EASY WAYS TO DECORATE FOR SUMMER
Let’s celebrate summer with some easy-to-do decorating ideas that will make our homes fresh and breezy and filled with the best summer has to offer! We don’t have to change out our whole decor! Just adding a few little summer inspired touches can lighten up our rooms and our moods too! Here are 10 simple ideas that we can do now to decorate for the summer season!
1. CELEBRATE WITH RED, WHITE AND BLUE
What other time of year are these colors more appropriate? Red, white and blue are the quintessential summer holiday colors! And they are so easy to add to the decor you already have!!! How about a few fun pillows in Old Glory’s colors? Or a table set with some fun red and blue bandanas? What could be easier?
This year I’m making some great red, burlap and blue (Pottery Barn Inspired) patriotic stars to hang around the house. How fun!!!! Look for a tutorial next weekend!
2. DECORATE WITH SHELLS
I used to feel that I had to live near the beach to use beachy elements in my home. Not true!!! I love to add some shells and starfish and sand dollars and even a little sand here and there! I’ve coined my beach look… beach chic!
Shells can look very dressy when they are added to a hammered silver and glass hurricane lantern like the one above! Fill a blue and white bowl to the brim with shells and you have such a great accent piece! Or string starfish on a rope and hang them from the mantel or a hutch for a sweet, simple look. A little handful of shells goes a long way to give your home summer appeal!
3. BRING IN THE CUT FLOWERS
Now this is good for the soul! I say, you can’t bring in too many garden flowers during the summer season!!! Don’t you think a bouquet of these colorful posies is far better than a dozen hot house roses? I sure do! Even if you don’t have many flowers… go out and cut live greens! A quick stop along the roadside can send you home with a handful of delicate Queen Anne’s lace to enjoy!
Instead of putting flowers in vases, used pitchers and creamers and tall glasses and mason jars. LOVE this quaint summer look!
4. DECORATE WITH IN-SEASON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Use what you bring in from your garden or roadside stands to fill a fabulous bowl and create a centerpiece! In season produce only comes around once a year so let’s let it fill our senses with it’s bright, varied colors and wonderful, fresh smell!
Many fruits and veggies can be left out a day or so before eating so why not enjoy their beauty on your kitchen counter or table!
I like to keep a big, verdant handful of fresh herbs on my island. I’m more likely to use them if they are in reach. And they look so pretty…and are highly fragrant!
One of my favorite veggies to display are tomatoes. They look and smell like summer to me. And in a big white bowl sitting on a great tea towel, they make the best summer centerpiece I can think of!
Even a tiny bowl, like the cherries above, will give an arrangement a big pop of color!
5. USE SEASONAL PILLOWS
Oh, any excuse to talk about pillows! Lighten up your sofas, chairs and beds by using summer inspired pillows. I know you have them! This is a gentle reminder to get them out and use them!!!!
6. ADD LIGHT COLORED SLIPCOVERS
I know this idea is a little expensive. HOWEVER, a great slipcover is far less expensive than a whole new piece of furniture and can save the fabric on sofas and chairs! As I am writing this, I’m having slipcovers made for my two leather family room chairs to lighten them up and save on wear and tear!
If you have lots of summer visitors and company and family and dogs in and out of your home, slipcovers are ideal… and they look SO GOOD too!
If slipcovering a big piece of furniture is not for you, how about using a drop cloth to cover a hassock or bench or kitchen chairs? What an easy way to update your summer look!
7. PUT A SUMMER WREATH ON YOUR FRONT DOOR
Give guest a big summer welcome before they step into your home! I think a fabulous, fun wreath decorated for summer sets the mood of the house. It starts right at the front door!
If you are a little more daring try planting real summer annuals in a basket and hang them from your front door. I did this for years! Just remember to water them!
Pinterest has great and really fun summer wreaths to inspire you!
For more ideas for a great summer wreath go to my Pinterest WREATH board by clicking HERE
8. NAUTICAL THEMES
I would love to own a home at the beach or on a lake or bay just so I could decorate my entire home in Nautical themes! I love love love nautical elements! Japanese glass floats, rope balls (well, anything rope), old oars, compass designs and nautical flags. These wonderful sea influenced decor items can be used very successfully in our homes even if we are not lucky enough to live near water! I use the rope balls, above, in a coffee table vignette most summers. Subtle nautical touches give a room a fresh and very crisp look!
A tall cylinder of Japanese glass floats would look amazing on a buffet or grouped on a table. And wouldn’t some inexpensive prints of nautical flags look smart in white frames flanking a hutch or lined up on the ledge of a mantel?
9. PLANT HYDRANGEAS
Hydrangeas are so popular right now and some will bloom all summer long! I am a huge hydrangea fan. I can’t imagine summer without them around the outside of my home and on my porch and spilling over in pitchers inside my home! And here’s some great news… there are some hydrangea varieties that are heat resistant and can be grown where hydrangeas could not be grown before!
Hydrangeas are so easy to grow especially planted around the foundation of a home. And with just a little care they can grow in pots and urns too.
If you would like to learn how to plant beautiful hydrangeas in pots and urns that will give you a whole summer season of blooms click HERE.
10. GO WHITE, LIGHT AND NEUTRAL
Literally, LIGHTEN UP! Get out your white dishes and display them! Use white throws and tablecloths! Paint a small table a great light color! Use all your white and neutral colored accents! Just for the summer season, put away heavy dark decor and fill your home with lots of light neutrals!
