25 Summer Decorating Tips to Lighten Your Home

Written by Posted On Sunday, 22 May 2005 17:00

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.

  1. Go for floral prints in sheets, throw pillows and shams

  2. Pick out slip covers to change the look and feel of couches

  3. Display decorative fruit baskets and welcome mats and signs

  4. Put fresh cut flowers in decorative vases to brighten any room

  5. Clean out the fireplace and try candles, flowers, or green plants in it for the summer months

  6. Spray down your window screens and thoroughly clean your windows and glass to completely let the sun shine in

  7. Thinking of painting? Now, may be a good time to go bright, light and cheery

  8. Put away floor rugs or swap them for brightly colored floral prints

  9. Use a variety of floral teacups to float votive candles in; arrange them on a table for an elegant look

  10. Replace heavy fleece blankets or down comforters that are on couches and bedding around your house with light cotton in summer pastels

  11. Use fluffy throw pillows on couches, sofas and loveseats to encourage settling in for a read or a summertime snooze

  12. 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

  13. Try sheers or lace curtains instead of heavy drapery

  14. Don't want to replace the drapery? Try only changing the valance

  15. Replace dark lamp shades with lightly colored or floral printed ones

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. De-clutter a room; it may mean relegating a few items to another room, storage, a friend's place or even a garage sale

  19. Hang a mirror on the wall so that it appears to bring the garden and outdoor light into your home

  20. Install ceiling fans with lights in bedrooms and rooms that need ventilation; these are useful attractions if you decide to sell your home

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. White furniture in a room creates a whimsical feel

  24. Now's a goodtime to shoot some new family photos outdoors and display them around your home for a cheerful look

  25. If you have dark wood tables, try a touch of white lace to create a softer look in summers
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Phoebe Chongchua

Phoebe Chongchua is an award-winning journalist, an author, customer service trainer/speaker, and founder of Setting the Service Standard, a customer service training and consulting program offered by Live Fit Enterprises (LFE) based in San Diego, California. She is the publisher of Live Fit Magazine, an online publication that features information on real estate/finance, physical fitness, travel, and philanthropy. Her company, LFE, specializes in media services including marketing, PR, writing, commercials, corporate videos, customer service training, and keynotes & seminars. Visit her magazine website: www.LiveFitMagazine.com.

Phoebe's articles, feature stories, and columns appear in various publications including The Coast News, Del Mar Village Voice, Rancho Santa Fe Review, and Today's Local News in San Diego, as well as numerous Internet sites. She holds a California real estate license. Phoebe worked for KGTV/10News in San Diego as a Newscaster, Reporter and Community Affairs Specialist for more than a decade. Phoebe's writing is also featured in Donald Trump's book: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buying Foreclosures. She is the author of If the Trash Stinks, TAKE IT OUT! 14 Worriless Principles for Your Success.

Contact Phoebe at (858) 259-3646 or [email protected]. Visit PhoebeChongchua.com for more information.

www.phoebechongchua.com/

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