Summer Home Tour And Easy Decorating Tips

Get your home summer ready with ideas and inspiration from our Summer Home Tour! Lots of simple and easy ways to add a bit of the summery season to the rooms in your home.

SUMMER HOME TOUR- SUMMER DECOR ON FRONT DOOR

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Summer! What a beautiful time of year in Lancaster Co! Right now the days are gloriously warm and the evenings cool. No oppressive heat and humidity yet! The evening is getting longer and everything outside is growing and taking its turn to bloom.

Inside the Taglewood House summer is making its presence known! So it’s time for a tour!

A big thank you to Kelly at The Tattered Pew for organizing our tour! Kelly is such a sweet friend! I met her at Haven blogging conference years ago! Make sure to stop by her beautiful home and see what she is sharing this summer.

If you are coming from Suzy at Worthing Court, welcome! Suzy is a very good friend of mine and my almost twin. We were born one day apart. I visited Suzy a few years ago and we had a blast! Her home is gorgeous and she is the epitome of Southern hospitality! Her blue and green forward porches are stunning! I would love to sit on the back porch and drink sweet tea with her! I know you were blessed by your visit with her!

No matter how you found this tour WELCOME! I’m so glad you stopped by for a visit!

When you are finished visiting, see Part 2 of our Summer 2023 Home Tour. Come see my Summer Kitchen.

The Front Door

SUMMER HOME TOUR- SUMMER FRONT DOOR

Every season begins at our front door. I like to start each season by making a wreath or basket or other door decoration.

This summer I made a basket full of faux hydrangeas to hang on the door. It’s a cheery welcome for anyone who graces our front porch! And that means YOU! Hydrangeas are my favorite summer flowers. We have quite a few varieties around the outside of our home. So it seems fitting to add hydrangeas to our front door!

SUMMER HOME TOUR- HYDRANGEA BASKET

This summer door basket was super easy to make. Even if you are not crafty you can make one and use your favorite summer flowers!

JOIN OUR STONEGABLE COMMUNITY

The Foyer

Let’s start in the foyer. Summer is the time I like to keep decor simple! This year I’m all about using annuals and perennials indoors instead of cut flowers. I think it is important to decorate our homes with things we love.

Because I am a seasonal home decorator I love giving a nod to the season at hand with things I find right outside my front door. And this year we planted lots of flowers, so using annuals and perennials indoors makes decorating sense to me.

SUMMER HOME TOUR- ANNUALS IN AN URN

I’ve used outdoor summer flowers indoors in the past but this year they are a big part of my summer decor. Instead of buying flowers, I planted annuals in containers. I chose mostly white blooms with the exception of the pretty peachy begonias I used in the family room.

For the foyer, I planted a whispy white browallia hybrid called Endless Flirtation in a soup tureen I retrieved from the kitchen. These annuals will last longer than cut flowers, need little attention, and when the blooms fade I’ll plant them in my gardens outside. When they are planted outside they will keep blooming until frost.

Using perennials or annuals indoors and then replanting them in the garden is such a big win/win! I get to enjoy them indoors and then outside. You can see more about How To Use Summer Annuals And Perennials Indoors here.

We have a very long foyer. It has some interesting architecture, arches, and different ceiling heights. When you first come in our front door, the office is to the right, and a foyer console table is to the left. The image below shows about one-third of our foyer.

SUMMER HOME TOUR- SUMMER FOYER

Keeping things simple in our home means less to take care of and that makes me very happy! I would rather be outside tending our raised beds and container of flowers or sitting on the patio working on my blog! And speaking of our patio, you can see our Summer Porch And Patio Here. The patio is my happy spot!

SUMMER HOME TOUR- FOYER DECORATED FOR SUMMER

In the summer, I love a little candlelight in the evening. The gold lantern has a battery-operated candle on a timer so I don’t have to worry about blowing it out. Just that little glow makes the foyer look so pretty! Think about adding ambiance with candles and lanterns to your summer home.

FOYER WITH CONSOLE TABLE AND A MIRROR

My summer hat and grab-and-go straw bag hang on a hook in the foyer. I love this hat! I wear it almost everywhere when I go outside! It is crumple-proof and provides just enough shade for my eyes and face.

When my straw hat and tote are not in use they double as decor!

