Welcome to our new home!

So we finally have a new blog post for you. Sorry we've been away for a while, but I think (hope) you'll be happy with the reason why - we've been working on several projects. As we promised, here is an update on some of the work we've done at home. 

We had this atrocious entry hall (sorry whoever was here before us). An entry hall should welcome your guests and give them a hint of what to expect within your home. Our entry hall had this linoleum floor that felt . . . well, cheap. It wasn't welcoming and I HOPE it didn't give anyone a hint of what to expect inside the rest of our home. 

We couldn't take up the linoleum so we had to figure out a way to cover it up.  A simple throw rug wouldn't do it for us, because we didn't want to see even the slightest hint of linoleum peeping out from under it.  Also, see if YOU could find a throw rug that would make this floor look good!  We decided to look at Flor carpet tiles.  It is a high traffic area and we knew if a tile got dirty we could either lift it up to clean it or replace it if it was beyond hope.  We ended up selecting the "Fedora" style in flannel and charcoal. At $8 a square it wasn't bad.  We signed up for their emails and also got free shipping, which saved us a ton of money.

Our original idea was to alternate tiles to create stripes.  However, when the tiles arrived we realized that each square was so big that we would end up with a total of just three stripes across the entry way.  That wasn't going to have the impact we wanted, so we decided to cut the tiles in half.  This was a labor of love!  Matthew found instructions on cutting carpet tile on Apartment Therapy.  You can read the step-by-step instructions here.  We also invested a carpet knife and a t-square, and we highly recommend these tools.  The results were great.  While not overly difficult it wasn't easy either.  It took a lot of measuring and careful cutting to get the tiles to line up correctly.  Matthew's lack of patience the carpet knife also caused a minor injury, so we recommend being very careful with this tool!

Notice those stripes on the wall?  We actually color matched them and aligned them to the strips on the carpet tiles, but we'll tell you all about that in another post.  Now we have an entry that is inviting and accurately reflects our style.

Did I remember?

When it comes to shopping for those on your list, we at next summer have endless possibilities. But we know good design and living the good life extends beyond our shelves. Check out our gift ideas - from fun products in our store to an innovative style setting company to our top charitable picks - all very carefully curated to help you find the perfect something for those in your life. 

1. Warby Parker Gift Card ($95): Stylish, hip and forward-thinking. For every pair of glasses they sell, they give away a pair to someone in need.

2. Joseph Joseph Large Double Dish ($28): The perfect gift for all the hosts and hostesses out there throwing parties throughout the holiday season. It allows for multiple items to be served and a tiny holder for toothpicks; not to mention a larger hidden catch-all for pits and shells so you don't have to see your mess and the host can spend less time cleaning up and more time with guests.

3. Liberty Puzzles ($88 - $108): The locations depicted on these beautifully crafted wooden puzzles will stir fond memories for the giftee... sailing on the water, the paddock at Saratoga Race Track, skating on a frozen pond. It’s a gift that will last generations.

4. Christine’s Originals Rings ($68): Outwardly fun, these rings bring a little whimsy into the life of a confident, sophisticated wearer.

5. Lindsay's Pick (Visions of Sugarplums danced in their heads) JDRF:JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Giving a donation helps move this important research forward. 
Matthew's Pick (I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas)  The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust : The Trust dedicates itself to the protection and preservation of Africa’s wilderness and its denizens. A monetary donation helps endangered species such as elephants and black rhino (but no hippos). 

next summer . . . it's just around the corner

We at next summer love having something to look forward to. When we chose the name, "next summer", we wanted something optimistic and forward thinking. What's more optimistic than looking forward to next summer? Well, something all of us here and many of our customers have been looking forward to is almost here - our online store. It's taken a long time and it's not quite done, but in the next couple weeks you'll finally be able to order next summer products online at our website, www.suppliesforagoodlife.com. 

Since we're located in two popular summer destinations, Bolton Landing and Saratoga Springs, we get visitors from all over the country and indeed the world. We've been flattered to have so many of you tell us how much you love our store and that we have things you can't find anywhere else (I'm so glad you noticed, we work very hard to achieve that mix). We want you to be able to find those items when you're back at home, not just in our two favorite towns. We love hearing from all the fun people we meet throughout the year. Now we're hoping to make it easier for you to find updates from us throughout the year. Stay tuned to see when our page goes live!

Homecoming - a good life in VT

This past weekend Lindsay and I went to Homecoming at Middlebury College. I have told Lindsay about the fond memories I had of attending the Homecoming game as a student.  My friends and I would go to the game with the intention of drinking more than our fair share of beer. I remembered seeing these impressive spreads put out by alums. I always looked forward to doing Homecoming with the same style when I returned years later. 

