44 Breezy Decorating Ideas for Summer

Emerson Latham

Tue, June 9, 2015 at 2:12 AM UTC

13 min read

Let the warm weather and these charming summer decorating ideas influence your next home project.

As temperatures rise and the sun shines longer, it's time to give your decor a summery refresh. Whether you long for a tropical escape or a calming oasis, summer-inspired decor offers endless possibilities for enhancing your home.

As the season changes, try a fresh color scheme or incorporate new materials. Start small and focus on one area of a room, or if you're feeling bold, transform the whole room into a summery haven. Here, we've gathered our favorite summer decorating ideas for your seasonal makeover.

Set a Colorful Table

Consider buying accent dishes and a vibrant tablecloth to add splashes of summertime color and pattern to your next dinner party. Mix bright floral, tropical, or nautical-theme dishes with your everyday plates and bowls. To ramp up your summer decorations, clear a small table to create an impromptu bar, and arrange bottles and glassware on a pretty serving tray. Fun elements such as stir sticks and paper umbrellas create a look that is perfectly seasonal.

Indoor-Outdoor Decorating Ideas

One of the best ways to decorate for summer is to connect your indoor and outdoor spaces. Mix patio seating and light fixtures with an indoor area rug in a covered sunroom, or add string lights above a farmhouse table on your porch to create a cozy dining space. Bringing the outdoors inside creates a soothing, relaxed atmosphere synonymous with summer.

Midcentury Modern Summer Decor

Decorating with midcentury modern style is a mix between retro and contemporary design. This can create a crisp, clean look for your summer decorating. Opt for whites and creams to keep the atmosphere bright. Choose furniture and decor with organic shapes and geometric lines. Add plants and flowers to the mix to create that indoor-outdoor connection.

Paint Your Front Door

Consider painting your front door for a simple summer decorating upgrade. Whether you go for a bold shade of yellow or a soft pastel pink, creating a contrast between your door and your home's exterior creates a showstopping style statement. Pair your colorful door with a few planters and you are ready for summer guests.

Update Old Furniture

Give a tired chair or side table new life using high-gloss spray paint in a summery hue, such as sky blue or grassy green. The glossy paint creates a fun lacquered look and gives an old piece a fresh and modern edge. Make sure to properly prime and paint the furniture to help the paint adhere to the surface and wear longer.

Update Your Backyard for Entertaining

Whether you are planning a large backyard barbeque or cocktails with a few friends, an outdoor bar is a must. Look for an inexpensive cabinet at a flea market or secondhand store to decorate for summer on a budget and store party supplies when not in use. Hang light fixtures for nighttime visibility and bring in a pop of color—bright oranges, yellows, and reds are ideal—to set the summer aura.

Add Summer Colors

If you are looking for an easy summer decorating idea, bring in a small pop of color. Whether you add a few pastel pillows or opt for a bold area rug, you can easily create cohesion with neutral furnishings to tie it all together. Add a few plants and you'll have an indoor-outdoor oasis, perfect for curling up with a good book or summertime sips.

Neutral Summer Decor

Summer decorating doesn't always have to include bright colors or lively patterns. Neutral colors and natural materials provide a sense of a serene summer afternoon. Materials like wicker, rattan, and linen are easy ways to add a summertime touch to any room in your house.

Go Nautical

Some of the best summer decorating ideas come from the seashore. Find subtle nautical decor to make your home feel more like a beach house. Navy blue hues and white stripes should do the trick, or pick up a boat-shaped relic from the flea market.

Let in Light

If you are in need of summer decorating ideas, change the way you think about your space. Picture your home as a summer rental, and you'll see it in a new light. Throw open the doors and windows, pull back the curtains, and get rid of pieces that are dark, gloomy, or fussy. Stow away heavy accessories, throws, and unnecessary small decor items until it's time to cozy up for fall.

Coastal-Inspired Accents

Another way to decorate for summer is to focus on beachy elements or art pieces. Pair a nautical painting with blue bedding, or maintain a neutral color scheme with a few coastal accessories to create a cozy coastal bedroom. Swap heavy pillows and blankets for lighter fabrics, like linen and cotton, to quickly make your guest bedroom feel like a seaside resort.

Contemporary Summer Decor

Elevate your less-is-more look for the summer season. Opt for warmer tones instead of cool blues and grays for a cozy getaway. Choose natural elements and add a pop of vibrant color for summery accents.