Did you know that you can spray paint may decorative items? Shop your house to find thing to transform for summer!
There you have it! 10 ways to decorate for summer!!!
What are some of the ways you like to decorate for summer? Let’s share!!!!
If you like these ideas you might want to save them on your SUMMER Pinterest board. You can follow me on Pinterest and see all the summer things I am pinning every day HERE.
I’m partying with:
Yay summer! Love these ideas, so fresh and beautiful! Enjoy your day.
You are inspiring me to complete my summer look for my home…..love your looks of summer!!!
Hi Yvonne I’m loving the pillow cover that looks like it’s been knitted from natural fibres, it would fit into any scheme x
Always an inspiring blog to visit!
Absolutely love all your tips! Would you mind sharing the name of your slipcover person. I’ve been thinking about selling a perfectly good sofa because of the color – it’s only 3 years old and was expensive. I just can’t bring myself to take on the slipcovering myself – way too much for me! But, if I could get a slipcover made instead of buying a new, not as quality sofa from Ikea, then that would be perfect! Thanks, Yvonne. You can email me! xoxo
Love everything about your home! Do you recall where you got the pillows with the birds?
I got them from a vendor at the Luckett’s Spring Market in Leesburg VA.
Aw shucks! Well, they are beautiful and I will now be obsessed with finding similar pillows!! I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate that you respond to your comments/questions -not just mine, but everyone’s – so Thank You!!
I found identical pillows at TJ Maxx 2 weeks ago. It might be worth a try !
Another lovely post my friend. I invite you to share at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop ( open until Sat midnight) xo
I love all of your ideas and especially anything to do with red, white, blue and nautical. I don’t let distance stop me from loving my beachy decor. I live in the heart of the Rockies and still decorate my home with a beach theme. I love it. I once heard a decorator say to use what you love. So, I do!
Good for you!!! Debbie I love your attitude!
Yvonne,
I love the idea of a slipcover for a leather sofa!! That idea never crossed my mind and I really want to replace my “leather” sofa. Where do you get your slipcovers or do you have them made?
I have a local seamstress make them. For a good fit someone should come to your home and pin them on you sofa.
WOW!!! Your my Daily Inspiration!!!!! Thanks for Sharing!!!
I needed this kick in the pants today. I have so much Americana just hanging out waiting to be displayed and I want to dress up the patio too. Off to TJ Maxx for a couple of pillows, I have all the rest, just needed to be inspired. Love the bird pillow. Pillows are so fun to change out for the mood, and like paint, a budget friendly way to change the entire room..
I love the neutral bird pillow cover. Do you happen to remember where you got it?
You’re always so inspiring, Yvonne!
The pillows came from a vendor at Luckett’s Spring Market in Va.
Lovely summer decor…I adore the nautical Americana look! Thanks Yvonne for the share!
Hi Yvonne! I just love what you’ve done to your farmhouse. I wish I could steal you away from Bobby and your family for just a little while!! All of your ideas are such inspirations. And I agree with you about slip covers. I can sew — very well if I do say so myself, so I am going for it. I am going to slip cover the sofa nobody wants because the pillow print is YUCK!! Yes, I bought it and liked it at the time — it will never wear out. It is solid oak and as heavy as can be. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
I love the nautical look, too, Yvonne. That’s how I have decorated my living room and bedroom using blue, white and coral. And I live in very land-locked Kansas!
Great Post and beautiful pictures! Thanks so much for the inspiration! I am ready to change pillows and decor around and to gear up the house for summer!!
Yvonne,
Great Tips for Summer decorating, dear friend!!!
I’m keeping the upper level living areas light and bright here on the Prairie!!!
With all our recent rains, Mother Nature has provided lovely hues of green
just beyond the patio doors off the living and dining room!!!
I’ve given thought to making my Spring wrath into a Summer wreath for our front door!
Yours is a gorgeous inspiration, indeed!!!
Here’s wishing you a wonderful weekend!!!
Fondly,
Pat
Lovely inspirations you have shared with us. I am partial to the nautical as I have a “beachy theme” in our front living room. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. Watch for your feature on Monday xo
I just love your blog. I just joined a week ago and am already in love. So glad I accedentally happened upon your site. I was wondering where you got the white, what seems like, candle holders that are in your last picture? They are beautiful I would love to get some for my beach decor. I also live in a land locked near the rockies state and love to decorate in beach theme. In fact for years that is all I decorated in, even at Christmas I had a Christmas tree with shell and starfish ornaments I made my self and a glass frosted fishnet for garland. As I have gotten older and accumulated more decor now it changes for the seasons. Again thanks again for having a wonderful site to inspire me.
Hi Erin, Welcome to the StoneGable family!!! So happy you found me! The candlesticks you are referring to are from my local POTTERY BARN OUTLET. I’m not sure if they are sold on line, but it would be worth a look. Hope this helps!
Yvonne I just posted your pic with the basket and flags on my Pinterest today. I dug out my Americana baskets and decor and had arranged a couple of baskets with my Stars and Stripes Melamine from the past. I traded out the dark basket for a lighter one because it blended too well with the table. Thank you for the inspiration, I still need to get pillows as I am really pulling out the stops this summer in Az. Helps when we are stuck inside because of the heat. I have even decorated the patio. I plan to post soon on my blog. Would love to share a couple of your pics on my blog if that is ok, giving you credit of course as my favorite design blog.