June
has arrived, and those sultry weeks of sunshine, barbeques, beach trips, and
cold treats are here. Summer elicits a
laidback, low key feel centered on fun, travel, and kicking back. If you want your home on board, energize your
space with simple looks of summer.
A
little can go a long way toward adding a seasonal element to your space. To capitalize on a summer feel, think
color. Give your traditional couch throw
pillows a break until September and replace them with brighter colors and
vibrant patterns. Drape a similar throw
blanket over the end of the couch or loveseat.
Be willing to stretch past your usual comfort zone and consider
combinations of teal, turquoise, grass green, hot pink, coral, and vibrant yellow
that are hot this season.
Sprucing
up the table is easy when you incorporate casual placemats like white with a
colored print or a bright shade in a repeating pattern. Forego the cloth napkins and use summer print
paper napkins from the party supply aisle.
An inexpensive set of plastic drinking glasses or melamine dinner plates
in a new shade are simple ways to serve sodas and floats alongside burgers or
hotdogs off the grill, right along with your everyday lunches for the next
several weeks. Put away the ceramic
pitcher and keep a colored plastic pitcher handy to keep mixing up batches of
lemonade or sweet tea.
Fill
a glass bowl with lemons or limes for the kitchen counter. Use online references or food magazines to
pull together some easy weeknight dinners that use summer produce. Stock up on popsicles, crackers, dip mix, and
summer veggies and fruits for afternoon snacking. Bring out a pretty melamine tray and stock
with bar napkins, stir sticks, and a little plate to hold freshly sliced fruit
for drink mix-ins. Splurge on some new
colored mixing bowls or serving utensils for your summer entertaining.
Change
out sheet sets and extra blankets with breathable cotton options, and pop more
vibrant pillowcase colors on top of simple white sheets. Replace raggedy kitchen towels with a new set
in bright colors or a summery repeating print.
Lay out a new welcome mat at the front door with a fun print painted
on.
Hit
up those aisle end caps in stores that beckon with a slew of seasonal goodies
for the homemaker and entertainer.
Little pops of color here and there can take your rooms right into
summer fun for a stylish backdrop for your energized summer to come.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star June 2nd.