Front Porch Decorating Ideas

With warm weather and a few extra hours of sunlight, the summer months are perfect for dining on your front porch or having a picnic in your yard. Outdoor summer decorations can be as simple as a few extra planters on the porch or additional seating areas to accommodate more guests. Eating outdoors will help you and your family take advantage of everything summer has to offer.

Decorate with Summer Flowers

Interject bright, summery colors in your home with freshly picked flowers. To make the biggest impact, stick to arrangements featuring warm colors—such as bold oranges, radiant yellows, or vibrant pinks—and save rich reds and deep purples for other seasons.

Add Accessories

You don't need to give your whole room a facelift when decorating for the summer season. Turn a small space like the top of a nightstand or dresser into a statement area. Place vibrant art as a backdrop and build with smaller joy-evoking pieces.

Create a Photo Gallery

Preserve your vacation photos by printing, framing, and arranging them in a gallery wall. This summer decorating trick will save you money on art and give you a great talking point at parties. Plus, the memories will cure your wanderlust as you start planning your next summer vacation.

Patio Decorating Ideas

Summer is as much a state of mind as it is a season, so transform your outdoor spaces with lights, flexible seating, and ample room for gathering. String paper lanterns on tree branches around an outdoor patio to help you entertain well into the night hours. Or, should the weather turn stormy, cozy up by lamplight on a covered porch.

Outdoor Summer Decorating Ideas

Some of the easiest summer decorating ideas involve your outdoor spaces. If you're big into entertaining outdoors, low tables, floor pillows, and strands o string lights set a merry mood. Winning combos of bright colors, such as turquoise, pink, and yellow, create a festive atmosphere perfect for a party.

Less Is More

Summer is all about light, bright, and airy spaces. Consider painting walls a calmer hue and going for a minimalist approach with simple furniture and decor. Finish the breezy look with a few strands of string lights to brighten the space at night.

Go with Boho

Free-spirited and airy, boho-style interiors are perfect for a summertime makeover. Using a mix of fun colors and patterns; there really are no rules to follow when it comes to decorating with this design aesthetic.

Related: 13 Boho-Style Bedroom Ideas

Summer Houseplants

Become a plant parent and spruce up your home with all kinds of greenery. With the proper love and care, houseplants will enhance the liveliness and beauty of your home.

Bright Bathroom Wallpaper

One of the easiest ways to completely change the feel of a room is to hang wallpaper. Choose something with bright colors, beachy patterns, or both. If you aren't ready to fully commit to a look, opt for peel-and-stick wallpaper that can be swapped out later.

Create Casual Dining Areas

Summer weather offers ample opportunities for dining—both fancy or less formal. Even if you are hosting something on the casual side, you can find unexpected uses for formal serving pieces. A silver tray can hold pretty glassware, a pitcher can be filled with a delicious summery cocktail, and a champagne bucket makes a great container for an herb plant. Summer party decorations have never looked so good.

Bring In Bold Contrast

While lighter shades definitely connotate the feel of warmer weather, you can easily decorate for summer by creating contrast in your living spaces. Focus on neutral hues for your walls and furniture, but opt for a darker area rug or curtains to ground the look without completely washing everything out. Add pastel pillows and lightweight throw blankets to add a cheery finishing touch.

Decorate with Warm Tones

Say goodbye to the cool blues of winter and hello to bright warm hues that reflect a sunny summer day. Go for warm wood tones like cherry, mahogany, and hickory, and accessorize with warm reds, cheery yellows, and vibrant oranges.

Summer Wall Decor

<p>Annie Schlechter</p> — Annie Schlechter

Don't overcomplicate your wall decor. Use peel-and-stick hooks or strips to easily hang lightweight decorations for the summer season, like these woven bowls. Plus, this method won't damage the paint or wall, and it's easy to switch out your display as the seasons change.

Incorporate Summery Scents

For a simpler summer decorating idea, think about the smell of your space. To create a summer aesthetic in your home, switch out scents as the seasons change. While gingerbread and evergreen are great smells for the winter months, shift to ocean breeze or cucumber-melon in the summer. Plus, candles can stand in for quick, inexpensive summer decorations for coffee tables and shelves.

