Decor | Lifestyle | Design
Do you love a relaxing outdoor space? These patio decor ideas will help you create an outdoor oasis of your own!
Summer has a feel all its own. Warm nights sitting outdoors, time spent reading on the patio, and of course, dining alfresco. All of these activities call for an outdoor space where you can relax and recharge. But if you’re anything like me, your outdoor space may not be quite what you want it to be.
Embracing each season is something I love, and that includes the inside of my home.
When the weather warms up there’s a natural feeling of wanting to lighten up, both literally and figuratively. So why not do that with your home, too? With that in mind, I’m sharing my living room and dining rooms all dressed up for summer.
Or I guess I should say, dressed down. 😉
Because summer for me is all about less. Less heavy, less dark. More light, more bright.
And the first thing we did to achieve that is paint the rooms a nice, clean white! We decided on Cloud White from Benjamin Moore which is what our kitchen cabinets as well as all the trim in the house are painted. I’ve been wanting to paint these areas for several years now and just hadn’t gotten around to it. And wow, what a difference it’s made!
I’ve also added lots of blue accents (my favorite color that just screams summer) like this distressed blue bowl on the coffee table.
One of the first things I do when I’m doing a summer refresh, is remove all the things I think feel too heavy or not seasonally appropriate.
In this case, my green pillows were wonderful for winter and spring, but I wanted to bring in some soft blue tones so out they went. (*Tip: if you love to change pillows like me, buy pillow covers and not a fully stuffed pillow. I purchase most of mine in a 20 x 20 size and then I just change out the covers as needed. That way, there’s a lot less to store!)
On the sofa is a mix of floral linen, solid textured linen, and another paisley pattern. Once you’ve decided on a color palette, you can mix and match to your heart’s content.
I also took out some darker vases and accessories, and of course, the pine cones I found in one of my urns, haha! Yes, pinecones. They were tiny ones so I guess I never noticed them? Now the same urn is filled with tiny shells. Much better!
Speaking of shells, I added shells to the marble bowl that always lives on the dining table. I’ve decorated with these in other rooms in the past, but this was a fresh way to use them and I love them in here. I feel like it ties the two rooms together, too.
Some coral is also nice for a seasonal touch. I put this piece under a cloche, and used this piece on another side table. They are small and easy to store and like the shells, I enjoy bringing them out again each year.
If you have heavier throws or rugs, you may want to swap those out for lighter, brighter options as well. We already have seagrass in here but natural fiber rugs are one way to really make a space feel more summery.
And I also decided to change out the art I had leaning on the living room mirror. It was a landscape which is perfectly fine, but I thought this seascape would really give a coastal vibe to the room for summer so I switched them. Then in the fall, I’ll just switch them back. When in doubt, shop your house!
And of course, I added a little bit of blue with one of my favorite ginger jars. I love the pop of dark blue, as well as the vintage vibe it adds. You can find some of my favorite ginger jars below.
And how great is this oyster shell ball? I purchased this in North Carolina when we were there a few years ago. At the time I’d never seen one before, although now I’ve found them elsewhere as well as online. I love the coastal feel it imparts and of course, the fact that it reminds me of our trip is nice, too.
If you don’t already have plants, greenery or flowers, it’s nice to bring those in, especially in the summer. I love the inside of our home to reflect the outdoors.
And even if you don’t want to go crazy with seasonal decorating, give your rooms a good cleaning. Shake out the rugs and sweep underneath them. Wash all the pillow covers and throws, and even the slipcovers if you have them. Dust everything.
And make sure you clean the windows, too. It’s amazing how much brighter and prettier the space looks now that we cleaned them! It literally lets the sun shine in!
If you’re looking for some summer decor ideas for your own home, be sure to take a peek below at some of my seasonal favorites, including much of what I used here!
Happy Summer!
Sheila
xo
And now be sure to check out all the summer decor ideas my friends are sharing below, too!
The Happy Housie |Maison de Cinq| Clean and Scentsible
My Sweet Savannah | She Gave it a Go | Rambling Renovators | Paint Me Pink
I can hardly believe it’s summer. Well, maybe not officially. But Memorial Day has come and gone and it’s June, so in my world, it’s summer! And with summer comes a strong desire to lighten, brighten and otherwise bring in the season.
Is there any season better than spring?
