After a long winter, I'm really looking forward to defrosting my home with some summer decor ideas. I can practically taste the Aperol spritz already, enjoyed in a new chair alfresco, of course — maybe even in a fresh cocktail glass, if I'm lucky.
But it's not just about the new furniture and decor pieces you might buy at the turn of a season. No, it's also about the summer color palettes to rotate in when the temperature sky rockets. It could be coastal schemes, pretty pastels, light and airy textures... summer decor ideas are all about refreshing your space for the best three-month stretch of the year.
In eager anticipation of this momentous occasion, I asked a number of interior designers for their favorite summer decor ideas — the tips and tricks they recommend for getting your home ready for the solstice and beyond. The suggestions are plentiful and the inspiration steep, and you can find it all below.
1. Try a Material Refresh
Rattan, bamboo, and wicker furniture makes for a great summer staple.
When you think of winter, there are certain materials that come to mind: velvet, wool, flannel, maybe even leather. So, to set up your space for summer, look to weave in lighter, airier, and more natural materials.
“For summer, I love to bring in beachy materials like linen for pillows and throws, and woven wicker and rattan for decor,” says interior designer Kathy Kuo of Kathy Kuo Home. “I'll add linen blend pillows in nautical motifs to my sofa, swap in a woven rattan throw rug in my entryway, and add accents like seashell sculptures, rattan trays, and driftwood candleholders.”
The result, she says, is “very summer-forward without going over the top on the beach motif.” That last part is very important; coastal interior design is chic, but only in tasteful amounts.
2. Add in Citrus and Greenery
A touch of greenery goes a long way in the summer months.
In the same way that we decorate with fir trees in the winter and pumpkins in the fall, try adding seasonal greenery and produce into your decor in the summer. Indeed, a pothos plant mixed with some decorative citrus really does go a long way in brightening up a room.
“In the fall, I'll use pears or red apples in a warm wooden fruit bowl, but in summer months I'll switch that wooden fruit bowl out with a crisp white ceramic or crystal filled with limes, lemons, or oranges," explains Melanie Bryant of Melanie Bryant Interiors. "It's such a simple way to add life and color to a tablescape or kitchen counter.”
Melanie Bryant, founder of Melanie Bryant Interiors, has over a decade of first-hand experience in new construction design and renovation. This experience, along with her time serving as both a representative for a home goods wholesaler and a stylist in a high-end furniture showroom, led her to expand her knowledge of residential design with formal training. Since creating MBI in 2013, she has worked on a variety of projects, ranging from designing newly constructed homes from the ground up to the renovating and redecorating of older homes.
As a proud owner of this exact pedestal bowl, I can vouch for not only its construction, but also the beauty it adds to a counter vignette. Moreover, it’s perfect for summer; the crystal bowl, like Melanie mentioned, is light and airy — perfect for displaying the colorful produce inside — while the ash wood base offers up that natural touch.
3. Flowers, flowers, flowers
Brighten up any vignette with some seasonal blooms, like this gorgeous pink variety.
This suggestion might seem simple, but it bears repeating — for anyone looking for a summer refresh, be sure to decorate with flowers. What better way to signal the start of a new season than incorporating seasonal blooms into your design scheme? And if fresh stems aren’t on your budget this year, fake bulbs will do just fine; and you can keep them for next year, too.
"Flowers are such a beautiful way to add a summer pop into your decor,” says Phillip Thomas of Philip Thomas Inc. “Peonies, roses, hydrangeas, sunflowers, and dahlias all herald in the warmer months the moment they begin to bloom!"
4. Edit Down Your Accessories
In the summer less is more; although this living room is clearly decorated, it isn't weighed down by unnecessary bits and baubles.
As we know, fashion and interior design often mix. What’s stylish on the runway tends to make its way into our homes sooner or later, and the rules and paradigms of building an outfit usually translate well to styling a room.
Case in point: if summer clothes are light and airy — both for comfort and for style — the same should go for summer decor ideas. Nesting is for the winter, when creature comforts reign supreme, while summer is for cutting back with intention, not because you have to, but because it’s nice to not be weighed down.
So, rather than buying something new this season, why not try putting a few things away instead; see how that reinvigorates your room.
"There is something about having fewer objects in a space that just feels lighter and more intentional,” designer Melanie Bryant, tells me. “In the cooler months, I think we naturally gravitate toward a cozier, more collected look, but in summer, a little breathing room goes a long way to make the space feel fresh, calm, and effortless. This is exactly the mood summer calls for.”
5. Reinvent the Table Setting
Blue and white linens and tableware offer the perfect coastal touch to a summer dinner party.
Nothing says summer like an outdoor dinner party or barbecue. But you can still have a perfectly seasonal dinner party inside so long as you have the right hosting material and the right decor to boot.
When I was a kid, my parents swapped our usual tableware for special Christmas-themed pieces during the holidays. Not only did the highly anticipated change excite me, but it also signaled the start of a new season.
Summer decor ideas for the table work the same way; by changing out your dishes and table linens for those with a summer or coastal style, you’re communicating to your guests and to yourself that the dog days are here.
Phillip is a global citizen who is as at home in an artisan’s workroom as well as in a blue-chip art gallery. Not one to rest on his laurels, he is always pushing the envelope, growing and evolving. He delights in discovering new places, methods and makers. His spaces bring joy to those who inhabit them. Many of his clients have entrusted him with multiple homes. He has designed residences in architectural iconic addresses including The Dakota, 15 Central Park West, 778 Park Avenue and River House in New York City and the Surf Club in Miami.
"Changing out how you dress your table is a fun way to play with summer decor. Why let the holidays have all of the fun?” says Phillip. “Napkins, chargers, candles, tablecloths, even seasonal outdoor dishes in seasonal colors and designs invite you to linger longer around the table. Even better if it is alfresco!"
