The arrival of summer means it’s time to give your living room a fresh, seasonal update. Bring the bright, carefree feeling of summer right into your home with these 10 easy ways to get your living room in the summer spirit.
Refresh Your Color Palette
One of the quickest ways to usher in summer is by lightening up your living room’s color palette. Cool pastels like mint, seafoam and peach make for breezy summer shades. To keep your space feeling sophisticated, opt for these hues in soft textures like linen, cotton and woven wicker.
Accent your pastel palette with bursts of sunny yellow, coral and turquoise to really evoke the feeling of summer. Use accent pillows, area rugs and fresh floral arrangements to add pops of these bright colors throughout your neutral living room. Vibrant colors instantly liven up any space.
Bring In Lots of Greenery
Nothing says summer quite like fresh greenery and flowers. To get your living room in the summer spirit, bring in leafy houseplants like ferns, ivy and philodendrons. Place them in pretty planters on your coffee table, bookshelves, end tables or console table.
For an instant dose of living color, cut stems from your garden or pick up fresh blooms at the farmer’s market. Display the gorgeous summer bounty in vases and pitchers around your living room. Don’t be afraid to go big with your floral arrangements. The larger the better for making a summer statement.
Display Vacation Keepsakes
Summer is prime time for travel and making memories. Display vacation mementos and travel keepsakes in your living room to keep the summer spirit going all season long.
For a relaxed, carefree look, place seashells, sea glass, stones and sand dollars in glass bottles, jars or bowls. Arrange them on side tables, shelves and your mantel.
Hang a large map and track your summer adventures with pins. Or frame postcards, tickets and photos from your trips in an eclectic gallery wall. Displaying vacation keepsakes is a great way to add a free-spirited summer vibe to your living room.
Use Light, Breezy Fabrics
From linen and cotton to sheer curtains and macramé, lightweight, airy fabrics make for ideal summer decor. Swap out your heavier drapes for breezy linen or cotton curtains. The natural textures and lightweight feel promote airflow and a summertime state of mind.
Accent your living room with simple macramé wall hangings and plant holders. The knotted cotton rope and open weave embody a laidback summer aesthetic.
Upholstered furniture looks and feels cooler when slipcovered in lightweight, natural fabrics. Choose casual stripes, textures and sun-faded looks that say summer.
Let In the Fresh Air
On beautiful summer days and nights, fling open your windows and doors to let fresh air and sunlight pour in. A living room flooded with light and fresh air instantly feels more summery and inviting.
Supplement your living room’s natural ventilation with fans. Whether standing, mounted or remote controlled, fans promote air circulation and a summertime state of mind.
Keep your front door open as much as possible to increase airflow and give your home an open, welcoming vibe. String cafe lights across the entry to create a breezy porch feel.
Set Up a Sunny Reading Nook
Curled up with a good book is a favorite summer afternoon activity. Dedicate a comfy corner of your living room as a sunny reading nook to enjoy page-turners. Position a cozy chair by a window to soak up the sun’s rays as you read.
Surround your reading spot with a floor lamp, side table and ottoman. Stack plenty of summer reading material on the side table along with reading glasses, bookmarks and iced tea. Add a ceiling fan overhead for staying cool while enjoying your book. A designated reading nook transforms any living room into a relaxing summer retreat.
Incorporate Summer Motifs
Nautical, tropical and camp vibes make for fun summer motifs. Incorporate accents emblazoning these carefree themes to get your living room in the seasonal spirit.
Hang a large map of the world, compass or set of oars. Display stacks of classic summer books like beach reads, sailing adventures and camp stories.
Collect shells, starfish and driftwood to create a beachy coffee table vignette. Tropical leaf prints, rattan and bamboo textures add a taste of the tropics.
Enamel camp mugs, trail signage and canvas directors chairs inject a dash of camp nostalgia. Work one or more of these summer motifs into your living room for seaside whimsy all season long.
Serve Up Seasonal Sips
Iced tea, lemonade and sangria are synonymous with summer entertaining. Set up a self-serve bar area to let guests mix up their own refreshing libations.
Stock up on pitchers, drink dispensers, glasses and ice. Display sliced citrus fruits, berries, mint sprigs and sun tea jars. Line the counter with fun paper straws, cocktail umbrellas and napkins.
Let everyone mix and match flavors and garnishes to their liking. An DIY summer drink station makes hosting easy while keeping your get-togethers feeling laidback.
Create an Outdoor Lounge
Your patio, deck or backyard instantly becomes an extension of your living room during the summer months. Set up a cozy yet casual outdoor living and dining space so you can lounge al fresco as much as possible.
Outfit your space with weatherproof sofas, chairs, side tables and rugs. Add hurricane lanterns, potted palms and Edison bulb string lights overhead. Display outdoor pillows and have small end tables on hand for holding drinks and summer apps.
Having an inviting outdoor lounge makes it easy to take the party outside on balmy summer nights. Open the doors and let the indoor and outdoor spaces flow seamlessly together.
