Bring Summer Inside Your Home

If getting your home ready for the cold weather months means layering in the warmth, the opposite is true for summer. Cut the excess and strip your home down to its essentials, adding a few revitalizing elements for a fresh take on seasonal decorating.

First, remove area rugs and let your floors shine for a clean, country or cottage-inspired look; ceramic, hardwood, and laminate all feel nice under bare feet. Replace heavy velvet, Ultrasuede, or silk curtains with crisp linen drapery panels or bamboo blinds for an island-chic feel. Add a mirror to your living or dining room: it will visually expand your space and provide a nice design feature. Ask your kids to raid your garden and make some arrangements for you, so you can fill your home with fresh-cut flowers.

Finally, consider painting—it’s the fastest way to give any room in your home a fresh new look. And while many of us like to play it safe with tonal accents (ie. brown walls with taupe trim), going high-contrast is a very summery look: try café au lait walls with creamy white trim, or verdant green with cool white.

Photo courtesy of Glidden Paint.