By Leslie Linsley

Author of “Nantucket Island Living” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

May 2024

June is when we ease into summer and embrace new experiences. Summers on Nantucket are inspirational. It’s where memories are made. Our lifestyles change and minimal tweaks keep our homes looking fresh and interesting. Move artwork or collections around, change furniture placements, create ambience with a table lamp on a kitchen counter. The big front window in Home Furnishings has been replaced with a wall of perfectly proportioned, hard to find table lamps.  Update with a new paint color. Starry Night is a sophisticated navy blue from Benjamin Moore– dramatic in a hallway or kitchen with bright white trim.

I found Mike Gonsalves, the “Master Mixer” in Marine's Paint Department , to show me the new Magnolia Home Spray Paints Ciara McAuley, Marketing Coordinator, was raving about. He introduced me to Chris Trapp, the Paint Manager, who enthusiastically led me to where the newest products by Joanna Gaines (host of the HGTV Fixer Upper show) were displayed.  You’d think we’d discovered an array of new ice cream flavors. The matte finish, called “chalk” is like early American milk paint, but the colors are as subtle as a summer breeze. Revive outdoor chairs with “Rainy Day,” the softest shade of seafoam, to match Sferra table linens. Elevate an al fresco meal with an unexpectedly elegant table setting.  Btw: Sferra has 101 colors to choose from. Samples in Bed & Bath. 

June is when we celebrate Dads, which led me to the Garden Center. I’m crazy about the colorful little Weber grills, but if you want to give a mega gift, the Genesis is beyond impressive! Let the kids fill a basket with accessories like a grill brush, Instant-read thermometer, a griddle spatula, serious tongs, potholder mitt, and a red striped apron. A sunset cookout at Madaket beach is a no-brainer with Weber’s Traveler, a one-handed, set-up and fold grill. 

As I left the Garden Center, the Jiffy Greenhouse Kit caught my eye. “I could start a vegetable garden,” I thought. The seed packets were seductive. I had visions of summer salads with my homegrown veggies. I wondered how long it would take to grow my own corn. I moved on to a more promising endeavor: Creative Table Settings.

We enjoy leisurely meals with friends and family and being on vacation at home. Setting a beautiful table lets guests know they are celebrated and sets the stage for memorable conversation. Candlelight makes us linger longer. 

1. Start with a color scheme. I love the crispness of green and white; a white orchid in a lightship basket for a centerpiece, oversized green and white dishtowels for napkins paired with placemats made from corn maize and matching napkin rings. 

2.  Combine old and new. My grandmother’s ornate silver sugar bowl holds an herb plant. 

3. Group champagne and water glasses (Housewares) to hold votive candles.

4. Use food, such as fruit and veggies for table “props.”

5.  Tuck a sprig of fresh herbs under each napkin ring. 

6.  For country casual, fill a large white pitcher with wildflowers to complement your table linens.

Many years ago, on a trip to London, I found the perfect example of good design. We stumbled onto a shop, noticeable only by a little curve top door, like the entrance to a hobbit house, set into a white stucco wall. Beside the door, were black stenciled letters in lower case that spelled “egg”. Inside, every object was a different shade of eggshell; a delicate, porcelain bud vase holding a single branch, ivory-colored napkins tied with boat rope, an alabaster paper weight on top of a stack of handmade papers. I’m often asked, “What shade of white should I paint my rooms?”  A collection of eggs from different cartons is inspirational.

No two eggs are the same, but so perfectly imperfect, the way a room should be. Introduce an element of surprise. Things might seem to have landed in unanticipated places, when in fact, they were carefully considered. You might adjust an object, ever so slightly on the coffee table, add a book with a cover that picks up a color in the fabric, a flower arrangement, or a painting on the wall. Every object works together to create a personal space that makes visitors wonder, “How did she/he do that?”