Lindsay did a lot to help me realize my fantasy. A real Homecoming spread starts with an actual table. How civilized do you feel when you're eating off of a tailgate? Since Lindsay's a product of the south, she insisted on a tablecloth. We brought an indoor outdoor fireplace just in case it was cold, but we put the fire out after just a few minutes since the weather was perfect. We pulled out a Bauer plate for our cheese, crackers, salumi and grapes. We used recycled Zak! bowls for our nuts and our dessert mix. Chips went on shiny Model Metalworks platters.  Our mixed drinks went in Zak! travel mugs with colorful Zak! swizzle sticks. We added an acrylic napkin holder and colored napkins for cleanup. The point with this is that nothing should be considered over the top. Everything is within bounds. The best comment we got from passers-by was, "now that looks like the perfect way to spend a Saturday". 

after the tailgate was packed away, we headed into the stadium and watched the Panthers beat the Bates College Bobcats 38-23. 

I wanted to show Lindsay the new library, but just as we walked out the skies opened up and drenched the campus.

The day had been perfect up to that point, but when the rainbow came out after the shower, we knew we were living a good life. 

How Do You Hide?

As for cowhides, my family has gone the natural route.

Brett, my younger brother, has a light brindle grey in his urban condo overlooking Boston Harbor.

My parents have a dark tri color in their country home.

And, my black and white transitioned beautifully from a super modern living space that featured concrete floors and floor-to-ceiling glass windows to my current studio apartment in a hayloft. (Yes, as in a barn. I live in a barn. Don't judge.)

The black and white cowhide rug in the hayloft space.

Moral of the story: cowhides are incredibly versatile.

And durable.

And chic.

And you no longer to have to book a trip to Argentina to hand select the one you want. You simply have to stop in and visit next summer on Broadway in Saratoga.

We just received a shipment of traditional cowhide rugs and one speciality piece that will knock your decorating socks off:

The wild pink on white at next summer in Saratoga.

It's pretty fabulous, right?

We can't wait to see who scoops this gem up...

Visit next summer's Saratoga store to check out our entire selection and to see your custom order options.

Design is a game

How many Saratoga-specific items can you find in this photograph from our Saratoga store? Comment with your guess and we'll let you know which ones you might have missed. Happy searching!

DISCOVERED: Pipe & Holly

Truth be told, we first noticed them because they were wearing wellies.

"They" being Josie and Nicole.

Better known to you at next summer as Pipe & Holly.

After the boot envy subsided, their product took center stage. Hanging from a clothing line and piled high on tables were a wide range of playful, unique images that had been hand-carved and printed on children's clothing and linen napkins. We ended up being particularly fond of the locally-inspired images: sail boats, jockey silks and thoroughbred race horses.

As for Josie and Nicole, a creative business together has always been in the works.

The two attended undergraduate school together at Sage College of Albany as ceramic sculpture students and then continued on in the graduate art education program. Upon graduation, both became art education teachers. (Josie teaches high school art at Corinth Central Schools and Nicole is a middle school art teacher at Ballston Spa Middle School.)

This summer they took the big leap and launched Pipe & Holly, a block print company.

Their goal?

To take a step back into the world of hand crafted goods with a touch of modern flare.

That's a concept we at next summer can get behind.

With the school year in full-swing, both Josie and Nicole are back in the classroom; luckily, their products are still available at next summer in Saratoga and Bolton Landing.

next summer loves: Mamatoga Jenny

Recently Jenny at Mamatoga featured some of our custom Saratoga Springs pieces.  If you don't already follow her, you must start!  On her website and online magazine Jenny shares her experiences raising three kids under five while giving great resources for health and wellness, parenting, style, and cooking.  Even if you don't live in Saratoga Springs, you will find inspiration and helpful resources on her site.


Here are a few of the custom pieces from our store that she featured . . .

our Saratoga map pendant (we also sell earrings)

Saratoga needlepoint belt

Saratoga needlepoint coasters

We're so glad we opened a second location in Saratoga Springs.  It's an open and welcoming community with a lot of style.  Jenny is the epitome of that.  To see her full post click here.

So much to say . . .

Recently these pillows have been flying out of our store.  Their graphic text makes them an unexpected element in any room and they're also excellent conversation starters.  They look great on their own . . .

and also make nice accent pillows if you mix them with graphic prints, stripes or even animal prints.

We're about to place another order, so tell us which ones you'd like to see in our store!

Geo/Metric Pillows

Have you been admiring our Geo/Metric Thomas Paul pillows but not sure how they would work in your house?  Apartment Therapy just posted a Dream Living Room using these pillows. Mixing this bold print with warm, organic elements gives the room a modern feeling.

You can read more about the post here.  (Note: You can compare our $74 price tag to the $80 one on Apartment Therapy.  We like that!)

Indoor/Outdoor Rugs

During the past few months Matthew and I have been decorating a new apartment in Troy, New York.   One of the benefits to having two apartments is that they can "share" items.   If we get tired of a pillow in one apartment or don't know what to do with the side tables, we can try them in the other location.  We bought a few indoor/outdoor rugs from our store and have been thinking about moving them to our apartment in Troy.

