright things.
Like the color combos in the classic Normann Copenhagen Watch Me wall clock by designer Rasmus Gottliebsen ($50 at www.danishdesign store.com).
Or legendary designer Alexander Girard’s masterful use of color on a simple toss pillow. (Maharam’s $425,000, 1053 Pipercove Way, 4, 3/1, Colonial, 6/3 $501,000, 504 Hanna Rd, 5, 3/1, Colonial, 6/7 $526,202, 993 Saddle View Way, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/7 $1,311,000, 1320 Grafton Shop Rd, 6, 6/1, Georgian, 6/8 $145,000, 1262 Courtney Ln, 5, 2/2, Colonial, 6/2 $169,900, 1307 Lobelia Ln, 2, 1/1, Traditional, 6/3 $259,900, 4415 Declaration Cir, 3, 2/1, Colonial, 6/8 $560,000, 2832 Cross Country Ct, 5, 3/0, Raised Rancher, 6/3 $599,900, 2003 Connolly Rd, 5, 4/2, Georgian, 6/1 $348,000, 1645 Morse Rd, 3, 2/1, Cape Cod, 6/6 $390,000, 231 Cartland Way, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/7 $399,900, 800 Gail Ct, 4, 2/2, Colonial, 6/6 $409,900, 731 Laurel Rd, 4, 3/1, Colonial, 6/6 $515,000, 1613 Grafton Shop Rd, 4, 3/1, Colonial, 6/1 $596,000, 105 Colvard Ct, 5, 4/1, Colonial, 6/3 $250,000, 1822 Trout Farm Rd, 3, 2/0, Rancher, 6/7 $278,000, 802 Stone Haven Dr, 4, 2/0, Split Level, 6/2 $582,500, 3751 Old Federal Hill Rd, 4, 4/2, Colonial, 6/3 $129,900, 37 Court Dr, 3, 1/1, Colonial, 6/3 Millerstripe pillow, $175 at www.maha ram.com.)
When the fever passes, you may discover something colorful has invaded your otherwise neutraldependent space. Learning to embrace it might open a whole new chapter in your decorating life. Or, like so many summer flings, you might decide that it’s best to put the brights away. Until next year. $410,000, 1170 Quarry Rd, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/3 $246,000, 10739 Glen Hannah Dr, 2, 1/1, Colonial, 6/1 $272,000, 10687 Glen Hannah Dr, 2, 1/1, Colonial, 6/2 $300,000, 8420 Ice Crystal Dr #B, 2, 2/0, Colonial, 6/3 $310,000, 9718 Promise Ct, 3, 2/1, Split Foyer, 6/3 $350,000, 9637 Horsham Dr, 3, 3/1, Colonial, 6/7 $410,000, 9679 Maryland Ave, 3, 2/1, Colonial, 6/2 $496,000, 9764 June Flowers Way, 4, 3/1, Traditional, 6/2 $535,000, 10766 Crestview Ln W, 4, 3/0, Rancher, 6/8 $629,053, 7567 Kindler Overlook Dr, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/7 $245,000, 8807 Birchwood Way, 3, 2/1, Colonial, 6/6 $258,000, 8129 Mission Hill Pl #23, 3, 2/1, Traditional, 6/2 $367,500, 8711 Clemente Ct, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/2 $539,900, 7245 Meadow Wood Way, 4, 3/0, Contemporary, 6/1 $1,182,865, 11909 Northern Bell Way, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/3 $432,000, 9917 Windflower Dr, 5, 2/1, Contemporary, 6/3 $437,500, 2211 Mount Hebron Dr, 5, 3/0, Rancher, 6/1 $485,000, 3230 Old Fence Rd, 4, 2/1, Split Foyer, 6/3 $500,000, 9421 Tiller Dr, 5, 2/1, Split Foyer, 6/3 $525,000, 9396 Parsley Dr, 5, 2/1, Colonial, 6/1 $539,900, 10373 Globe Dr, 4, 3/0, Rancher, 6/4 $550,000, 4074 Fragile Sail Way, 5, 3/1, Colonial, 6/1 $585,000, 3185 Saint Charles Pl, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/8 $595,000, 12120 Cˆ arroll Mill Rd, 5, 3/1, Colonial, 6/6 $633,300, 10108 Nicolson Rd, 5, 4/0, Colonial, 6/8 $648,220, 2750 Cheekwood Cir, 3, 2/1, Traditional, 6/3 $419,800, 3637 Rusty Rim, 4, 3/0, Split Foyer, 6/3 $432,500, 8930 Dawson Manor Dr, 3, 2/1, Colonial, 6/8 $450,000, 2924 Normandy Dr, 3, 3/0, Rancher, 6/8 $482,500, 4206 Vfw Ln, 3, 2/0, Split Level, 6/3 $550,000, 4709 Kirkstall Rd, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/1 $570,000, 8333 Elko Dr, 5, 3/0, Colonial, 6/7 $638,000, 3302 Governor Carrollˆ Ct, 4, 4/1, Colonial, 6/6 $755,000, 4194 Flower Blossom Dr, 5, 5/1, Colonial, 6/6 $1,025,000, 5350 Ambrosia Dr, 6, 6/1, Colonial, 6/2 $420,000, 5245 Hermit Path, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/1 $475,000, 6132 Llanfair Dr, 4, 3/1, Contemporary, 6/6 $475,000, 10614 Hunting Ln, 3, 3/0, Rancher, 6/8 $555,000, 10934 Shadow Ln, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/2 $575,000, 6927 Mystic Woods Way, 4, 3/1, Colonial, 6/6 $845,000, 10390 Quarterstaff Rd, 6, 4/1, Colonial, 6/3 $350,000, 6912 Deerpasture, 4, 3/0, Split Level, 6/6 $362,000, 6364 Tinted Hl, 4, 2/1, Split Foyer, 6/6 $418,000, 8713 Endless Ocean Way #16, 3, 4/1, Transitional, 6/3 $470,000, 9410 Dartmouth Rd, 4, 3/0, Rancher, 6/3 $177,000, 7575 Weather Worn Way #C, 2, 1/0, Other, 6/2 $210,000, 7591 Weather Worn Way #A, 2, 2/0, Other, 6/7 $325,000, 7392 Kindler Rd, 3, 2/0, Cape Cod, 6/8 $380,500, 7326 Little Bird Path, 4, 3/1, Colonial, 6/1 $410,000, 6610 Seneca Dr, 4, 2/0, Split Foyer, 6/2 $530,000, 8699 Guilford Rd, 4, 2/1, Contemporary, 6/6 $292,250, 6485 Lawyers Hill Rd, 4, 1/0, Cape Cod, 6/3 $305,000, 7246 Maidstone Pl #244, 3, 2/1, Colonial, 6/3 $360,000, 6213 Sutton Ct, 3, 3/1, Colonial, 6/2 $667,029, 5753 Landing Rd, 4, 2/1, Colonial, 6/7 $420,000, 6308 Patuxent Quarter Rd, 3, 2/1, Colonial, 6/8 $173,145, 1490 Marriottsville Rd, 3, 1/0, Split Level, 6/6 $435,000, 10810 Wadsworth Rd, 3, 2/2, Colonial, 6/3 $455,000, 10814 Wadsworth Rd, 3, 3/1, Colonial, 6/8 $318,000, 14379 Old Frederick Rd, 3, 2/0, Rancher, 6/2 $740,000, 15216 Bucks Run Dr, 4, 3/1, Colonial, 6/3