As seasons change, so do our homes. During colder months we tend to hunker down with heavy blankets and warm fires, and while this starts as a cozy introduction to winter it can soon start to feel dark and oppressive. So with summer quickly approaching we want to help people shed their home’s winter coat by refreshing their space to make it feel lighter, brighter and more ready than ever to tackle the summer season. As opposed to a total home makeover, we reached out to the experts in art, design and decor from Vancouver to Miami to provide you with a few creative ways to revive your home for the summer. So, read on and be inspired by these expert suggestions.
Swap out your textiles
Summer is a great time to refresh your home by switching around, layering in + swapping out your textiles. Exchange cozy blankets on the back of your sofa for a lightweight throw in a fun print or a bright color. Brighten your bedroom with a cool new lumbar pillow. Swap your rugs around. Like paint, textiles can instantly change a space. But unlike paint, textiles can be circulated around your home endlessly for quick + easy updates you can enjoy all year long. – Swoon Rugs
The best way to refresh your interiors spaces for a seasonal change is to change up the textiles. When the summer months approach, roll up the carpets and prepare for heavy indoor/outdoor lifestyle traffic. When it comes to pillows and throws, change out heavier fabrics for lightweight and light-colored linens and cotton fabrics in summery hues. People often forget that draperies need regular cleaning for maintenance so this is a good time to remove the window treatments and let the sunshine in! – Shorebird Interiors
Make some space
Giving your home the gift of “space” provides an instant lightness to a room and is my favorite tip for refreshing your home for summer. Start with one room – lighten the look by quickly removing 20% or so of the furnishings/décor in the room; do not overthink this, rather go with your gut. Take away anything from accessories you no longer love, a chair rarely sat in, a heavy winter throw, or art that does not make your heart sing. Rearrange the remaining furniture and décor, and then bring in some seasonal fresh flowers for color and life to the room with minimal cost. – Interior Design Service Online
Bring life to your outdoor space
Creating an outdoor space for summer might be best envisioned by having defined areas for dining, seating, lounging. I think for a space to look most sophisticated is by starting with basic neutrals and layering in pattern, texture, color to tie in the various areas in a way that everything works together. Accessorize as if it’s an extension of your home (interiors) as well. – Jill Seidner Interior Design
The best tip that I give my clients for refreshing their space for summer is to create a beautiful outdoor dining space. You do not have to spend a lot of money. If you have a patio table and chairs simply clean them well for the new season. Use white or cream tableware with clear glasses. Adding a beautiful tablecloth or placemats will add texture. And don’t forget to add pops of color! I love placing small bouquets of flowers in the center of the table. This creates an atmosphere of elegance and warmth. Your guests will feel special knowing that you spent time creating such an inviting space. – BK Designs
Incorporate bright new colors
Summer is about to peak its head around the corner, and now is the perfect time to do some much-needed sprucing up. I prefer to start with the interior walls, a blank canvas ready to become a statement-making focal point. Whether repainting or adding paint for the first time, add a burst of sunny yellow, citrus orange, or exotic lime. Next, add a unique piece of wall decor, such as a sunburst mirror, a collection of black and white artwork, or a dominant over-sized Buddha head that will stand out from the vibrant paint and create a bold, stylish, and daring contrast. – Kimberly C Lyons Design
Add pops of color! As simple as it may seem, a bowl of fresh summer peaches can do wonders to make an entire room feel brighter and more summery. – Spode
Add contemporary design elements
Maximize the look of your space by adding contemporary design elements like an acrylic chair. A see-through chair allows light to flow through the space, creates the illusion of less clutter, and when placed near a window can make a compelling contrast with the scenery outside. Acrylic chairs compliment any interior style, from classical to industrial, it’s a truly universal accent piece for your space. – Your Toronto Broker
Nothing transforms a space quite like a vintage or antique rug. The art, beautiful natural dyes, and character earned through time bring not only amazing style but true soul and culture to your home. Pro designers encourage their clients and always stand behind these beautiful handwoven rugs for good reason. Old rugs are the foundation of a home and are some of the best additions to your space. They go with everything, and they’re incredibly rich, colorful, and inviting. – Blue Parakeet Rugs
Bring plants into your space
It’s a scientific fact that plants make people happier. That is one of the many reasons why the use of plants and succulents as décor is one of my favorite ways to refresh a space for the summer. If you want to make more of a statement with plants, living walls are a fun way of incorporating elements of nature while also adding a pop of color to a space. Not only are plants inexpensive, but they instantly transform the atmosphere of any room, and are an effortless way of bringing sunshine indoors. Additionally, I love when homes have outdoor vegetable gardens. Spring and summer are the best time of the year to grow vegetables – who wouldn’t want to have farm-fresh produce from their very own backyard? – Rochelle Maize RE