I don’t know about you, but with the exception of Christmas, there isn’t a season I’m more excited about decorating for! Maybe it’s that we’re all huddled inside all winter, or that the sky has been dark and gloomy for months, but spring makes me want to throw open every window and let in the light!
Nature does a spring refresh every year, and I like my home to feel that way as well. I prefer a subtle nod to the season, with simple spring decor sprinkled in every room. Even if it’s just swapping out pillows or adding flowers to the table, it’s amazing how small changes make the rooms feel completely different!
Plants and flowers are where I always start. Nothing brings spring into a space more than they do!
And the kitchen is usually the first place I decorate. It’s the room I spend the most time in, so it’s nice to bring some seasonal touches to the space.
Branches in a large vase always makes a statement, and these are faux! They’re probably the best faux I’ve ever owned, and I love that they will last all season.
I filled my new French style planter with a white flowering Kalanchoe plant which is a favorite, too. They’re easy to care for and last for months and months.
This year I was lucky enough to find lilacs at my local Trader Joe’s. They’re so pretty and the scent is positively intoxicating! The hyacinth are another favorite and one I don’t find every year. I love the mix of the two together on the table.
This little planter full of Muscari bulbs is so cute – I couldn’t resist!
And in the family room, blue is the name of the game!
Nothing says spring and summer to me more than the color blue! To create a fresh and springy palette, I added some blue floral pillows to the sofa. I love incorporating blue and green together – the colors of nature!
More fresh flowers – this time white garden roses – and a plant on the coffee table.
And some antique white limestone balls placed in a rustic bowl lighten up the coffee table vignette. This bowl is one of my favorite recent purchases – it manages to look both rustic and refined at the same time!
If you’ve been putting off decorating for spring, it’s not too late to start!
Creating simple spring decor is as easy as adding plants and flowers, switching out pillows, and lightening up your palette. You can even shop your own home or garden and swap some accessories that feel more seasonal!
If you’re looking for some of the items I shared above, I’ve linked them below – along with more gorgeous spring decor options!
Happy Spring!
Sheila
xo
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out more spring inspiration and ideas below!
Spring Front Porch Ideas: How to Freshen Up for Spring
We’re just starting to see signs of spring here. The weather is warming up (some days anyway!), we’ve planted some new garden bed flowers, and the birds and bees have started to reappear. And who doesn’t want to bring some of that spring cheer to our homes as well? I love refreshing my home for the season, and one of the first places I like to refresh for spring is my front porch!
I love to decorate seasonally, but I’m not a fan of going overboard. A few flowers and some seasonal touches are all you need to create a beautiful spring front porch. And rather than just show you what I’ve done this year, I’m going to give you some of my favorite spring front porch ideas. All of them pretty, and all of them simple!
Our porch really takes a beating in the winter since it’s not completely covered. The first thing I do is sweep up all the leaves and then hose it off to get rid of all the dust. I usually give the doors and lights a good wipe down as well. It’s amazing what just a good cleaning can do!
One thing I always do is add a spring wreath to the door. There’s simply no better way to say ‘spring’ than with a pretty spring wreath to greet your guests!
This year I went with a stunning wreath made of faux lavender. I love the color palette and of course because it’s faux, I don’t need to worry about it not lasting all season long.
Another option if you don’t want to go the wreath route is to create a basket of flowers or greenery on your front door. This look is unique and makes such a great statement! How adorable is this Adirondack basket filled with white flowers? If I had a single door rather than a double this is a look I’d definitely be trying!
Refreshing the flowers or plants on your porch is definitely a must! I don’t know about you but once winter is over I find my porch is full of dead flowers and empty pots. Simply buying a few new spring flowers will do wonders for the look of your porch.
Last year I found some pale lavender Impatiens and those set the tone for the whole porch. I loved the soft color and Impatiens are a great choice because they are inexpensive and long lasting. My favorite small planters are these aged-looking ones above. And these new ones from Pottery Barn are so adorable!
Another version was this large vintage olive basket full of white azaleas, which I combined with a smaller blue hydrangea. I like to mix larger pots or planters with groupings of smaller ones so there are different heights.
I love a traditional and timeless doormat that can last through the seasons, but you could absolutely do something fun here, too!
Via Grandin Road.
Layering a fun doormat over an indoor/outdoor rug is also a really cute look!
