Every summer, I used to approach patriotic table decorating the same way most people do. I’d pull out the brightest red napkins I could find, layer in obvious star-spangled details,…

Every year, I used to make the same mistake with Fourth of July porch decorating. I’d start buying anything that looked obviously patriotic — bright plastic stars, oversized flags, shiny…

I used to think creating a coastal living room meant committing to obvious beach-house details. Blue-and-white stripes everywhere, shell decor on every surface, maybe a rope mirror if you really…