25 Summer Decorating Tips to Lighten Your Home - 5/23/2005 - Home Remodeling Interior Decorating Design
25 Summer Decorating Tips to Lighten Your Home by Phoebe Chongchua
Many schools are nearing the end of the year and that's a sure sign that summer is on its way. As we approach summertime, many homeowners want to spruce up their homes with a decorating make-over to match the season. Try these 25 tips to bring the lazy, carefree summer days into your home.
Go for floral prints in sheets, throw pillows and shams
Pick out slip covers to change the look and feel of couches
Display decorative fruit baskets and welcome mats and signs
Put fresh cut flowers in decorative vases to brighten any room
Clean out the fireplace and try candles, flowers, or green plants in it for the summer months
Spray down your window screens and thoroughly clean your windows and glass to completely let the sun shine in
Thinking of painting? Now, may be a good time to go bright, light and cheery
Put away floor rugs or swap them for brightly colored floral prints
Use a variety of floral teacups to float votive candles in; arrange them on a table for an elegant look
Replace heavy fleece blankets or down comforters that are on couches and bedding around your house with light cotton in summer pastels
Use fluffy throw pillows on couches, sofas and loveseats to encourage settling in for a read or a summertime snooze
Try mixing in different color schemes such as greens, blues and whites to liven up a room and bring a feel of the ocean into your home
Try sheers or lace curtains instead of heavy drapery
Don't want to replace the drapery? Try only changing the valance
Replace dark lamp shades with lightly colored or floral printed ones
Try replacing a coat/hat rack with a piece of decorative lattice that's fitted with hooks to hold accessories, creating a summertime garden look
Try a fiberglass screen to surround a patio or porch to let the breeze in and keep the bugs out while you enjoy the area as an indoor/outdoor room on warm summer nights
De-clutter a room; it may mean relegating a few items to another room, storage, a friend's place or even a garage sale
Hang a mirror on the wall so that it appears to bring the garden and outdoor light into your home
Install ceiling fans with lights in bedrooms and rooms that need ventilation; these are useful attractions if you decide to sell your home
Get the kids in on the decorating fun by letting them color butterfly printout sheets that you can find online. Then create a butterfly mobile or string them from a curtain rail to adorn a window as suggested at the Activity Village website
In children's rooms have youngsters write poems and color pictures, then create a collage on poster or bulletin boards that they can proudly hang in their room as their own way of welcoming summertime
White furniture in a room creates a whimsical feel
Now's a goodtime to shoot some new family photos outdoors and display them around your home for a cheerful look
If you have dark wood tables, try a touch of white lace to create a softer look in summers