Decorating outdoors doesn’t need to be much different from decorating indoors and adding lanterns, statues or other items brings some warmth and interest. Here I included some of my favorite lanterns.
For this year’s porch I added some cute bunny statues. I love their whimsical feel – they make me happy every time I walk through the door!
Happy Spring!
Sheila
xo
Today some of my friends are sharing their Spring front porch decor ideas! Be sure to visit their posts by using the links below the images.
The Happy Housie | Tatertots and Jello| She Gave it a Go
It’s spring! The sun is out and the windows are open. Is there any season as full of hope as spring? I think all of us feel such a thrill when buds start appearing or birds start chirping. It gives us a sense of renewal and possibility – and that’s true in our homes as well.
Whether you like to refresh your home with all new pillows and seasonal decor, or you go for a much simpler statement, it’s always nice to do a little refresh when spring arrives. Though I never like to get too carried away, I do love to make a few changes that signal the change in the season.
These nine easy spring decorating ideas are simple, actionable ideas that you can implement today. And I bet they’ll bring a smile to your face, whether the sun is out yet or not!
Clean, organize, purge.
There’s no time like spring to get your house in order! I usually try to clean out every drawer and cabinet and purge expired foods and things I don’t use at the same time. At the very least, give everything a good wipe down and make sure things like corners and baseboards are cleaned.
Change out your pillows for some lighter and/or brighter fabrics. Florals or spring tones like blues and greens help to create a lighter feeling in any space.
If you use heavy throws in the winter, lighten those up by switching to lightweight fabrics like linen or cotton in lighter or brighter colors.
Bedding is another place you can lighten up. First, take everything off (even pillow protectors and mattress pads) and wash and dry them. No matter what else you do, everything feels lighter when it’s clean!
Swap out your heavy comforter for lighter weight linens, or switch from dark colors to light. A switch from heavy velvet to lightweight linens will change the whole look of your room!
And while you’re at it, you might want to clear out some of your extraneous accessories. Less is more is the name of the game in the spring and your home will feel lighter with less weighing it down, both literally and figuratively.
I like to have plants inside year round (you can read all about my easy tips for growing houseplants here) but it seems especially appropriate when spring rolls around. After all, it’s the season of buds, and bulbs and gardens!
Bring spring inside by adding plants or even faux greenery for a fresher feel all season.
And another way to bring the ‘garden’ inside is by using garden elements indoors. Whether that’s a cast iron garden urn you fill with flowers or a garden statue perched in the dining room, bringing outdoor elements inside really creates that spring feeling in any space.
Changing out pillows or bedding is one way of adding spring color, but don’t forget accessories! Blue ginger jars, white or light-colored vases, coastal paintings or botanicals are all ways of bringing in those cheerful spring colors.
For me, flowers are a must in any season but especially in the springtime! Whether fresh or faux, flowers always bring a feeling of spring to a space.
You can even purchase small plants from a nursery or the grocery store, plop them in an urn or pretty planter and they’ll last several weeks (much longer than cut flowers!)
For me, I love to add little nests to my decor in the spring. They bring such a sense of rebirth and renewal – and they make me happy!
Baskets, Easter and otherwise, also bring seasonal freshness to a space, whether you fill them with eggs or flowers, or both!
These gorgeous alabaster eggs say spring in a beautiful and subtle way – and they’re such fun to collect!
I absolutely adore vintage Easter decor, so I’ll add something special each season. This vintage French egg basket is so cute – and useful too!
This vintage egg holder is a favorite of mine. Here I filled it with faux eggs, but you could absolutely use it to serve real hard boiled eggs year round!
Sweep off the cobwebs, freshen up the dead flowers or plants in your pots, add a pretty wreath (or two) and even a fun doormat, and your porch will feel like it got a face lift!
Likewise for your backyard or patio. Add some new flowers to the planters, clean the furniture, and wash any outdoor rugs and textiles so everything feels fresh and clean for the season.
And if they need a refresh, add an outdoor rug or new pillows in pretty springy colors that will take you all the way through fall!
It’s amazing what a difference these easy spring decorating ideas can make! Simply by swapping out some pillows or accessories, lightening up your fabrics or bedding, and bringing in the outdoors through plants or flowers, your whole home will feel fresher and ready for the season!