I know that summer is practically over in the northern hemisphere and most blogs are showing Fall Decor tips. But I missed half of the summer here due to my unexpected to trip to Australia/New Zealand for my grandmother. So now that I am back in Japan, I decided to celebrate summer by getting out all the vintage aqua bottles and aqua glass floats. I wanted to also bring in some blue hydrangeas from the garden and switch up some of the furniture. Summer really doesn't stop where I live in Japan until the end of September so I will be enjoying these cool blues in the coming weeks. So for those in the southern hemisphere or those who do not experience 4 seasons or even those who want to hold onto summer for as long as they can, here is some "cool blue" inspiration for your homes.
If you have seen my other decor journals, you will know that I always start with the living room.
The coffee table got the first summer touch. Originally I had the bowl of sea glass on its own on the table but it just felt too small and bare. So I brought in a cutting of blue hosta from the garden and added a large glass float to the mix.
Inside the bowl of aqua sea glass is a 2 inch roped glass float and small Hokkaido roller.
I found this 5 inch glass float in Hokkaido last spring. I instantly fell in love with its frosty exterior.
I didn't actually notice the bubbles in it until I took this photo from a different angle and the light beautifully highlighted them.
And of course I added in the summer navy blue striped furoshiki cushions to the couch.
The turquoise couch has moved but the white tea chest remains faithfully by its side.
For summer, I decided to display the huge abalone shell which is large enough to hold a 3 inch, 2 inch and 1 inch glass float. Although I found a lot of abalone shells on my beaches here due to the nearby abalone farms, this particular shell was gifted to me from California. We do not get this size here!
I am obsessed with this trio.
Next up, the main drawer in the living room had the green floats replaced by a variety of blue floats ranging in sizes from 1-4 inches! Behind the driftwood glass float holder is an antique net used to scoop up beans to make miso. I added some green cuttings from the yard for some extra texture.
This favorite fishing glass lantern of mine (found in the fisherman's shack a couple of years ago) gets moved around the house regularly. I thought it added a nice touch to this area for summer.
Then there is always the ladder. I think every home needs an indoor wooden ladder! All the spring green scarfs and wreath got packed away and replaced with these summer vibes.
These are antique waraji sandals made from straw rope. In the past, these sandals were the standard footwear of the common people in Japan.
Waraji are basically a form of zōri. The main difference between the two is that one's toes traditionally protrude slightly over the edge of the waraji and you do not wear tabi (socks) with waraji.
And of course I have my Beachcombing Cloth in the easy to reach spot to help sort and dry my beachcombing finds.
This shell necklace was my grandmother's that she got in Fiji when they lived there in the 1960s . As she recently passed away, I wanted to add touches of her throughout the home in memory of her. She loved the beach as much as I do.
Every chair needs a glass float, right?
Here is a larger antique Japanese dish that I filled with more aqua sea glass. This dish sits on the dining table.
I still cannot get enough of that barnacle glass float that I found in Hokkaido last spring.
On the kitchen shelf sits this simple arrangement. Another glass float that I found last spring. I found a number of these aqua roped floats so I will have them on sale soon!
I decided to add this Touki Sake Taru to the fishing basket. Touki Sake Taru can be translated to the "Crock Barrel." This 1.8 Liter porcelain barrel would hold and pour sake. It is beautifully protected with ornamental straw. The front reads "Shira yuki " which means "White Snow". I originally had this in the shop but I just love it too much so have decided to keep it.
Inspired by my grandmother and all the shells that she had placed around her house, I decided to remove a glass float and replace it with a shell.
And of course, as mentioned in my instagram, I have her cowrie shell now on my window sill.
I replaced the green glass float that was hanging by the window with this smaller aqua one that I found in Hokkaido. I love that that the rope is long enough to be able to hang it.
It has the mark Kawaguchi 川口. This name translates to "mouth of the river”. This originally comes from the Kawaguchi Glass Company located in Hokkaido, Japan.
Always a favorite, my ittobin. Usually I display massive flowers or branches in this jug but this time I thought I would keep it simple and just have a small touch of hydrangea. I think it really shows off the majesty of the ittobin.
Next up we have the bedroom. I did something new and added this ranma. Ranma are ornate dividers usually found between adjacent rooms and hallways in traditional Japanese buildings and homes. This particular ranma was made by our neighbor. There is not a single nail used - only rice glue. It is a piece of true art!
I use to have this displayed in the living room but I thought it would add a nice touch to the bed head. And turns out, that it matches my current bed spread!
The bedside table, or traditional Japanese stool, is adorned with my jubako, vintage sake bottle and candle.
The jubako continues to hold all my favorite sea pottery pieces.
PS. This is my favorite kind of hydrangea. We call them ajisai here in Japan.
On top of my closet sits this little arrangement. I love collecting driftwood and placing them in an antique Japanese vase.
The bathroom always gets a little touch too. I love this little spot where I always change up flowers/fauna to match the season.
Still in the bathroom, on the towel rack, sits another jubako which holds my jewelry. I realized during this photoshoot, that I need to find a small aqua bottle. It is on the buckletlist to find an antique Japanese ink bottle. For now, this transparent bottle holds some summer cotton that I picked from the yard.
And lastly, we have the outside entrance! I thought I would try something new and turn those usu upside down! I am loving how they can be used either way so I might stick with this look into Autumn as well!
Large green glass floats have been replaced by blue ones. Do you like my DIY bonsai? That mulch on the right side of the usu is actually from a bird's nest that was made inside our barbeque grill. One day I will get around to showing their incredible set up and how each day they built that nest and then laid eggs and have them hatch in there this past spring and early summer!
I plan to do a photo shoot with this nest. Stay tuned!
And that' is my summer home decor set up. Let me know in the comments what you liked or how you have decorated in your home this past season.