SUMMER HAT AND TOTE HANGING ON A HOOK IN THE FOYER

At the end of the foyer sits a white bookcase with metal and glass doors.

LOOKING INTO THE LIVING ROOM FROM THE FOYER

I mostly keep decor in this bookcase with a smattering of white and burlap-covered books and a few animal print decoupaged books too. In our open-concept, downsized home we don’t have a lot of walls to put large pieces of furniture on. I am so grateful to have a little wall space at the end of the hallway to house this versatile piece.

bookcase with decor

We have lived in our Tanglewood home for three and a half years. I have always said it takes about three years to make a home feel like yours. And I was right, especially about making this home feel like us. It took me quite a while to figure out how to embrace this space and decorate it. Open concept is lovely to live in but honestly, it is a bear to decorate!

Fall will bring some new changes to the foyer. I’m hoping to finally put hardwood floors in the foyer like the rest of our home. I am not a fan of tile!

And I would like to change out our solid front door for one with glass windowpanes. Our home is so light and bright except for the foyer. We will have to get the change approved by the Home Owner Association. So we will see.

You might like to read…

Foyer Decorating, The Evolution Of Our Foyer

Decorating A Bookshelf The Easy Way

Let’s head into the living room.

The Living Room

I have a bit of a confession to make. Well, maybe not a confession because I did not do anything wrong. But I want to explain something.

I’ve been taking pictures for this tour for about four days. A few here and there. And while taking pictures I also have been changing things around!

Here’s an example…

The drink container, aka, the planter filled with verbena was originally created to go on the white buffet.

SUMMER HOME TOUR- BEAUTIFUL PERENNIALS PLANTED IN A WHITE PLANTER ON A BUFFET

However, when I was styling the dining area, I liked the planter with verbena better there.

SUMMER PLANTS ON A DINING ROOM TABLE

So, you will see an assortment of items changed around from picture to picture. I hope that is not too confusing.

As a decorator, I have a compulsion to change things around and try different variations of the same thing like planting different outdoor plants indoors. It’s my way of honing my skills. Do you do that too? My accent decor is never too cozy in one place!

The largest wall in our home is in the living room and our white buffet and antiqued mirror live there. I’ve kept the living room very light and airy for summer. Lots of whites and light neutrals.

The views from our windows are just so pretty. They are the real focal points of our rooms. It took me a few years to figure out why I did not like using color (other than neutrals) in our home. It is mostly because of all the windows we have and the ever-changing views of the golf course and countryside!

SUMMER DECOR IN THE LIVING ROOM

This summer, I defaulted to using decor I like instead of bringing in a lot of new summer decor. The tall vase with the faux greens is a favorite of mine. I think the greens are so graceful and whispy.

WHITE BUFFET WITH DECOR

Since we added a big painting over the mantel, I keep the decor on the mantel minimal. A trio of brass candlesticks to either side of the painting is all the mantel needs. This year I added a few more pieces of art to our home. It all started with the Corner Barn painting on the mantel.

LIVING ROOM WITH FIREPLACE

This summer I tried a couple of pillow combinations on the spindle chairs. The floral pillows are a holdover from the spring. I really like these pillows and think they work for summer too.

I recently got neutral striped pillows and used them on the spindle chairs as well.

BLACK TABLE WITH A POTTED GERANIUM ON IT

Which ones do you like for summer?

This summer a white rush seat bench became a coffee table. This bench is usually in the dining room with an upholstered cushion on it. But I called it to stand in as a summer coffee table!

SUMMER HOME TOUR- COFFEE TABLE WITH A POTTED GERANIUM

It changes the look of this room. The bench has a very informal almost cottage look that gives a relaxed vibe to our living room.

The centerpiece for the coffee table is an old planter with three white geraniums and diamond frost euphorbia. I love the look of these two annuals together!

To keep these annuals looking fresh, I pull off the individual blooms as they begin to brown and when all the flowers are spent I’ll plant them on the side of our house with the euphoria. The euphorbia will bloom like pretty airy clouds of white flowers till frost!

I’ll add more annuals to the little planter all summer long.

SUMMER HOME TOUR-CLOSE UP OF A POTTED GERANIUM

I’m thinking peach begonias like the ones on the Curlacue chest would look pretty.

