There’s something a little exotic, daring and luxurious about an outdoor shower. Maybe it’s because we’re not often naked AND outside. Outdoor showers are liberating. My favorite exterieur showers — and some of them are shown here — offer lots of privacy, of course, but they’re also fully part of the natural world. Imagine a canopy of trees overhead instead of subway tile with the sounds of nature (rather than Pandora) as the soundtrack. That’s refreshing, restorative and cleansing.

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A well-done threshold is like new love. It’s the beginning of a perfect first date. You can just tell it’s going to go well. Something wonderful and intriguing beckons from within. Pretend your doorbell is ringing right this very moment. What does your threshold promise the waiting visitor? Here at LSI, as we wrap up installations, one of our last recommendations concerns the first thing the client and visitors will see: the threshold. Here’s our approach:

Great architecture helps: As with all things in life, each of us needs to maximize our assets. Inherently interesting architecture is not parceled out evenly among all homes. But, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. Some of the images below from our idea files tell the tale.

Quirk goes the color: First, let me say that a monochromatic neutral palette on a threshold makes me feel like I am truly at home. That said a spot of color can make all the difference. Chartreuse, cerulean blue, cayenne – think outside the six-color Crayola box!

About stairs and staging: The door is diva, the star of the threshold. Some doors are flush to a public sidewalk, others are the culmination of a flight of stairs and sometimes a swell and spacious porch is in play. This is an opportunity to set the stage. Think pots and urns. Settees and welcome mats. Remember lighting – for drama and function.

The back-story on back doors: For many of my clients the back door is really their primary entrance. Back doors are not the ugly redheaded stepchildren (sorry to all my ginger friends out there) of thresholds. We should all feel great when we come home. It often starts at the back door.

They say that all life began in the ocean. Perhaps that’s why so many of us are drawn to seaside living; it’s both luxurious and raw. The next best thing for the landlocked among us is a fabulous pool. It’s a way to experience the calming, restorative effects of water on dry land and introduce a great architectural feature to your exterieur.

Lovely French chateau-inspired home is so beautiful who wouldn’t want to see it twice. The pool is well planned to mirror the home in the afternoon sun. Double-take delight. Image Via.

Petit pool is long on looks for a tête-à-tête over a latte or cocktail (we won’t tell if it’s before 5). We love the dramatic window framed in rattan and the happy combination of oversized and diminutive pottery. Image source unknown, any info would be appreciated.

Lisa Sherry is an Aquarian. Does that help explain our water obsession? This reflective and calming pool cloistered in a white cave on the shores of an exotic beach is the LSI studio favorite for this blog posting.  Thank you Tumblr. Please send tickets and itinerary!

‘Tis the season … Lisa Sherry Interieurs design projects focusing on exterieurs are a hot topic right now. Pun intended! Maybe the mild winter has accelerated the segue into spring and summer. A new, favorite resource that’s put a spring in our step and a smile on our collective face is Link Outdoor Fabrics.

Here at LSI we love colors with unusual, provocative names. This tells us they’re nuanced and defy easy definition. Kudos to Link for fab palettes like Palme Melon, Sugar and Cabana Sky. As designers, we also like pattern and texture names that make further explanation unnecessary. Like Piece Out in Glacier, Crossings in Carbon and Fringe in Dandelion.

Stay tuned for further developments with LSI and Link. See how Breeze Straw pairs with Swagger on the Echo chaise to accolades on summer nights.

Put your woolens away (unless it’s summer-weight cashmere) and give this early spring we’re experiencing a big bear hug. The old adage about no white until after Memorial Day seems especially irrelevant this year. (Truth be told, we rejected that “rule” many springs ago.) Here at LSI, we eat, breathe and sleep beautiful interieurs. (It’s our livelihood and our heart throb.) But, today our focus is on exterieurs. Have we mentioned we do outdoor spaces? The early spring has made client exterieurs projects hot priorities. Here’s what’s inspiring us …

Be still our collective hearts. We love the wide-open,vitrine-like porch.

Rustic and natural getaway far from the maddening crowd.

There’s everything to love about a wall of greenery, French stone, modern chairs and perplexed terrier.

This is one idea that should be cast in stone — a beautifully executed stone garden.

Nautical white porch paint, lattice and a French bistro set. Dreamy.

Create a lovely getaway from the main compound!

Macrame makes a comeback, naturally!

We love to blur the line between interieurs and exterieurs.

Add water. It makes everything better.

Image sources unknown.  If anyone has info, pass it along so we can assign credit!

 This project by Sweden’s Elding Oscarson Architecture was brought to our attention through our Facebook friend Dorottya.

When we saw it, we thought- YES. That’s how it’s done. The perfect melding of old & new in a way that shows off the best of the new construction and enhances the original street architecture.

It’s striking enough to be a standout, yet completely respectful of the location in it’s scale, bringing out the beauty of the old in a way that only contrast can. Contrast. Think happy opposition!

 The interior is modest, and all white. The homeowners are in the art business and needed a space that could pull double duty as a home & art gallery. The open air rooftop courtyard is incorporated into the living space.

 For more photos, go here.

We’re sure that most of you read Anna Spiro’s blog, “Absolutely Beautiful Things”.

It’s strange to be sitting on one side of the globe, trying to hold on to the last bits of Summer while reading of her plans to start her garden. She’s calling for Spring, with dahlias and daisies in her future. Meanwhile, here, the leaves on the poplars are already starting to turn.

For those of us in this hemisphere, here’s to the waning days of summer. Ours was perfection. Hope you had your fun!

bye bye, pool. Hello football.

…useful to boot!

Repetition meets practicality in a graphic display. Love it when necessity turns into something beautiful!

Happy Weekend, everyone.

image source unknown