Let there be light
We feel homeowners can easily freshen their homes both inside and out with some simple lighting solutions. Check out some Flood Lighting to accent some trees or even your home and look into upgrading your lights inside to some LED lights providing a fresh look and energy savings alongside as an extra bonus! – Lite Lume Corporation
Integrate your indoor and outdoor spaces
To really make our indoor rooms feel like they flow outside, we need the same décor in each space. It’s easy to do! Just mimic whatever you choose as your outdoor style, inside. Do you have a black and white striped umbrella? Change the pillow covers on your family room couch to a mix of black and white graphics. Did you choose a bright, bold tropical print for your outdoor chairs, repeat those same colors inside with bright-colored fabric napkins, cushions, and plant pots. Use matching indoor/outdoor area rugs from the same series (like Safavieh Courtyard Collection) under kitchen tables and outside banquette seating. – Janice Tyler
Carlee Cardwell, Interior Design Advisor to Paintru, a company making it simple to commission custom hand-painted artwork, says, “For me it is all about refreshing the outdoor spaces or elements. Painting your front door with a fun fresh color is an easy way to transform the front of your home. Then, I like to layer the door color with coordinating pots, flowers, and door mat”. Adding fresh blooms to a room is a classic way to breathe life into your home into the Spring and Summer months. Consider swapping your entry-way statement piece for a bold floral painting. Floral still-lives continue to be some of the most beloved and revered paintings throughout history. – Paintru
Treat your space with original artwork
Nothing freshens up a space like original artwork. Treat yourself to a large, colorful abstract painting that you can get lost in, or put together a gallery wall with a variety of smaller pieces in different styles and media. Periodically change what you have on display to keep things lively. Building an art collection is a fun and rewarding hobby, and there are plenty of great online options for buying artwork like Saatchi Art and Singulart if you’re not quite ready to hit the galleries. – The Artist Blake Brasher
Some fun ways to refresh your space for summer is by adding original artwork. Visit your local art gallery or take the time to visit art galleries during your summer travels. Many of our clients find unique paintings while on summer vacation and when they hang their piece in their home they are reminded throughout the year of the wonderful memories they made during their trip. A beautiful ocean painting is timeless and can fit into any home décor. – R Alexander Fine Art
Since this is a unique time in human history as many are facing unseen challenges why not choose something especially uplifting for the summer feel of your space. Art and photography give us an eye into another place and another time. Choose your favorite location in the world for instance Lake Como in Italy, or a villa in Provence and buy an art piece or photograph that shows your most beloved place in the world and design your space with it in mind for a summer redesign. From the coffee table perhaps a book on Italian lakes or French lavender whatever it is let your guests be reinvigorated by the scene you create and let them visually travel to your favorite location in the world by entering your home especially during a time when travel has become so problematic. Your space will become its own destination. – DeClare Fine Art
Sprinkle in summer textures
Summer is the perfect opportunity to generate depth and interest in your space by integrating one of our favorite interior design tools – texture! This season we’re loving wicker furniture, grasscloth wallpaper, and airy whitewashed woods to add stunning and organic textural pops to a room. To avoid overwhelming your space, start small and incorporate a textured lampshade and embroidered throw, or play with pom-poms, woven materials, and fur to create more dimension and movement in an outdoor seating area. – Nativa Interiors
Refresh your patio furniture
To prepare for summer is to prepare for summer entertaining! A great way to spruce up your space for the summer is to refresh your patio furniture. Maybe with a new coat of paint, bright cushions or pillows. I also like to add fun colorful trays, acrylic dishes, tumblers, and cocktail glasses while entertaining outdoors! You can also edit your space and decor as things seem to get heavy and cluttered during the wintertime to create a lighter living space. If you want to engage all of your senses you can change up your playlist and bring in some fresh candles and flowers that feel like summer! – Benning Design Construction Team
Invest in seasonal art pieces
Are you looking to update the vibe of the space but don’t want a complete overhaul? Invest in seasonal art pieces/prints. A great way to adjust the room’s mood is to change out your art based on the time of year. You can reframe favorites to update the look or even use your art pieces to inspire a color palette for a room. – LaCott Fine Art
Try out a new paint job
Of course, you’re getting enhanced curb appeal when you paint. The fresh color looks great to you and everyone who passes by. That’s not the only benefit you receive from a paint job, though. An extra layer of paint helps to further protect the home’s siding from the elements. This increases its lifespan so you won’t have to make replacements so soon. – Rent Painters