SUMMER LIVING ROOM

In the floating frames above the Curlacue chest are summery prints of meadow flowers. I found them Here and Here. It’s fun to change up art seasonally! And these floating frames make it so easy!

TWO PICTURES IN FLOATING BLACK FRAMES ABOVE A CHEST

And on the Curlacue chest is a hobnail planter with pretty peach-colored begonias.

BEGONIAS IN A HOBNAIL PLANTER

The begonias should do well indoors. I’m hoping they will continue to grow and bloom. I LOVE this pretty soft color!

CLOSE UP OF BEGONIAS

You might like to read…

How To Decorate A Buffet, Sideboard, Hutch, Console, Or Any Other Flat Surface

9 Best Tips To Help You Update A Tired Room

Best Living Room Decorating Ideas

The dining room is next.

The Dining Room

Our dining room is small and open and used every day!

DINING ROOM

I read cookbooks like other people read romance novels. I LOVE them!

SUMMER HOME TOUR- SUMMER DINING ROOM

The dining room table is a great place to read decorating and cookbooks! The views outside the dining room are so pretty. I can see some of our raised beds and containers full of flowers. This year we added a few birdfeeders right outside a couple of our windows and have lots of yellow finches visiting. I could watch them all day. And so could our little cat Teddy.

BOOKS AND A COFFEE MUG ON THE DINING ROOM TABLE

This summer, the centerpiece on the table is a large drink container filled with white verbena. These plants are perennials. So when the blooms are spent I will plant them in the back garden and these pretty plants will come up year after year.

I put purple verbena in this container a couple of summers ago and it is thriving outside!

SUMMER HOME TOUR- PERENNIAL CENTERPIECE

You might like to read…

Best Tips For Decorating A Small Dining Room

Beautiful And Easy Dining Room Centerpiece Ideas

The Evolution Of A Dining Room

Ready to head to the sunroom?

DINING ROOM LOOKING INTO THE SUNROON

The Sunroom

SUMMER HOME TOUR- SUNROOM WITH SOFA AND SWIVEL CHAIR

Our sunroom is small but lives large! Changing out the pillows and the centerpiece on the coffee table gives a nod to the season at hand. Pillows can change the look of a room like no other accent decor.

This summer I used pillows in light neutrals and my favorite indoor/outdoor pom pom pillows.

If you have a room that gets lots of use, keep the seasonal decor simple.

SUMMER HOME TOUR- SUMMER PILLOWS ON A SOFA

I planted annuals in a footed bowl for the coffee table.

SUMMER HOME TOUR- BOWL OF GREENS ON A COFFEE TABLE

This little planter has Swedish ivy, euphoria, and caladium. I’m hoping to keep this planter all summer long. I think the Swedish ivy and caladium will do well, but I am not sure about the euphoria. I think I’ll replace the euphoria when it is spent with white begonias.

CLOSE- UP OF GREENS IN A BOWL

Besides the planter, the coffee table is a great place for books. I love books! Right now my three favorite decorating books are stacked next to the planter.

SUMMER HOME TOUR- BOOK ON A COFFEE TABLE

James T Farmer is one of my favorite Southern designers. I love low country sensibility and the way he describes things. He has a gift beyond decorating. His book Celebrating Home is a beautiful read.

A Place Called Home is another book by James T Farmer and probably my favorite decorating book.

And Home Made Lovely is a book about the blessings of home. Its author is Shannon from Home Made Lovely.

Here is my favorite spot in the sunroom. I like to sit and read and watch the golfers. This is such an old chair but it is so so comfortable. Everyone loves it! The little drink table next to the chair is another favorite of mine.

CHAIR WITH A BASKET BESIDE IT

I have an obsession with drink tables! They are so useful! Great for a little plant, a drink, or a place to put my reading glasses! I have them in every room. If you don’t have a table or flat surface next to a chair or sofa, think about getting a drink table. They are decorative and useful! What a great combination.

The upholstered cubes under the window get moved around in the sunroom. We use them to prop our feet up or for extra seating. I like to keep a stack of books on the cubes that I can easily reach from my chair. These upholstered cubes were very inexpensive and quite a bargain!