I've been in a bit of a rut imagining what to do with them, so I decided to get some inspiration from a few blogs I follow.  The two rugs below are the exact ones we own.  Both of these images come from the blog Everything LEB which you can check out here.

I love the combination of the strip and the ornate wallpaper in the image above.

I would have never imagined combining a dark wall with this rug, but I think it works because the credenza keeps it light and airy.

Once I started looking for inspiration, I couldn't stop.  The acrylic table in the image above really updates this look.  Also, notice how the mirrors on the wall make the room look so much larger.  Brilliant!

I found this image on Canadian House & Home and decided I HAVE to find a staircase where I can do this.  Isn't this awesome?

If you have bought rugs from us, we would love to see what you've done with them!  You can send images to nextsummer@mac.com.

Obsessed with Kitchen Gadgets

We have been noticing a lot of smart kitchen gadgets out there.  Recent designs not only work effectively and save space, but they also look good.  From the minute we received our first shipment of these nesting bowls from Joseph Joseph (above) we have been in love.  The colors are not just for fun, they also help identify each utensil.  Measuring cups, a colander, strainer, and mixing bowl fit tightly together to save space in your cabinets.  But if you are like us, you'll leave them out on the counter instead.



Stephanie Todaro (from Design Sponge) created a list of the Top 15 Kitchen Gadgets for Foodies with an interesting mixture of classic and contemporary designs, all in bright colors and nice finishes.  We were excited to see our Joseph Joseph garlic rocker made the list! (Number 7 in the second picture.)


For more on Stephanie's post click here.

Mad Men of Saratoga

With the season premiere of Mad Men last night fresh in our minds, we decided to take a look around next summer to find those items that Don, Betty, Peggy, Pete, Roger, and Joan would most like. Some of these items they may already have, but we're sure, if they do, we could find something else for them.


We think Betty would love this fruit basket, it's got her sophisticated flair, and it's the perfect place for her to store the lemons that go so well in her regular "afternoon" drink. 

We've seen how Pete has treated that couch in his office. Now that he's finally getting to move to a better office with more windows, maybe he'd like something a little lighter and airier. This one's perfect. It's Danish Modern and would be a great contrast to the Corbusier pieces in Roger's office. 

In the picture below we have a few different items for a few different people. Peggy would love to install this clock in Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Price. It might finally get everyone down to work so she can land that Heinz account. 
Don is by no means a teetotaler, but some tea in the white Bauer tea pot might be just what the doctor ordered. If not, he can return to his regular drinks served in the blue Russel Wright pitcher. We just hope Megan doesn't bring home the yellow Bauer cookie jar. It might remind Don of when Betty caught him with his hand in the proverbial jar. 

Finally, we know Joan would love to pick up this leopard print bag from Scout. She could walk into the office three weeks from now and remind everyone in the secretarial pool who the queen of the jungle really is!

Spring has sprung at next summer

Well, spring, as they say, has sprung. In reverence to the season we so eagerly look forward to each winter, we've posted some of next summer's signs of spring. 


We know everyone was anticipating spring for a while now because all the walkers on Broadway seem to stop and giggle when they see our peeps-filled vase with the blooms of spring. 

But these aren't the only blossoms blooming. Come inside and see the Daisy Dish while you think about the indoor and outdoor parties you'll be throwing soon. 

Although we're still seeing a lot of brown on the ground and in the trees, we've begun to see more and more green - and green is the color of spring!

While green may be the first color that comes to mind, remember spring is the time of rebirth and all the colors begin to come out during spring. Just look at all the colors in these placemats and our space-saving stacking mugs (the perfect size for a medium-sized Keurig cup).  

Easter will be here before we know it. Next summer already has the perfect gifts. These pillows' bright colors are a subtle reminder of the spirt of spring, while the Easter eggs are a bold reminder of the season. 

But why should your head and back enjoy all the Easter fun? Let the rest of your body join in the revery with Easter soap. One bar has three bunnies hopping through floral-fragranced, Easter-egg filled grass. The other is a giant easter egg filled with fruity jelly beans.

The Timelessness of Good Design

Lindsay and I recently took a trip to New York City and visited two of our favorite spots – The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters. While exploring these sites we soon realized that much of the design we love has a timeless quality. That’s what makes it so appealing. Good design is not trendy or “hot”, it is simply constant. This became even more apparent on this trip.  We found some of our favorite pieces from the store had cameo roles in many of the art pieces we found in these great institutions.

The fantastic graphics found on this deck of cards in The Cloisters (the oldest most complete deck of cards in existence) are similar to the dramatic and fun graphics found on these wallets from Sloane Ranger

This 19^th Century European painting shows that the comfort and style of a cowhide rug enjoyed amongst family and friends is a constant.

This 1930 Jean Arp painting showed us the simple power of a red spoon. We were reminded of that when we looked at the Zak! Happy Spoon at next summer.

Finally, we loved the high contrast of the bright orange fish on the bright blue background in this surrealist piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.   It reminds us of our favorite glass that we carry at next summer.