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Unique Summer Home Decorating Ideas
With more daylight hours during the summer months, I find that I don’t need a desk lamp on my desk anymore. I swap it out for a potted plant and a picture frame rotating my kid’s artwork du jour. With that in mind, there are plentiful other summer home decorating ideas that you can easily achieve in your home. Do a quick google search, however, and you’ll get the same, tired ideas over and over:
Swap out your bedding.
Add fresh flowers.
Add bright colored throw pillows.
Hang some string lights outside.
Yawn.
Replace your furnishings with rattan for a beachy vibe, reupholster everything in brightly patterned fabrics, paint your entire house a lighter color.
Ok, but what about once summer is over? Who has the budget, space, or patience to rotate their furnishings seasonally?
I’ve got some practical tips that you can follow that won’t involve a lot of money, and will ensure that once summer is over, you don’t have to go redecorating your entire house, again.
6 Unique Summer Home Decorating Ideas
#1: Reposition artwork, furniture and rugs
Ok, this one involves a little bit of effort, but it will prolong the life of your furnishings significantly. Sunlight is notorious for fading out flooring, fabrics, rugs, pictures, artwork – basically almost anything that gets prolonged exposure. During the summer months, the direction and intensity of natural light entering your home changes. I like to rearrange my layouts to balance out sun exposure, minimize direct sunlight, and maximize the beauty that natural light can provide. You have the added benefit of a rearranged space that can feel fresh and new. (This tip of mine was featured on DecorMatters. Check out the article Summer Decor Made Simple: 23 Easy Ideas to Spruce Up Your Home).
#2: Upgrade your door mats
Your door mats, both inside and out, probably saw a lot of use after a long, cold winter. The summer is the perfect time to stash those away and bring out fresh door mats that are cleaner, thinner and visually lighter. I love Chilewich for summer door mats!
#3: Consider what your seating options feel like on summer-bare legs
Sitting on a cold, hard chair with bare summer legs can be shocking for you, and uninviting for guests! If your dining chairs aren’t upholstered, consider adding a removable cushion in light summer colors, such as white, soft blues, aquas or corals. If you have leather furniture, make sure to have a soft, summery thin throw blanket nearby. The contrast in textures is an added decor bonus!
The same goes for furniture in direct sunlight, especially outside. If the material gets hot, consider adding a cushion or throw blanket to avoid unexpected burns.
#4: Keep summer outdoor gear easily accessible
Add a decorative woven basket at least 12” tall in your entryway specifically for quick access to outdoor gear. I have two baskets – one is for my gardening gloves and shoes, and the other is for my kids to quickly grab (and put away!) their shoes, chalk, bike helmets, and other outdoor toys that I don’t want to leave outside, but I also don’t want scattered around my house!
#5: Summer home decorating with greenery - no flowers necessary
You probably have leafy branches in your yard that you never thought to snip and stick in a tall vase. They don’t need to have flowers! A few simple cut branches with interesting shapes or a variety of green shades can have a dramatic and sophisticated impact indoors.
#6: Refresh your towels, not just your bedding
Swapping your bedding for a lighter material such as linen is a popular summer decorating hack, but you should be swapping out your bath towels, bath mats, hand towels, and dish towels as well! I love to use thin, large bath sheets in the summer months, like these from Coyuchi. They remind me of wrapping up in a beach towel after a day of water fun.
Summer Home Decorating Ideas Recap
- Reposition artwork, furniture and rugs to protect from sunlight
- Update your over-worked, heavy duty winter door mats
- Consider what your seating options feel like on summer-bare legs
- Keep summer outdoor gear easily accessible and storable, in one location
- Bring the summer greenery inside by cutting branches from your own backyard
- Refresh your towels, not just your bedsheets
Here in Sonoma County and the San Francisco Bay Area, we are lucky to be able to enjoy indoor-outdoor living almost year-round. So, summer decorating seems a little unnecessary. But with a few practical tips, you can prolong the life of your furnishings, while giving your mental health a little summer boost.
Need help refreshing your home for summer? Reach out to us at hello@revelryinteriordesign.com or book a free consultation with us here.
Cheers,
Dana Feagles, Principal Interior Designer and Lover of Summer