Striped Umbrellas, Blue Shutters: Inside the Riviera Look Everyone's Chasing This Summer
This is old-world Mediterranean glamour at its most photogenic: a sun-bleached stone villa with pale blue shutters, wrapped in olive trees, overlooking a long turquoise pool. Every scene repeats the same winning formula — a striped umbrella (navy, sage, or sandy tones) shading a pair of teak loungers at poolside, stone or terracotta tile underfoot, and climbing greenery framing the architecture. The pool itself acts as a mirror, doubling the sky and the villa's facade in the water. It's the aesthetic of the French and Italian Riviera — Saint-Tropez meets Positano — built on natural materials, muted stripes, and the golden light of late afternoon.
Invest in one great striped umbrella. A cabana-style stripe in navy, sage, or sand instantly reads "Riviera" more than any other single object.
Choose teak or weathered wood furniture. Loungers and chairs should look like they've lived outside for years — that's the point.
Let stone be the flooring. Natural stone or aged terracotta pavers ground the whole look; avoid anything too polished or modern.
Paint the shutters pale blue. A soft, chalky blue against warm stone walls is the single most recognizable color pairing of the style.
Plant olive trees or climbing vines. Silvery olive foliage and greenery creeping up the facade soften the architecture and add age.
Make the pool a mirror. A long, narrow pool that reflects the villa and sky does more for the photo than any decor piece.
A pair of loungers sits beneath a wide navy-and-cream striped umbrella at the pool's edge, with the stone villa and shuttered windows rising just behind — the classic establishing shot of the look.
Two umbrellas overlap in front of a weathered blue door, with a wooden bench and terracotta pots creating a cozy, layered entrance nook shaded by olive branches.
A striking symmetrical view down the length of the pool shows the full villa facade reflected in the water, striped umbrella on one side balancing the tall shuttered windows above.
Sun-dappled stone steps lead past a striped umbrella and loungers toward an arched doorway, with olive branches overhead casting dappled shadows across the terrace.
A tighter crop on the striped umbrella and lounge chairs emphasizes the texture of the woven fabric and weathered wood against the glowing turquoise water.
A wider angle captures the full two-story villa with its pale blue shutters and climbing vines, the pool stretching out in the foreground under bright daylight.
This vertical shot zooms into the architectural detail — pale blue shutters, aged stone, and a climbing vine — with the pool and loungers glimpsed just below.
Warm late-day light washes over the umbrella and loungers, giving the stone and water a golden glow that captures the relaxed, end-of-day mood of the Riviera.
A softer, sage-green striped umbrella offers a fresh take on the palette, paired with matching cushioned loungers beside the pool for a slightly more muted, garden-like finish.