Summer still seems pretty far off into the distance here in the northeast but that is not stopping me from styling our home for summer or wishing for hot days, sundresses, and sandals. Summer is such a special time of year that to me, the longer we can enjoy it, the better.
What makes summer so special? For our family it is no school for two months (hello no homework!), warm air, heading to the pool & beach for swimming & sunbathing, taking & enjoying vacations, firing up the grill daily for hamburgers or hot dogs (or other Americana cuisines), the smell of freshly mowed grass, and life in general just seems good. Maybe it’s the abundant sunshine & heat, but summer just feels different than any other time of the year or season.
And while we all might be spending more time outdoors during the summer months, our homes should reflect the season and there are a few, simple things you can do to update and add that feel-good summer feeling to your home. What summer looks and feels like to you may be different than what summer feels like for me & my family, so what I am sharing today can be customized to fit the style of your home and what you love. Think of this as a jumping off point to start bringing those summer vibes to the inside of your home. I’m welcoming summer with open arms!
Splashes of Blue for Summer
Blue has always been one of my favorite colors to decorate with so I enjoy adding splashes of blue throughout our home when I style it for summer. Let’s not forget…I have a bathroom with blue wallpaper and a bedroom with a blue floral accent wall, so my love of blue runs deep! However, the rest of our home is neutral so adding these little pops of blue here and there for the warmer months is fun and refreshing. Why is blue a summer color and why do I find it so refreshing? Think about summer vacations. Where do most of us go on vacation during the hot summer months? Typically somewhere near a body of water such as a lake, river, ocean, or even a pool. And what do most of us wish for on vacation besides rest and relaxation? I would venture to say bright, blue, sunny skies to enjoy the cool refreshing water we are vacationing by. The common denominator…. the color BLUE! Blue water and blue skies. If blue is a color you have never used in your home, I challenge you to give it a try, especially during the summer months. Here are a few examples of how I’ve incorporated the color blue into our home.
Seasonal Florals & Greenery for Summer
I have flowers and greenery in our home all year long. I love the freshness and coziness that they bring, and so our home is always filled with some sort of fresh flower. While I like to have fresh flowers, I can’t keep a house plant alive! So, in our home we have fresh flowers and faux plants. It’s ok to have a mixture of both. The key to creating a summery home with florals is to style your home with summer-blooming flowers. The easiest way to do this is to bring the flowers and greenery you have growing right in your yard, into your home! Bring some of that outdoor beauty inside. Some of my favorite summer flowers are hydrangeas, peonies, and dahlias. These flowers have big, beautiful blooms that will fill up any vessel quickly. However, if you don’t have flowers you can cut in your yard, I’ve also been known to cut down flowering weeds & wildflowers along our woodline. Sometimes weeds & wildflowers can be just as beautiful, and the best part…they are free! (Just be careful you don’t get into poison ivy or anything else you may be allergic too!)
If you are someone who would rather invest in a flower that lasts season after season, there is always faux! They last forever and you can reuse them year after year. Just make sure you change your faux flowers each season so that your home stays current and fresh. Afloral has beautiful, realistic looking faux florals. They might be slightly more expensive than some other more popular craft stores, but they are worth the investment. Their flowers are incredibly realistic looking! Here are a couple of my favorites for summer; this beautiful ivory dahlia, this gorgeous cream white peony, this stunning taupe beige rose, or this amazing soft green snowball flower.
Treats for Summer
Some of my favorite summertime memories are from when the kids where little and I was a stay at mom.
On the days in the middle of summer when it was too hot to go outside, I would make homemade Wendy’s Frosty’s. We would curl up on the couch in the cool air conditioning and watch Harry Potter movies all afternoon while sipping on our Frosty’s. Or, after a long day by the pool we would skip dinner and head to the local ice cream shop for bowls of ice cream to fill our bellies.
It’s these simple summer memories that I love, and think of often, which is why I love making treats for my family in the summertime. There are just a couple of requirements for a true summertime treat. One, they should be easy to make and two, should feel refreshing on a hot day. Some of our families favorite summer treats are strawberry shortcake, homemade ice cream (check out the rosemary ice cream I made last year here), s’mores (I made s’mores donuts last year here), Frosty’s (my favorite recipe for that here), ice tea, and a good old fashioned glass of lemonade (adding recipe below).
With summer on my mind, I made homemade lemonade yesterday and boy was it delicious! It really had me wishing for heat, humidity, and the pool! What are some of your favorite summertime treats?
These are just a few updates you can make to your home to welcome summer into your home. Some of my other favorite things to do include opening the windows. There is nothing better than letting the fresh air into our home after months of being buttoned up from the cold. Change your bedding! Swap out the heavy blankets and duvets for lighter more breathable fabrics to help you stay cool on those hot summer nights. I love cotton and linen fabrics during the summer for their breathability and texture. Have fresh herbs available. There is nothing better than snipping a few fresh herbs from the garden and adding them to a meal. Swap out artwork. Choose art that features summery blue skies, tranquil blue water, or any other picture that just speaks summer to you!
Tell me, what does summer feel like to you? What do you do in your home to bring that summer feeling inside? Leave me a comment, I would love to hear from you!
INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:Refreshing Summer Lemonade
Links to products featured in this post can be found in our new “Shop Our Home” page. I hope this page makes shopping our home a little easier for you! I do earn a small commission when you make a purchase from one of our LTK links. Your support helps me continue to create meaningful content for you!
I look forward to sharing more of my home with you and inspiring you to have a well loved home! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LIKEtoKNOW.it.
