Something very interesting happened as our design panelists responded to this month's query: Describe your idea or memory of the perfect summer place. Has anything about that special place in time provided inspiration for your work? As the designers began to reminisce about the family vacations of their youth and the relaxing rhythms of their favorite retreats, their emotional connections came to life as heartfelt descriptions of people and places of summers past and present. We barely had enough space for these condensed versions and invite you to visit the Designer Insight blog at homeaccentstoday.com for their complete, uncut responses — and some excellent summer reading. — Susan Dickenson
David Bromstad
My ideal lazy, balmy summer afternoon getaway is right outside my door, the white sandy beaches in sunny Miami Beach. The beach has always been a hotspot for me whether it was a lake in Minnesota or the west coast of Florida. I always try to install something natural and fresh in my designs and the beach is one of the best places to get inspired. The breathtaking colors of the water, sky and sand combined with Miami's “best” bikinis, accessories and beach necessities provide for a never-ending variety of color combinations. — DB
Mark Abrams
As a youth, my family rented a big wood stained “cottage” in Gulf Shores, Ala., every summer. The house had enough bedrooms for all my aunts, uncles and cousins. The best part was that the cousins got to sleep on the screened sleeping porch under ceiling fans. If you went down to the beach, you had to dip your feet in the water pan at the foot of the stairs to come back in. If you didn't, my Aunt Wee would make you go back and rinse off. You could almost set your clock to my great Uncle Monte calling that it was time for drinks at 5 p.m. Inside, the wooden plank floors were dark brown and scuffed. There was a huge dark pine paneled dining room with a long farm table and ladder back chairs where we enjoyed big pancake breakfasts. We didn't have air conditioning and if the breeze stopped you got hot and humid fast, so we'd jump in one of Daddy's big tracker inner tubes and float in the Gulf. Great memories, but I haven't really used it as a source of inspiration. Most people would rather not have peeling paint and scuffed floors. However, the feeling of relaxing days at the beach are a dream I think we all want to have. Happy Summer. — MA
Paul Thompson
When I first moved to New York, I traveled out to East Hampton to enjoy lots of dinner parties and good food as the NYC social scene moved east for the summer. The next five years it was the beaches off of Sayville and Bellport. Almost every weekend during these summer months and specifically my vacation week following Labor Day, when the beaches were almost empty and the weather was still perfect, I would spend time reading, thinking and writing. The warm sun, cool breeze and the sound of the surf are meditative and inspired countless notes about trends, product development ideas and designs most specifically for tabletop. — PT
Barclay Butera
As a child, my parents would take my brother, sister and me to a small oceanside resort in Mexico called Las Cruces, not too far from Cabo San Lucas. My Dad loved the resort because it didn't have telephones and televisions, focusing instead on outdoor activities. About an hour before the evening dinner, all the resort guests gathered in the game room. It was there we learned how to play backgammon, dominos, pool and different card games. Good conversation, good food and making new friends of all ages were part of each day's experience at this little hideaway. These memories greatly influenced my work on a just-completed hotel project, L'Auberge Del Mar in San Diego County, Calif. Having just spent the opening weekend at the hotel, I am very proud to be part of a new destination hotel concept for the ultimate beach community getaway. Poolside with a refreshing drink in hand, playing backgammon and listening to great lounge music, my friends and I escaped the day-to-day chaos of our careers and enjoyed good conversation and quality time together. This summer, I hope all of us can find that place where time is not an issue, at least for a few days … it's good for the soul. — BB
Brant Williams
I remember summers in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, with my parents and younger brother where we spent most of our days on the beach building sand castles and chasing waves. One of my favorite pictures of my family was taken on that very beach. The ocean background in the portrait was my creative inspiration for “The Surge,” one of my first paintings designed in our B. Williams Originals Collection. — BW
Sandra Espinet
As a child my family traveled to Florida each year, and our adventures to the state's many white sand beaches have remained a source of inspiration and relaxation. The soft sheer fabrics, the shells, the light colors of the sand and ocean and the casual feel of summer are ever present in my design. I always notice windows and natural light and incorporate as much fun into a home as possible — all things I am sure I picked up from the many holidays in Florida. — SE
Babette Holland
I grew up in a little house in Yonkers with wonderful memories of loving parents, but there wasn't, to put it politely, a travel budget, or somewhere to spend summer as a family. I was lucky and got to go to camp for a few weeks each season, camps that were geared to getting kids off the streets. My husband Tony's story is pretty much identical. So, our special place isn't in the past, but the future. Last year we bought a 1961 Modernist house, after searching for 10 months. It has three acres and tons of decks surrounded by protected land, no neighbors and a pool with cabanas, with views of three bodies of water. The first things we set up were the pool furniture, pool toys and a grill — no more visits from the fire department if the smoke from the BBQ grill on your city fire escape gets too thick! We're looking forward to piling up all those wonderful memories here, and for the first time since we've been kids, we actually are “having” summer. It's wonderful. I hope everyone out there has a great one, too. — BH
Doug Wilson
My family farm in central Illinois has been our homestead for 130 years. I spent many private childhood moments exploring the structure, textures and sounds from within the vast space of an old picturesque hip roof barn that stood proudly in the pasture. As I think back, my use of rustic, rough-hewn timber echoes those old pegged beams that rose to the rafters. Memories of textures from straw and barn-siding have sprung to life as decorative finishes and artwork throughout my designs. These early visuals definitely had an impact on my juxtaposing earthy and grounded texture with a modern aesthetic. — DW
Bense Garza
My favorite summer getaway is in Goliad, one of the three oldest cities in Texas. It's abundant with historic sites, outdoor recreation and nature tourism. Remarkably restored buildings surround the 1894 Courthouse Square and are filled with quaint shops and restaurants. Located just off the Square is the Market House Museum, overflowing with historical area facts on Goliad and its colorful history. It is this museum where I took my first art lessons at the age of 12. Visiting here brings back wonderful memories. Vacationing in Goliad always inspires me to create designs with a Latin American theme. Goliad is a true Texas destination. — BG
Greg O'Neal
I found my summer ideal three years ago. Imagine: mountains covered in evergreens, the sound of trickling creeks and croaking frogs, and nothing but nature all around you. Here my partner and I built our second home: a contemporary, raw cedar encrusted, eco-dwelling on stilts. Through a three story glass exterior wall, I can see the raw land and 60+ foot pine trees from any room in the house. I never knew how inspiring a place so still, so quite and so green could be. My designs have become more organic, simpler yet naturally complex. — GO
Randy Ouzts
The warm Sunday afternoons spent sitting under my grandparents' pecan trees, drinking sweet tea and talking about life are some of my fondest memories. Looking out over the garden from the pecan orchard made me appreciate how gratifying it is to experience the whole cycle, from beginning to end, spring to fall, of something planted as a seedling. I also think this way of life was the real opening for my career. Staying true to what I believe makes me better at what I do to this day. — RO
Panjiva is the leading intelligence platform for global trade professionals. With detailed information on 1.5 million companies that do business across borders, Panjiva is the go-to source for information for global trade professionals who want to...
more
Shopatron is the world's leading provider of global eCommerce for consumer goods. With Shopatron, orders placed on branded websites are offered to a managed network of global partners for fulfillment, typically for assignment to local retailers...
more
Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology solutions that automate, streamline, and accelerate product design, development, and manufacturing processes for industries using soft materials. Lectra develops the most advanced specialized...
more
Red Gold, LLC is one of America's largest producers of tomato products. Offering premium quality ketchup, tomatoes and tomato juice at a more affordable price than other national brands, Red Gold is the right choice for today's foodservice economy...
more
