Summer always brings new excitement and optimism. We look forward to reflecting the ease of the season in clothing and fashion accessories. Changing your home for the summer is another way to celebrate the sun and fun ahead. Small, simple changes can have a big impact and help your home echo the bright, fresh feeling of the summer.
Upholstery & fabric
One of the first things I do when summerizing a home is to slipcover upholstered furniture. This is a great way to completely change the feel of a room. Slipcovers for sofas and upholstered chairs are affordable, easy to find in standard sizes, and available in a multitude of colors and textures. Even dining room chairs look great with slipcovers! Look for white muslin or light-colored linen ones. You can’t go wrong by lightening the room with light fabric on your big, upholstered pieces. Add drama and color with your throw pillows. If you don’t want to buy new pillows, just take your existing ones and buy new covers for them. Either find brighter versions of the colors in your room now or use some of the hot new colors of the season, such as sea foam and lime green, turquoise and coral. Texture makes a big difference, so replace your wool or chenille pillows with cotton or linen ones.
Accessorizing for summer
Accessorizing is always my favorite part of designing a room. It is where you really see the personality of the people living there. Think light, and put all of your deep-colored accessories away until the fall. Use clear glass vases and solid white decorative objects. Interesting coral and seashell accessories are available this time of year; they speak for themselves, making them easy to place throughout your home.
Wall color
Many people think changing a wall color is the quick fix to changing the feeling of a room, and it usually is. Changing your wall art is a much more practical and realistic way to make a dramatic difference for a seasonal change, though. Just find similar-sized pieces as the art you have hanging now, and all you have to do is switch them out — no hammers or drills necessary.
Window treatments
Summer is also a great time to think about windows. Light and bright being the inspiration, windows are your links to the outdoors, making window treatments one of the most important aspects of your summer room. If you already have fabric panels on your windows, an easy change is to replace them with a lighter color or texture. In-stock window panels are readily available from many sources.
Solar shades are another thing to consider, especially this time of the year. They are practical and energy-saving window treatments that maintain views while filtering UVA and UVB rays. As summer’s temperatures rise, solar shades will help keep your home cool and your electricity bill down. They also offer the added benefit of protecting your furniture, rugs and indoor fabrics from fading.
With brighter accessories and lighter fabrics, your home will be dressed for the summer. It’s just like trading your wool blazer for a sun dress!
DIY Home Décor Project for summer
DIY curtains
Learn how to make your own curtains for summer in this video.
Leave a Comment