FAMILY ROOM

You might like to read…

How To Decorate A Small Living Room

How To Redecorate A Room Step-By-Step

How To Make A Small Space Live Larger

Click The Video For More Inspiration

Shop Our Summer Home

The exact items are listed when they are available. Similar items may be listed when the original ones are no longer available

BOWL OF ANNUALS ON A COFFEE TABLE

Hey friends, our tour here is about over. But there is lots more touring to do today and the rest of the week. I hope you are taking some easy summer decorating ideas with you!

Next on our tour is my dear friend Julie from My Wee Abode. Julie is an amazing person! Right now she is taking care of her mother who has dementia. Julie blogs about small home solutions. She inspires me and I know she will inspire you too!

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Summer!

Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours

This week I am joining some of my blogging friends for the Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours. Twenty eight talented and creative women will be opening their homes up for you to tour all week long. You can visit each summer home tour by clicking the links below.

Monday’s Tours

The Tattered Pew // Worthing Court // StoneGable

My Wee Abode // Southern Home and Hospitality // My Thrift Store Addiction

Tuesday’s Tours

She Gave It a Go // Cottage In The Mitten // Eleanor Rose Home

Peacock Ridge Farm // Bricks n’ Blooms // Cottage On Bunker Hill

Wednesday’s Tours

White Arrows Home // A Life Unfolding // Simply2Moms

WM Design House // White Lilac Farmhouse

Thursday’s Tours

The Ponds Farmhouse // Thistle Key Lane // Open Doors Open Hearts

Robyn’s French Nest // Cloches and Lavender // DIY Beautify

Friday’s Tours

Pasha Is Home // My Family Thyme

Midwest Life and Style // Amy Sadler Designs

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60 Comments

  1. Hi Yvonne, your home decor is lovely and I’m a huge fan of greenery and your pretty potted verbena! Pinned! Blessings, Cecilia @My Thrift Store Addiction

  2. Rachel Harper says:

    Yvonne,
    Simply stunning! Such a beautiful home tour.

  3. Freddie Ann says:

    Can’t visit right now, I’m at work 🙂 But this will make a nice “visit” for my lunch hour.

  4. Kate | Southern Home and Hospitality says:

    Your home looks so lovely and fresh for summer Yvonne! I love the idea of using real annuals to bring summer inside. And your sunroom is as beautiful as the view of the golf course – I’m sure you enjoy spending time there!!

  5. Such a great tour and pretty home. Your front door is such a pretty color! What is the name of the paint color on your front door?

  6. Your home is lovely’s bright and airy.I love all the windows that let the natural light come in.We live on the 4th hole of a golf course and I like to watch the golfers go by !

  7. Yvonne, your summer home and decor is jsut as lovely as ever. I too love moving decor around often just like you so when you were talking about that I could totally relate! Your home feels so fresh and now I want a pot of white geraniums indoors too. Have a blessed summer my friend and thank you for sharing your talents and home with us all!

    1. Kelly, you are such an inspiration and encourager! Thank you so much for including me in your beautiful tours! I love your blue and green this summer. And the pic of you laughing is priceless!

  8. Sherry Darlington says:

    Dear Yvonne, I simply love everything you do in your home! I ordered the white pottery jars from Pottery Barn based on the many ways you used them. They are my favorite! I would love to see you change your dining chairs & chandelier. They just don’t seem “Yvonne” to me. Thank you for sharing your home.

  9. Jill Bakeman says:

    Love the white platter–where did you purchase the monogram decal?

    1. Look on etsy. I got this so long ago I’m not sure what vendor it was from.

  10. CarolBinTX says:

    Beautiful! Every room looks so restful and serene. I’m re-doing my guest room, cream, white, taupe and a touch of black. I bought drapes, sheets and a lampshade, the rest was from shopping my house!. I would generally add a some color, but I think I’m going to leave it all neutral for awhile to see how I like it. I’m always late to decorating trends and going all neutral is a couple years late for me. I have gone neutral on bigger ticket items and I’m pleased with the look, but always feel I need some kind of “pop”. We’ll see.

    And yes, I move things from place to place daily! Drives my hubby nuts!

  11. Thanks for the tour, everything is lovely.
    I miss the black bench as your coffee table.

  12. Freddie Ann says:

    That was a nice tour, I was happy to see your sun room. We moved last year and we now have a sun room . . . with dark furniture. I obviously need to change that to a lighter color. Lovely tour..

