While the rest of the country envisions Santa Barbara as a permanently sun-drenched postcard, we locals know the truth about late spring and early summer. Enter the marine layer. Whether you call it May Gray or June Gloom, that heavy, stubborn blanket of fog rolling off the Pacific can make the months of May and June feel a bit, well, melancholy.
When the natural light outside goes completely flat, it has a funny way of draining the life out of our interiors, too. Suddenly, that crisp white living room that felt so breezy in April can feel chilly and uninspired. But before you resort to turning on the heater or hiding under a winter duvet, there are a few clever ways to trick your senses and bring the warmth back into your home.
Here is my designer’s playbook for making your space feel cozy, bright, and deeply inviting, even when the sun is taking a morning nap.