Summer Decorating with Colorful Stripes

Pattern trends come and go. Florals, tie dye, brocade, lately they've all had their fifteen minutes of fame. Yet there's one woven with perrenial appeal, with endless applications, and—narrow or broad, on floors or furniture—with an unfailing ability to delight. I'm talking, of course, about stripes. Though I like them sombre and stark for winter, in summer I crave candy-colored brights.

Have you done big, bold stripes like a rug, upholstery, or wallpaper? I admire this kind of decorating derring-do, but the biggest move I've made is a variegated vase from Goodwill. If, like me, you want to take the leap from pinning stripes on your laptop to winning at stripes in real life, perhaps we could hold hands and do it together?  

Here's a few small goodies to get us started: a blanket, a mug, some stationery from Splendid, the stripes authority. But why stop here, friends? Let's make a pact that between now and Labor Day, we all invest in a striped piece so grand that it can't be hidden in a closet or cupboard. Let's band together (pun intended) and proclaim our love of stripes for all to see!

Shopping Guide: 1. Moroccan Striped Blanket 2. Striped Taper Candles 3. Striped Mug 4. Rifle Paper for Splendid Striped Notecard Set Images: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.