Want to make your home feel like an endless summer? With a few simple changes, you can give your interior space a relaxed, carefree vibe that evokes lazy summer days. Follow these tips to help your home embrace the laidback essence of summer all year long.
Choose Warm, Inviting Colors
The colors you choose for your home decor have a huge impact on the overall feeling of a space. To impart a lazy summer ambiance, stick to warm, sunny shades that remind you of the season.
Paint Walls in Light, Neutral Tones
Soft beiges, airy whites, and light taupes make ideal wall colors. They keep things bright and breezy without becoming overbearing. Paint built-ins, bookshelves, and trim in these neutral shades for a cohesive look.
Incorporate Pops of Sunny Color
Liven things up with pops of cheerful colors like sunshine yellow, melon, seafoam, sky blue, and coral. Use colorful accent pillows, area rugs, throws, artwork, and decorative objects to add festive summery flair. Just be sure not to go overboard – you don’t want the space to feel overwhelmingly vibrant.
Choose Wood Tones with Warmth
When selecting wood furniture and flooring, opt for those with a warm, honey-brown hue rather than very light or very dark shades. This maintains the casual essence of summer.
Embrace Breezy, Relaxed Fabrics
The key to achieving a lazy summer vibe is to keep things lightweight and relaxed. Choose decor and upholstery fabrics that are soft, breezy, and informal.
Linen is Ideal
The woven texture and casual wrinkling of linen perfectly captures the essence of summer. Use linen upholstery on sofas and chairs and choose linen curtains to filter in warm sunlight.
Consider Lightweight Cottons
Lightweight cotton and cotton blends make excellent choices for quilts, duvet covers, slipcovers, and accent pillows. Opt for soft pastel plaids, botanical prints, or nubby textures.
Incorporate Lots of Lace
Romantic lace has a delicate, breezy look perfect for a summery interior. Use it for curtain panels or as fabric covers on throw pillows and lampshades. Stick to soft whites or ivories.
Try Subtle Sheers
Sheer fabrics filtered sunlight beautifully. Hang gauzy curtain panels or drape breezy sheers over bed canopies to embrace that lazy summer allure.
Allow Natural Light to Stream In
Summer is all about soaking up the glorious natural sunlight. Ensure your home interiors feel sun-washed and bright by allowing light to pour in generously.
Display Sheer Curtains
As mentioned above, transparent sheers make a wonderful light-filtering window treatment. They diffuse harsh rays while still allowing your rooms to feel sun-filled.
Keep Window Treatments Light
Even when using opaque curtains or shades, select lightweight fabrics in pale, neutral colors that won’t block or absorb excessive light.
Limit Heavy Draperies
Avoid substantial draperies which will prevent light from entering. Similarly, skip the valances which often create too much visual weight. Let the sunlight flow!
Position Furniture Thoughtfully
Arrange seating areas near windows and glass doors so you can fully enjoy the sunny views. Avoid blocking prime light sources with bulky furniture pieces or architectural elements.
Bring Nature Indoors
Connecting with the great outdoors is an integral part of summer. You can mimic this inside your home by incorporating lots of natural elements and plant life.
Display Fresh Floral Arrangements
From wildflowers plucked straight from a field to cheerful sunflowers in a vase, fresh-cut blossoms evoke the essence of summer. Display floral bouquets prominently on tables, shelves, and entryways.
Add Leafy Green Plants
Oxygenating houseplants instantly increase the summery ambiance in any space. Place them in hanging planters, on plant stands, or atop bookshelves. Go for leafy varieties like ferns, ivy, and philodendrons.
Create a Small Herb Garden
Herb gardens remind us of lazy summer days spent relaxing outdoors. Design a miniature indoor garden in your kitchen windowsill where you can grow basil, oregano, thyme, and other herbs.
Place Seashells and Sand Around
Keep a bowl filled with seashells and sand collected from the beach on an end table or coffee table. You’ll be reminiscing of seaside vacations all year long!
Use Rustic Wood Elements
Wood exudes the natural, outdoorsy character of summer. Incorporate reclaimed wood pieces along with distressed or weathered finishes on furnishings.
Display Driftwood Accents
Place interesting twisted pieces of driftwood on mantles or shelves as summery decorative objects. You can also hang small driftwood mobiles from the ceiling.
Use a Wood Plank Accent Wall
Installing reclaimed wood planks along one wall adds beautiful visual texture. Whitewashed oak looks airy and beachy.
Add Wood Storage Ladders
Vintage-style wood ladders double as charming wall displays or towel racks. Propped in a sunny corner, they impart rustic summertime charm.
Choose Outdoor-Inspired Furnishings
Look for wood-framed mirrors, cabinets, and bookcases in whitewashed finishes. Outdoor wood furniture like benches and garden stools work great indoors too.