  13. Stunning home tour!!! Your use of neutral colors with natural elements is so inviting and cozy!

  14. Simply2Moms says:

    I am absolutely obsessed with your front door and entryway! So inviting and pretty!! Thanks for sharing all these fantastic decorating tips!

  15. Always a pretty home tour. I am a big fan of greenery indoors. I also have finch feeders outside my living room window. They are a joy to watch. Nice touring with you this week!

  16. Yvonne! I always love your home tours! So fresh and beautiful! I am so like you with the moving decor. After I finish one room I’ll go to the next and before I know it I’m flip flopping things about hahaha I also love the way you decorate with living plants in your home!! It adds so much life!

  17. Suzy Handgraaf says:

    Everything is styled so lovely and perfectly for summer, my friend! I very much enjoyed taking a tour of your home today.

  18. Beautiful spaces in your home.

  19. Your home is so beautiful and restful. I love it. Blessings to you.

  20. Brendt Blanks says:

    Hey Yvonne Your summer house tour was stunning! You gave me lots of great ideas – it was so inspiring! I had so much fun being on this blog tour with you. Here’s to a great summer!
    xoxo,
    Brendt

  21. Michelle | Thistle Key Lane says:

    The flowering plants look right at home in your summer decor! Everything looks so fresh, easy going and relaxed Yvonne! You have so many pretty ideas I want to borrow!

  22. Julie Briones says:

    Using all the real plants and flowers really elevated your summer decor this season, Yvonne. Love it! And those prints above the curlicue… perfect! I keep meaning to tell you how pretty the cabinet in the entry is! Where is the one that used to be there? I like those floral pillows on the chairs, as well! As always, everything looks lovely! Pinned, and thanks for the shout-out!

    1. You are just the sweetest Julie! I gave the other bookcase away to a friend of Christopher’s.

  23. Jennifer Howard says:

    Yvonne, I am the same way!! Sometimes I don’t realize I’ve moved things around until I’m editing the pictures!

  24. Yvonne your home looks beautiful! I enjoy doing the home tours with you and seeing it each season. The planters look beautiful and I love the peachy color palette with the neutrals. Have a wonderful summer!

  25. Not a fan of tile either but you make yours feel warm and cozy! I hope you get your wood floor this fall.
    Your home looks all cool and set for some hot summer days. I’m planting many, many flowers outside about now but trying to focus on perennials so I don’t have to keep planting up flowers each season. Great idea to bring some annuals indoors!

  26. Wendy McMonigle says:

    So beautiful Yvonne. I always enjoy seeing your style. The plants are just the perfect pop of color in your home.

  27. Amy Sadler says:

    Yvonne, your home is so inspiring! From the front door to the sunroom, there is always something beautiful to rest your eyes on! Now you have me thinking of bringing some of my potted plants inside too! Thank you!

  28. Libbie Burling says:

    Yvonne,

    Your home tours are always so lovely, and this one did not disappoint! I love the idea of planting annuals inside and am heading out to the plant shop later this am. (my hubby is going to be so excited!). It is a delight to be touring with you this week. 🙂

  29. Your décor is always so inspiring. When I’ve planted in containers, the soil and fertilizer seem to always make the container useless for any subsequent use. Do you reserve your beautiful “drink container” (pictured on your dining table) only for container gardening? Or do you have a way to protect it so you can use it for food, drinks or another purpose?

    1. Hi Margaret. The drink container seems to be fine. I did however ruin a wooden container I potted a plant in a few years ago.

  30. Cindy Kirkley says:

    Yvonne,
    I love your decorating blog and your Sunday posts as well. I have a question about the green rug you posted in your foyer re-do. It was the one with the brown and white Kirkland lamp. I remember it was from Wayfair, but I can’t seem to find it.
    Please help!
    Thank you,
    Cindy

    1. Cindy Kirkley says:

      Yvonne,
      Thank you for responding so quickly to my question! If you wouldn’t mind, send me the post as I was interested in other items you had.
      Thanks again!
      Cindy

        1. Cindy Kirkley says:

          Yvonne,

          You are the best!
          Thanks for the link to your blog!

          Cindy

  31. Love your blog! Is the large drink container, displayed on your dining room table, available for purchase? Thank you!

    1. Hi Sande, I found this drink container at Pottery Barn. However, I have not seen it on their site recently.

      1. Thank you for your prompt reply!