Photo Courtesy: BHG.com
This post is brought to you by our local guest writer Michelle Schaffel, an Interior Decorator serving Montgomery and Bucks Counties. As the owner of Inspired By Design, she uses creative solutions to provide balance and harmony in any given environment. For more decorating tips and ideas, check out her company’s Facebook page.
Hooray! It is finally summer time again! Some days feel warmer than others, but the overall “sandal-wearing” time of year has arrived. Summer is considered the season of renewal and celebration. Flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. Your home should reflect all of these wonderful natural changes as well. Here are some simple decorating tips to help you get into the summer groove:
THINK FRESH COLORS: There’s an overall airy and fresh feeling that you want to convey this time of year. Think about growth and new beginnings. Remove heavy throw blankets and replace them with lighter cotton ones. Change the heavy chenille pillows to canvas or silk in calming colors like blues and greens. Light beige is a great neutral color; think sand on a beach. If you like bright colors, think pink, yellow, turquoise, or the ‘trendy’ color for Summer 2013: Tangerine.
DE-CLUTTER AND GET ORGANIZED: Get rid of anything that you haven’t used or looked at in the last six months to a year. Purchase file folders and store those old tax forms in a cabinet and out of the way. Go through your pantries and throw out the old cereal boxes from 2008. Toss out Tupperware that has tomato sauce stains on it, and trash the freezer items in aluminum foil that you can’t identify.
DISPLAY FRESH FRUIT AND FLOWERS: Even if you don’t have a green thumb, it’s easy enough to buy fresh flowers once a week and put them in a vase in the center of your table or kitchen countertop. Live plants are great too, and fresh fruit in a bowl. If you don’t eat fruit (shame on you!) there are some fantastic fake fruits out there that look real. Either way you’re setting the scene for spring (hint: Crate N Barrel has great fake fruit)
LET THE LIGHT AND AIR IN: With longer days and shorter nights, take advantage of the natural light in your home. Pull up blinds and open drapes to allow as much light in as you can. Open windows and allow the fresh air to flow. This will clear out the stale energy of the previous season and leave the room feeling energized. It’s also important to have enough lighting at night: three light sources in each room.
CELEBRATE THE SEASON: If you like decorating with sailboats or seashells, great. Have fun with kitschy items that share your passions in the summer time. Hang an anchor on your mantle, or a nice piece of artwork with a palm tree. If you like the sentiment, but want something more subtle, try using the colors and themes without displaying the literal items that suggest it. Either way, get creative, the possibilities are endless.
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