Embrace the Breeze with Rattan and Wicker
The airy weave of rattan, wicker, and bamboo conjures up relaxing days spent lolling on the patio. Blend these into your indoor spaces for texture and interest.
Make a Statement with Wicker Chairs
A set of wicker chairs around the dining table or in a sitting area provides breezy flair. Painted white, they keep things light and summery looking.
Display Rattan Baskets
Rattan baskets serve as charming storage solutions while lending summery texture. Use them to hold blankets, toys, firewood logs, or bathroom essentials.
Add Bamboo Roman Shades
Fitting windows with bamboo roman shades provides privacy in a lovely breezy style. Bamboo is sustainably-sourced and complements summertime decor beautifully.
Install Woven Pendant Lights
Hanging rattan or bamboo pendant lights over eating areas imparts gorgeous dappled shadows that feel indulgently relaxed and summery.
Set a Casual Table
Summer meals are typically casual, relaxed affairs. Maintain this essence all year by ditching fancy dishware in favor of laidback pieces that encourage leisurely dining.
Use Colorful Mismatched Plates
Set the table with a playful mix of painted ceramic plates in cheerful hues. The casual styling feels unfussy and fun.
Try Enamelware Tableware
Vintage-inspired enamelware plates, mugs, and serving pieces have a wonderful retro charm. Their lighthearted appeal is perfect for lazy summer meals.
Display Sunny Glassware
Drinking glasses and tumblers with a sunny citrus hue, or even better, etched lemon and lime motifs, make mealtimes feel bright and summery.
Opt for Wire or Rattan Placemats
Woven rattan or wire placemats lend breezy texture to outdoor-inspired table settings. They’re easy to clean and highly durable as well.
Create Indoor-Outdoor Flow
When interior and exterior spaces blend seamlessly, you can better capture that lazy summer ambiance. Erase boundaries by decorating with versatility in mind.
Use All-Weather Furnishings
Choose indoor/outdoor rugs, seating, and decor that transitions beautifully onto patios, porches, and decks. The continuity imparts a relaxing vibe.
Install Wide Glass Doors
Invest in expansive glass sliding doors or French doors to connect interior rooms to outdoor living areas. Remove doors in warmer months.
Select Fade-Resistant Fabrics
When using drapes, cushions, and upholstery indoors and out, select fade-resistant fabrics that will withstand sunlight and moisture.
Display Transportable Accents
Decorative items like ceramics, lanterns, and plant pots should be lightweight so you can move them outdoors according to the season or occasion.
Ask Yourself Some Questions
As you redesign your home in lazy summer style, asking yourself these key questions will help guide your decisions and ensure harmony.
Does this make my home feel bright and sunny?
Any design choices – from wall paint to window and lighting selections – should contribute to a sense of airiness, luminosity, and cheer.
Does this have an informal, breezy look?
Summer decorating tends toward the casual and relaxed. Be sure furnishings and fabrics feel laidback rather than formal.
Does this connect me to nature and the outdoors?
The goal is to blur the boundaries between interior and exterior through finishes, materials, greenery, and easy flow between rooms.
Is this easy-care and family-friendly?
Messy sandy feet, poolside lounging, and spilled lemonade come with the territory of lazy summer living. Choose durable, low-maintenance decor.
Sample Lazy Summer Room Ideas
If you need a little nudge in planning your casually chic summertime decor, here are some specific spaces to inspire you.
Breezy Bedroom Retreat
Create a relaxing oasis by painting walls a soft cream, hanging lightweight linen curtains, and adding a rattan chair and jute rug. Display seashells, framed botanical prints, and a vase of wildflowers on the dresser.
Cheery Sunroom Gathering Space
Furnish with wicker seating, citrus-hued accent pillows, and a bright geometric area rug. Add bamboo blinds, an abundance of potted plants, and rustic wood storage cabinets.
Relaxed Poolside Sitting Area
Set up a cozy lounge with weather-resistant rattan seating, breezy ceiling fans, and all-weather rugs. Bright accent pillows, sun hats on the wall, and driftwood side tables complete the look.
Rustic Kitchen Nook
Gather around a farmhouse table on pretty rattan chairs. Shelving and cabinets crafted from reclaimed woods add character. Complete with paneled glass doors that open onto an herb garden.
Conclusion
With thoughtful design choices and classic summery decor elements, you can refresh your home with a relaxed vibe reminiscent of lazy summer days no matter the time of year. Follow this guide to help you thoughtfully transform dark, formal spaces into sun-filled retreats with casual furnishings, breezy fabrics, and rustic yet beachy elements. Soon you’ll be longing for lemonade and daydreaming of seaside vacations without ever leaving home. Embrace the lazy essence of summer in every season!
