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Summer Decorating Ideas

Author: Gail Logan

Summer is the perfect time of year to wear your true patriotic colors. This is the time of year to enjoy watermelon, fried chicken, corn on the cob, and apple pie. It is the time of year when days are long, nights are hot, and watching fireflies light up the night sky is one of the many joys that should not be forgot. Summer home decorating styles should keep all of these things in mind and so much more.

Sunflowers are an excellent place to begin when it comes to summer decorating. They make an excellent statement and immediately (for many) bring to mind sunshine and summertime. The bright yellow of these flowers is a great accent for almost any room in the home and they are quite common in the silk form, as they have experienced some degree of popularity in recent years. This means you can enjoy the beauty of these sunflowers summer after summer if that is your wish.

Baskets are also a great thing to collect for summertime decorating. You can place some of the beautiful sunflowers in baskets throughout the house for added effect. Baskets can also be used to tame the clutter, hide the bills, and hold the utensils in the kitchen. These are quite versatile and usable in almost every room in the house. Some even use baskets in the bathroom in order to hold hand towels and/or wash clothes. Baskets also transition well into other seasons if you elect to change the liners or add seasonally appropriate ribbons to the exterior of the baskets.

If you are handy with the paint brush some excellent summer decorating ideas include painting old wooden tables and chairs white and sponging on either apples or watermelons according to your fancy. A small round table with a couple of chairs can make an excellent (and often inexpensive) addition to a sunroom or breakfast nook. Of course you could also stencil on some sunflowers, sunshine, or stick figures playing ball. Whatever strikes your fancy would be a great addition to this clever home decorating idea.

If you'd like a little sizzle to your summer theme try going for a Moroccan nights theme in your home. Mosaics candle holders and wall sconces coupled with a few large pillows in rich fabrics can greatly enhance this atmosphere without breaking the piggy bank in the process. Candles and indirect lighting further enhance the mood as well as incense burning in the background.

Others prefer to lend their home decorating skills for summertime to the exteriors of their homes. This is often accomplished by creating an outdoor living area. Even most mass retailers are getting in on the profits that can be had by creating an elegant exterior living area for most families. Gone are the days when plastic chairs were adequate for the demands of consumers. Today's outdoor living area is filled with elegant and element friendly furnishings that appeal to many different design styles and tastes.

In addition to the many wonderful furnishing options for exterior living areas many families are choosing to incorporate outdoor fireplaces in order to make the living area livable during other times of year than summer as well as outdoor cooling systems that help families keep their cool while enjoying the great outdoors during summer time. By creating an atmosphere outside your home where you can enjoy the summer you are making the most of the space that is available to you and bringing a good bit of the cooking outside which often helps keep energy costs down as well.

Summertime is a great time for home decorating for those who are inclined to let their imaginations run wild. This is one time of year when most people can remember what it felt like to be a kid out of school and relish the memories. Capitalize on those fond memories and incorporate them into your décor for an amazing appeal.

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Cool Down Your Decor For Summer

By Sharon Stajda

Do you come indoors to cool down, but don't quite feel cool and comfortable, even though the air conditioners on? The room feels stuffy, and you just can’t seem to get comfortable? The way our homes are decorated makes a definite difference in the comfort we perceive (instead of actually experience). A light touch in decorating makes rooms feel cooler and more comfortable during hot weather and that will help you cool down, and feel comfortable in your home on the hottest summer day. How, exactly, to cool down your décor? It is relatively easy. It won’t cost an arm or a leg either. First get rid of all the soft, cuddly, warm looking items that you love during the winter, but all add up to give a stuffy feeling in the summer months. Such item’s as throws and pillows, the pine potpourri from Christmas.... Start your cool down by adding cool cotton or linen fabrics pillows in lighter neutral colors. Fresh summer flowers or wonderful green plants always add a touch of coolness to a room..  cont. below
Here is a fun pillow project to cool off your winter pillows. Try wrapping your existing pillow’s with a linen or silk scarf as if you were wrapping a gift. Use safety pins or tack with a needle and thread wherever you would put a piece of tape on a package. It's an easy way to make a change without the trouble and expense of buying pillows for each season of the year. Besides, it’s a great way to recycle older scarfs that just sit in the drawer. Light colors are always better for summertime. Put away or cover gray or brown toned furniture. Furniture covers have come a long way since the days of cheaply knitted polyester throws with foam backing. You can buy covers that will fit your furniture snugly and stay in place, and look fabulous!. Look for covers made of firmly woven fabric in the style that fits your furniture, make sure to choose the lighter, softer colors. The softer tones are very relaxing. Roll up the heavy wool rug! If you have hard surface floors, flaunt them now. They're cooler and easier to clean of beach sand, garden dirt and other summer grunge.

Do away with clutter. Remove some of the knickknacks, and yes photos. Clutter spells dust, dust spells----stuffiness. Replace a photo with a plant or perhaps some sea shells in a great tray or glass bowl.

Get your drapes open; bring in the long awaited sun light. Take a little time clean your windows. Clean windows make all the difference, when trying to bring in a sunny summer day, minus the heat. Bottom line… Opt for soft light hues, and clean shiny surfaces, adorn with greenery or organic decorator accents. You will soon find yourself enjoying a hot summer day, in a cool relaxing atmosphere. An atmosphere that was created with a little imagination, just a bit of work, and very little out of pocket expense.

About the Author: For more information, please visit Interior Decoration - Nature And Method Of Art or Home Decorating And Budgeting.

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