Stampede is winding down. Time to pack up the cowhides and lanterns - or not. For many seasons, cowhide rugs have been popular accents for both contemporary country and modern interiors.

There are so many other lovely ways to bring summer into your home. If you enjoy making seasonal changes, here are a couple of new titles for inspiration.

Summer House, by Terry John Woods, features cottage-style, summer decorating, the way you might do it for your summer house in Maine which is exactly what Woods has. Seashells and polished beach rocks line the shelves; surfaces are weathered; accessories are nautical. Vintage collectibles, such as old alarm clocks and jadite tableware, punctuate decor. There is no edgy twist to vintage here; just full-blown nostalgia.

The book is laced with sepia-toned photos evocative of summers past: cricket games on the lawn, family gatherings, floating on inner tubes. You get the drift.

Cottage style is budget-friendly, embracing finds from flea market and Mom and Dad's basement. Old pieces are rehabbed with a lick of paint or just dusted off. Best of all, it offers relaxed comfort year round.

Get crafty and take advantage of all the good things in your garden with Everyday Eden: 100+ Fun, Green Garden Project for the Whole Family to Enjoy by Christina Symons & John Gillespie.

Herbs flavour salts and butter. Bread is baked in flower pot and bucket. Succulents are shaped into dramatic sculptures, wall art and wreaths. From old glass containers, they fashion garden cloches to protect seedlings. Mismatched glasses create “candle opera” with tea lights.

As you might expect, Symons and Gillespie, who live in Roberts Creek, B.C., have a wonderful garden. See it on their blog and get an ongoing crafty fix.

NEXT WEEK: I'm playing in the water. The topic is home-made water fountains.