Update Your Entertainment
Summer blockbuster movies, beach playlists and vacation slideshows provide ideal seasonal entertainment. Cue up summer movie classics and ticket stub bowl for a cinmeasque evening.
Play upbeat playlists full of surf rock, reggae and pop hits to get the good vibes going.
Display your summer slideshows on the TV via smartphone screen sharing. Gather round for a vicarious trip down vacation memory lane. Switch up your entertainment to media that embodies the easy summer vibe.
Add Summer Style to Your Table
Picnics, barbecues and potlucks are staples of summertime gatherings. Infuse your living room’s coffee table or dining table with summer spirit.
Top your table with a bright, striped or fruit-printed tablecloth or runner. Summery gingham, nautical stripes and lemon prints help capture the season’s charm.
Use seasonal flowers like sunflowers, gerbera daisies and hydrangeas as vibrant centerpieces. Serve summery appetizers and mains featuring fresh berries, stone fruits, tomatoes and seafood.
Set a casual, picnic-style table to inspire warm weather entertaining. It’s all in the summer details.
With a few easy updates, you can infuse your living room with a light, carefree summer spirit in no time. Display vacation keepsakes, let the fresh air in, update your color palette and switch out heavier fabrics for breezy alternatives. Serve up seasonal beverages, create a relaxing reading nook and move the party outdoors.
Incorporating summer greenery, bright blooms and fun motifs also helps capture the season’s cheerful vibe. Make your living room a laidback oasis for enjoying the sunshine season. Follow these tips for welcoming summer with breezy, nostalgic style.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Getting Your Living Room in the Summer Spirit
What are some quick ways to get my living room summer ready?
Here are some quick tips for getting your living room summer ready:
- Change out heavier curtains and bedding for lightweight, breezy fabrics like linen and cotton
- Freshen up throw pillows with bright, colorful summery prints and textures
- Display fresh-cut flowers in vases around the room
- Open windows and doors to let in sunshine and fresh air
- Place seashells, sand dollars and other vacation souvenirs around the room
- Add a citronella candle or essential oil diffuser to repel insects
- Set up space for summer activities like reading nooks and drink stations
How can I give my living room a summery scent?
Try these tips for giving your living room a light, summery scent:
- Use essential oil diffusers or reed diffusers with bright, fruit scents like lemon, mango and coconut
- Place bowls of lemons, limes or oranges around the room to naturally freshen the air
- Display fresh flowers and herbs like lavender and mint that emit summery fragrances
- Simmer potpourri or scented oils in a pan on the stove to scent the home
- Spritz light, fruity room mists around the space
- Set out beeswax candles scented with honeydew, basil or jasmine notes
What types of textiles evoke a summer look and feel?
Linen, cotton, seersucker, and other lightweight textiles help create a summery feel. Some specific textile ideas include:
- Breezy linen or seersucker curtains
- Cotton slipcovers in cheerful, nautical stripes or florals
- Macrame wall hangings
- Natural fiber area rugs like jute or sisal
- Lightweight cotton throws and quilts
What are fun ways to use greenery in my living room for summer?
Greenery is an easy way to instantly summerify your living room. Here are some fun ideas:
- Place a large fiddle leaf fig or palm in a woven basket
- Arrange different houseplants on your coffee table or console table
- Create a DIY living wall with succulents planted in frames or on a pegboard
- Display fresh cut greenery and flowers in vases, pitchers or mason jars
- Add living herbs like mint, basil and rosemary to your kitchen windowsill
- Let ivy or pothos trail down from hanging planters
How can I decorate my living room walls for summer?
Some easy summer wall decor ideas include:
- Gallery walls showcasing vacation photos, postcards and ticket stubs
- Large world maps with pins tracking your summer adventures
- Oversized wall art and mirrors with cool tones like turquoise or mint
- Wall tapestries depicting ocean, tropical or botanical themes
- Framed seashell or pressed flower collages
- Lightbox signs with summery sayings like “Life’s a Beach”
What kind of lighting helps create a summer living room?
These lighting ideas help set a breezy, relaxed summer mood:
- Natural sunlight streaming in through open windows
- Strands of Edison bulb string lights
- Candles in summer scents like coconut, mango or watermelon
- White paper lanterns hung around the room or patio
- Table lamps with rattan shades in natural textures
- Solar-powered garden stake lights lining outdoor spaces
Conclusion
The arrival of summer presents the perfect opportunity to give your living room a bright seasonal makeover. Small updates like airy fabrics, greenery, vacation keepsakes and breezy scents help capture the carefree spirit of the season. More ambitious additions like designated reading nooks, beverage bars and sprawling outdoor lounges transform your space into a laidback summer oasis.
Use color, light and nature to turn up the brightness. Display objects that inspire nostalgia and wanderlust. Create areas for beloved summer activities like reading, lounging and entertaining. Most importantly, let the sunshine and fresh air in! Follow these tips to make your living room a relaxed, revitalized summer haven.