Create an Outdoor Living Space

Warmer weather draws friends and family outside to gather. Spruce up your outdoor living space with comfort and color. Hang a day bed for a relaxing place to enjoy some alone time or a fun twist on outdoor seating for a get-together. Add splashes of color and pattern with weatherproof pillows.

Choose Navy Blue

Navy blue is a nautical color that gives the impression of a summer spent on a boat. Use this dark blue hue as a base color and bring it to life with bright, cheerful accent colors. It is a perfect transitional color for all seasons and can be toned down or livened up depending on the colors you pair with it.

Summer Porch Decor

Summertime is about cookouts and gathering over delicious home-cooked meals. Enhance your porch dining area for the summer season with inviting decor. Adorn your table with cheerful place settings, and add a bouquet in the center for a final touch.

Create a Statement Wall

While summer is known for lighter colors and hues, you can easily brighten dark walls with colorful art. Affordable pieces can be found just about anywhere online or at flea markets and resale shops. A large piece or a collection of smaller pieces also provides the perfect blank-wall solution for large, open rooms and can lend to other summer decorating ideas as you match (or contrast) with other elements of the bed, pillows, or rug(s).

Side Table Bouquet

Not only will a bouquet of flowers smell delightful, fresh blooms will breathe life into any space. Place a simple arrangement of flowers on a side table for a subtle but elegant elevation to the decor. This simple display doesn't have to be extravagant; a few stems will look just as good as a full bouquet.

Add Succulents

Summer decorating is all about the greenery. To add organic appeal to your DIY summer room decor, consider planting succulents in a large shell. The tiny plants last for a long time and require little care, making them the perfect addition to a summery tablescape. The natural elements also add texture and character to this chic table display.

Living Room Decor Ideas

While a fireplace is a great focal point, consider rearranging your furniture away from it during the summer. Rather than huddling around the hearth, shift the focus of the room toward a beautiful window or French doors. Store heavy draperies and hang gossamer sheers that flow with the breezes.

Decorate Your Bedroom for Summer

Bright botanical prints (on bedding or pillows, for example) instantly lift a room's mood—and yours. To let the motif truly shine, keep the wall color neutral and other accessories to a minimum. Seasonal duvet covers are a great way to save money while making a statement when decorating for summer.

Antique Summer Flair

Summertime is the prime season for flea markets and antique sales. If your interior is more of a rustic, pre-loved style, take this opportunity to find vintage treasures to decorate your home with. Search for relics from the past that include floral patterns and muted greens and pinks.

Wall of Hats

Both stylish and functional, creating a sunhat display on your wall is an easy way to decorate for the season. This effortless decor is also an organization hack so you can clear up some closet space and show off your hat collection.

Summer Centerpiece

Elevate your dining room table with a sunny centerpiece. Find a unique vessel for a bouquet of fresh-picked flowers, then add a wicker tray pretty dinnerware set for an effortless breakfast nook arrangement.

Beach Home Style

Whether you live on the coast or just love to visit, douse your home in coastal decor for a trendy summer look. Take a walk on the beach and find seashells, coral, or driftwood to display. If you're landlocked, consider a shell-patterned wallpaper or a fresh coat of paint in a coastal-inspired color.

Use Brown Hues

Just like the sand on a beach, warm brown tones can reflect a subtle summer scene. Adding the right decor can make your home feel like a quaint summer cottage. Gingham print, linen, and warm-toned wood complete this cozy breakfast nook.

Summertime Glamour

Get groovy with your summertime decor. Not only are disco balls aesthetically pleasing, but by placing them somewhere that gets ample sun, your room will be dancing with reflections from the tiny mirrors.

Pink Palette

Decorating with pink for summer adds a soft, feminine feel to the space. Whether you want the pink decor to be a dramatic, eye-catching conversation starter, or a subtle elegant touch, this blush hue will warm up any room in the house.

Pergola Party

<p>Alyssa Richardson</p> — Alyssa Richardson

Enjoy your outdoor entertaining area to its fullest by adding a pergola. Not only are pergolas functional, but they look great too. Dress up your pergola with string lights, hanging plants, or whatever will make it fit your style.

Add a Pop of Color

<p>Carmel Brantley</p> — Carmel Brantley

If your decorating style leans more towards black and white or neutral colors, you are basically working with a clean slate. Choose a couple of elements to swap out for colorful decorations. Choose sunshine yellow curtains or sky blue throw pillows. Adding just a splash of color will change the feel of your room without much effort.

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