My Brain is Still on Vacation

I’m still somewhat in a state of shock that a) it’s September and b)my kids started school again yesterday. We had such a great, relaxing summer that it’s hard to get back in “work” mode again. So I thought I would humor myself with visions of the beach.

What I wouldn’t give to be somewhere like this:

with a rear deck like this:

This particular property is in Nags Head, and it’s among many other gorgeous sites in North Carolina that were submitted in a design contest on a site called Vacation House Review, which was founded by my friend Lee Foster, a DC architect and designer.

I think we all have rented a vacation house at some point, only to find when we get there that the interiors are… less than desirable. Sure, we’re there for the beach, or the lake, or the skiing, so we reason away that it’s ok, we’re only in the house to sleep.

But the brilliance of Vacation House Review is that it works with property managers to find properties whose interiors match the beauty of the places where they are located. They are vetted by designers like Foster and my other good friend, Erin Paige Pitts of Gibson Island, MD, and DC architect Ankie Barnes of Barnes Vanze Architects so that when you arrive, you know your lodgings are magazine-worthy.

Here are some more examples:

A lake in Ocracoke, NC:

Hatteras:

Small but adorable at Emerald Isle:

I know I’m in denial about the loss of summer, but fall IS the best time to book a house for next summer, after all, so I’m just going to say that I’m actually being PROACTIVE by pining over these contest entries — we’ll see who the winner is in October.

Here’s a few more teasers before I have to get the kids up for school!

Buxton, NC:

Bald Head Island:

Bald Head Island:

Happy September, everyone!