“Layering in light or patterned tablecloths to a tablescape, like a Kelly green and white ticking, feels fresh without being too precious,” adds Melanie.
This beautiful tablecloth from Mrs. Alice just screams 'elegance,' not only because of the refreshing green and white color palette but also because of the floral and pheasant motifs hidden in the design.
6. Switch Out Your Lampshades
A lampshade is an oft forgotten home accessory that still packs a big punch.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever forgotten that you can change out your lampshades (you can’t see it, but I’m raising my hand right now).
Perhaps the most underutilized summer decor trick of them all, swapping a darker lampshade for something lighter or even crafted from a seasonal material is an instant decor reset for summer.
Although it might cost a touch more upfront than some of these other ideas, keep in mind that you can reuse these shades year after year, or even hold onto them if you buy completely new lamps in the future.
“In the fall, I lean to warmer-toned or darker shade, but in summer, I'll swap to something lighter or more colorful, like a fresh white or a shade with a color banding or pattern," Melanie muses. "Look for fresh yellows, greens, and pinks. Cornflower is also a great summer color. Right now, pleated and patterned shades are everywhere, and they are such a fun way to pull in a little color and fun.”
7. Change Out Your Pillows
Add in some aptly-colored shams and — voila — you've got yourself a seasonal bed.
Although you do not have to change out your throw pillows every season — some schemes are sufficiently year-round, I will concede as much — it is an exciting activity for any true interior design lover.
You get to play up brighter colors, work in new textures (should you find the right pillowcase, of course), and maybe even shop for some new additions to the pillow rolodex if you’re feeling like shopping.
As Phillip says, "Throw pillows can completely transform a room and change the vibe. For example, you can go from a tartan or dark velvets from winter to a bold floral or stripe for summer and voila, instant change to the vibe of the entire space!"
8. Incorporate Warm-Weather Art
The unexpected tones of this portrait mesh wonderfully with the light look of the room; it adds a bit of warmth, and somehow ties it all together.
This tip from Melanie is perhaps my favorite of them all. To better incorporate summer shades, or tie in new hues from newly-purchased throw pillows or blankets, try swapping out some of the art on your walls for pieces or portraits that better reflect the season.
The art itself doesn’t need to be expensive or elaborate, but you’d be surprised how well the right piece of art can tie a room together.
“I love using one larger frame that's easy to swap out with the seasons — maybe it holds a pastel landscape with soft greens, blush pinks, and pale blues in the spring, but in the summer, I'll switch to a more saturated colorful portrait, a fresh botanical, or a vivid landscape,” Melanie shares. “You can then pull the new art colors out in small, affordable ways like throw pillows, blankets, florals, and coffee table decor.”
9. Roll Up the Rugs
With a floor like this, a rug would be criminal.
Although you can’t recreate the luxurious experience of walking on the sand, you can still bring that barefoot, reconnected-with-the-earth type-of feeling to your home by — you guessed it — removing your rugs for the summer and walking barefoot on your floors.
Now, if you need a rug for the room, or it’s truly a design necessity, by all means, keep it in. But if you have, say, an easily-replaceable and very winter-forward wool rug on display, try perhaps removing it entirely for the season or replacing it with a sisal or jute option, as Allison Babcock of Allison Babcock Design cleverly suggests.
10. Focus On the Outside
Outdoor spaces are a true treat in the summer; don't be afraid to splurge... but know there are a lot of swaps you can make to better curate a vibe.
But, of course, perhaps the best summer decor idea is to just focus on your outside space instead. You are forced inside the other nine months of the year; why not put all your design energy into the one area you can enjoy for such a limited time?
And while investing in the best garden furniture can be a bit pricey, it’s much easier to refresh your outdoor space with things like “potted plants around the BBQ area or lanterns and candles on the patio,” explains Barrett Oswald of Barrett Oswald Designs.
These little touches can “instantly breathe new life into the space and set the mood for the season."
Rattan is a summer material, no doubt. Not only will this outdoor pendant light introduce the material to your outdoor vignette, it will also warm up the space and give it that extra oomph a plain metal pendant wouldn’t. Better yet, this beauty is solar-powered, meaning you can hang it anywhere — no outlets or wires needed.
FAQs
What are the best summer decor colors?
Summer materials are easy to identify — things like linen, cotton, wicker, rattan, and the like. But colors... are there really certain colors that just scream 'summer'?
To be honest, your own tastes and preferences probably do have a lot to do with it, but if you’re looking for a foolproof combo, Kathy Kuo recommends two old faithfuls: blue and white.
“Depending on how you style blue and white it can look either preppy and upscale or beachy and relaxed," she tells me. "And don't be afraid to have fun with mixing and matching different shades of blue, as well as variations on white, like sand, beige, and cream!"
What's the Difference Between Spring and Summer Decor?
According to two of the designers I interviewed, the difference between spring decor ideas and summer decor ideas lies in your color choice. For spring, you’re typically playing with “soft pastels and crisp whites that reflect the season’s sense of renewal,” Barrett explained. While with summer, you’re looking at shades that are “bolder and more vibrant.” Think “saturated colors and tropical tones that bring warmth and energy into your space.”
Phillip agrees, adding: “Spring themes are delicate, filled with pastels, florals... They are softer and more gentle as we mimic nature coming back to life. When summer arrives, we favor more bold sorbet hues and saturated brights.”
Of course, when all else fails, the very best and perhaps easiest thing you can do to refresh your home for the summer season has nothing to do with decor at all.
In fact, it takes five seconds and costs nothing: open a window. Let the breeze and sunlight in, and enjoy the warm seasonal feel it adds a room, completely free of cost.
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