During the warmer summer months, it’s natural to want your dining room to feel a little more breezy and bright. With some small changes, you can easily transform the vibe of your dining space to match the seasons outside. Here are 10 fun and fresh ideas to give your dining room a summery new look.
Use Light and Bright Colors
One of the easiest ways to invigorate your dining room for summer is by incorporating lighter colors. Consider painting the walls a soft white, pale yellow, or light blue to evoke sunshine and open skies. Dress the windows with sheer white curtains or replace heavier drapes with breezy linen or cotton styles in neutrals or pastels. Choose slipcovers and cushions in natural, airy fabrics like linen, cotton, or seersucker. Floors can also be lightened up with natural fiber rugs. The lighter palette immediately makes the space feel more welcoming and casual.
Add Some Greenery
Nothing says summer quite like fresh flowers and foliage. Place a vase of cut blooms from your garden on the table for an instant pop of color and vivacity. Hang flowering planters or window boxes outside the windows where you can glimpse them from inside. For lower maintenance, use potted plants, trees, and succulents to bring life and vitality indoors. Groupings of plants in natural baskets or rustic pots also work beautifully on sideboards, drink carts, and empty wall space. The green hues and textures energize the space.
Use Natural Textures & Materials
Incorporate natural textures and materials that speak to the easy, carefree vibe of summer. Rattan, wicker, and bamboo are great lightweight options for chairs, placemats, or a new entertainment unit. Simple wood tables and benches also lend to the casual feeling. Accent with cotton throws, linen napkins, and seagrass or sisal rugs for different organic textures. Display seashells, starfish, driftwood, or sand dollars collected from the seaside as organic decor. The earthy elements ground the space in a natural, relaxed aesthetic.
Roll Out a Jute or Sisal Rug
For an instant room update, roll out a natural fiber area rug in jute or sisal. Available in varied sizes and shapes, the tight woven rugs provide fantastic texture underfoot and immediately lighten up the look of the dining space. Both fibers also allow chairs to slide easily along their surface, making them very functional choices. Style a round or oval jute rug under the table for a cohesive look. Layer larger sisal rugs in dining and sitting areas to delineate spaces.
Display Summery China Patterns
Swap out darker dinnerware and glassware for lighter, airier styles and patterns with florals, fruit, shell or ocean motifs. Crisp white dishes really open up the look of the space and also allow the food to stand out. Accent with napkins in bright citrus shades or patterns like nautical stripes and coral prints. Placemats in organic textures like rattan, seagrass or bamboo also lend summery appeal. Toss on some whimsical accessory pieces like napkin rings, coasters or serving pieces in beachy motifs. The light and playful table accents bring in the carefree mood of summer.
Set up a Beverage Station
Keep family and guests hydrated and refreshed with a self-serve beverage station. Set up a drink cart, sideboard, or even the kitchen island with pitchers of chilled water and iced tea garnished with citrus slices. Add pretty glassware, cocktail stirrers and barware so folks can mix up their own lemonades, sangrias and mocktails. Infuse drinks with fruits, herbs and flowers for more flavor. Stock the station with glass jars of all your favorite summer bevvies to keep the vibe relaxed and social.
Bring in Pops of Sunny Color
Perk up your neutral dining room with punches of vibrant, sunny colors that evoke summer fun. Toss citrus colored linen napkins on the table or mix in some painted chairs for color contrast. Use bright throw pillows, table runners, or window treatments as easy accents. Display a bowl of fresh lemons or limes right on the table for a cheery dose of yellow. Or place a vibrant floral centerpiece in shades of orange, pink and red as the focal point. The bold hues enliven the mood and feel very fresh.
Open up the Windows
To let in the summer breeze, open the windows in your dining space wide to connect with the outdoors. Draw back the curtains during the day to flood the room with light and fresh air. Place a fan in the window to keep air circulating gently. If you don’t want to open up, just crack a few windows to let the outside in while still enjoying your comfort and privacy. You can also swap heavier curtains out for breezy linen or cotton styles that filter light softly into the room for an airier feel.
Incorporate Coastal Accents
Bring in accents and accessories reminiscent of the seaside to really cement that easy, beachy vibe. Use accessories like shells, starfish, sand dollars, driftwood, and sea glass as organic coastal decor elements. Wrap nautically striped fabric around candlesticks for a pop of color. Choose striped, coral, or fish print fabric for table linens and pillows. Paint or finish flea market finds in soft beachy hues. Arrange seating into conversational groupings like you would around a coastal bonfire. The small touches evoke laidback seaside living.
Set the Mood with Lighting
Don’t forget the lighting when designing your summer dining room. Take advantage of natural light during the day by opening blinds and curtains wide. Supplement with lighter table and floor lamps rather than heavy overhead fixtures to keep the mood lifted. Use numerous candles of varied heights and sizes to infuse warmth when the sun goes down. Place lanterns or string lights outdoors to encourage alfresco dining on the patio or deck after dark. The strategic lighting transforms the look and feel from day to night.
With a lighter, breezier color palette, fresh floral and plant elements, natural textures, pops of sunny colors, and wide open windows, it’s easy to give your dining room a refresh for summer. The small switches infuse the space with warmth, vitality and the carefree spirit of the season. Use your creativity to incorporate one or more of these fun and festive ideas into your own dining room for a summery new twist. Before long, your dining space will feel as bright and cheery as the summer sunshine outside!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good summery paint colors for a dining room?
Some great summery paint colors for a dining room include soft white, very pale yellow, light blue, pale green, or lime washed coral. Neutral and airy pastels open up the space.
What kind of rug is best for a summer dining room?
Natural fiber rugs like jute, sisal, seagrass or woven textures work beautifully to lighten up a dining space for summer. They add cozy texture underfoot but allow chairs to slide along the surface.
How can I make my dining room feel breezy and fresh?
Open windows, use sheer curtains, incorporate green plants, display fresh flowers, opt for lighter colors, bring in pops of sunny colors, and use natural coastal accents to give your dining room a breezy summer vibe.
What are some good summer dining table centerpieces?
Fresh floral centerpieces, herbs in vases, fruit displays, glass vases filled with shells or driftwood, and hurricane lamps surrounded by starfish or sand make great summery dining table centerpieces.
What kind of dining chairs work for a summer dining room?
Woven wicker or rattan dining chairs, light wood chairs, bamboo styles, or clean-lined upholstered chairs in whites, neutrals or soft pastels help create a light summer dining space.
Should I use a tablecloth for summer dining?
Tablecloths can add a nice layered texture in the summer dining room but are optional. For a more casual, breezy feel try cotton placemats or runners or no table linens at all.
Conclusion
With just a few easy tweaks, you can give your dining room an instant refresh for the summer season. Incorporating lighter colors, fresh greenery, breezy fabrics, coastal accents, pops of sunny colors, and natural textures will make the space feel more alive and connected to the outdoors. Don’t be afraid to have fun with your summer dining decor and embrace the bright, cheery spirit of the warmer months. Your guests will feel the festive, casual vibe as soon as they walk through the door.
