As a Michigan-based interior design strategy studio, we’re lucky to experience every season (sometimes all in one day). However, there’s just something special about summertime…maybe it’s the warm breezes, refreshing dips in the lake, cloudless skies, or just knowing we only get a few fleeting months of it. For us, blue skies ahead also mean summer styling.
In fact, the use of blues and teals has become somewhat of a Concetti signature over the years, especially in conceptual summer designs. Take a quick scroll through our project portfolio and see for yourself.
Whether you’re looking for summer styling ideas or are ready to create a year-round oasis, we’ve handpicked several projects featuring our signature colors to show you how to pull basic elements of the season to help you cool off and relax in your space.
On the Water
Because we’re in a state with five Great Lakes and more than 11,000 inland lakes and ponds, many of our clients draw inspiration from the water.
From using softer blues reminiscent of a bright, sunny day on the Detroit River, or deeper teals that transport us to a storm over Lake Superior, clients often lean on variants of blue as their home’s primary “life on the water” concept.
CASE IN POINT: We just wrapped a residential project in Grosse Ile that combines inspiration from Concetti CEO + Principal Designer Rachel Nelson’s Call It a Fungalow – Living Room and our clients’ life on the Detroit River (stay tuned…we CAN’T WAIT to share it!).
Similarly, our New Nautical clients wanted a seaworthy yet sophisticated twist in their master suite transformation. They also wanted our help hiding an unsightly wall protrusion from their recent restructure and lift. Our aquatic teal custom millwork detail not only achieved the functional goal and added more space, but it (along with the accompanying headboard) honored the nautical concept without interrupting their stunning Walled Lake view.
Life on the water isn’t exclusively for residential projects, either…just ask the owners of Coriander Kitchen and Farms. Because of their location on a Detroit River canal, the industrial nature of boats that travel there influenced some of the restaurant’s styling decisions. The restaurant's backsplash is one of the best homages to the season. Rather than using iridescent tiles, we opted for different shades of blues, greens, and oranges to mimic the sun reflecting on the water.
By combining this aesthetic with inviting greenery and quirky details, we co-created an award-winning, vibrant, and fresh canal-side space that gives summer vibes all year long.
Soak Up the Sun
Summer styling or creating an escape within a space is all about drawing from your favorite things to see, hear, feel, smell, and/or taste in the summer. Sometimes it can be as effortless as drawing inspiration from the view outside your window.
We had an opportunity to work with the resident of a high rise overlooking the Detroit River who loved the golden hue of the sun paired with the deep blues of the water below. Rise Over the River embraces these sights with its deep blue walls, free-flowing open concept, lighting, gold accents, and yellow art selections. This is a perfect example of a space emulating a view without being overt or kitschy.
Flower Power
This next space is home to various businesses, like Detroit’s first Benjamin Moore, and has summery pops of teal that add continuity. There’s no denying the Great Lakes make it easy to be inspired by blue hues, but there’s a whole lot more to summer than water! With this in mind, we leaned into another seasonal element to create the vibe here…think: fresh cut flowers.
There’s something about a bright bouquet that brings a vibrant, lively feel to any space. At The Color Bloc we went larger than life to bring this feeling with a custom oversized wall mural using our client’s very own printing service. Because illustrations for local businesses have been produced in the space for nearly a century, it was important that we showcase the eclectic expertise living there now.
Vacation, All I Ever Wanted
If bold blues and summer hues aren’t your thing, simple styling tricks can help transform your space for summer no matter your aesthetic!
Take Livin’ Free in the D for example. Although the vibes of the space are incredibly industrial, we softened it up by bringing in the natural, whimsical aesthetic of summer. Note the woven barstools, layered chambray and linen pillows, and an abundance of greenery.
We collaborated on this project with Wayne State University Interior Design Program Designer Sara Pupa, who impressed us with her ability to layer natural elements, lush textiles, and an abundance of woven patterns. While the entire space reflects our client’s laid-back style, many of the individual pieces are reminiscent of a dream summer vacation – all of which can be easily swapped out depending on the season.
