Refreshing Your Home and Furniture for Summer

With the warm summer months approaching, it’s time to start thinking about how to make your home feel more light and airy. There are some easy things you can do around the house to bring more light and color into your home, and if you’re in the market for some new furniture, there are a few styles you should keep your eye out for.

Around the Home:

One of the easiest things you can do to help your home feel new for summer is to replace smaller decorations and furnishings you already have. For example, adding a light-colored rug in your living area can do wonders to brighten and add space to the entire room. This is a great way to freshen your room if you plan on having a lot of guests over. In addition, the color and texture of your curtains can make a big difference; some fabrics and hues let light into the room more readily than others, and in the summertime, you want your home to be full of sun and warmth. You should be careful of allowing too much sunlight into your house since it could potentially damage your vintage furniture. Consider buying curtains that are sheer and still let a good amount of sunlight into the home without leaving your vintage furniture in direct sunlight.

To help usher summertime into your bathrooms, you can also change out dark, heavier towels for pastel-colored, fluffier ones. The overall shift of dark to light in any area of the home does wonders for ushering in that summer aesthetic. This goes for your kitchen, too. As far as dishes go, look for dishware that is multicolored or bold and bright. While any mealtime with loved ones brings joy, it will be that much better if your guests can enjoy a great meal on plates that add to a fun atmosphere. Another small thing you can do that makes a big difference is updating pictures in your picture frames, especially if you have pictures from family vacations to display. The pictures will remind your guests of summer adventures and put everyone in a cheery mood!

Close your eyes. Picture what plants remind you of summer. Now, consider finding a creative way to bring them into your home or garden. Gardens just outside of a house can add so much beauty to a home, especially during a season where plants bloom so beautifully. But, if you lack a green thumb, you can also contact your favorite local florist to assist you in bringing the beauty of nature into your house. Hydrangeas will add a pop of color to any room, while lilies could import a touch of near-exotic elegance. If flowers aren’t really your cup of tea, you could also bring greenery into the home, like succulents, cacti, or bonsai trees.

One of the subtlest ways to set any mood you want is to simply pick the right candle scent. Whether you want your house to feel like a citrus garden or a tropical getaway, there are plenty of candle scents to take your guests where you want them to go. For citrus-related scents, try candles with hints of lemon, orange, or even grapefruit. For a tropical getaway, look for scents like coconut, sea salt, and tropical flowers.

If your home feels a little stuffy or boring, try rearranging some furniture in the living room or bedroom. Find ways to make the spaces feel more open so that your guests will feel both expected and welcomed.

For Your Furniture:

If you’re looking to replace or buy brand-new pieces of furniture for your summer home, look no further. We have all the tips you need to help your home feel light, airy, and elegant all year round.

To spruce up the house for summer, look for pieces of furniture with lighter fabric colors. In general, lighter colors are associated with the spring and summer months, and choosing lighter fabric colors does wonders to both brighten any room and make any room appear larger than it is. In addition to furniture with lighter fabrics, try to also look for lighter woods when possible. Our French Provincial Collection offers some selections with lighter woods, and the style of the time is reminiscent of the French countryside in the summer.

Choosing end tables and coffee tables with glass surfaces will help shepherd light through any room. Glass seems to have a way of capturing light in a way that even artists are envious of and having pieces of furniture with a lot of glass will give the illusion of plenty of light.

Speaking of illusions, mirrors are another great way to help rooms seem bigger than they actually are, especially if you have them face some of the more beautiful spaces in your home. With a beautiful reflection to look at, your guests will get to appreciate the artistry of your home twice as much, and, if you believe in feng shui, you’ll be inviting even more beauty into your home.

One piece of furniture that’s easy to forget but that is crucial during the summer months is the plant stand. Buy plant stands for those summer flowers or plants you bring in from your garden or local florist. Even the smallest touch of green gives any room a touch of life and magic. And during the summer months, when plants are the greenest, you'll want to make sure you’re taking advantage of the opportunity to bring their warmth and loveliness into your home!

Lastly, everyone’s heard of spring cleaning, but not everyone’s heard of summer polishing. A clean and polish of the furniture you already own can do wonders for ushering in a feeling of newness and comfort. If you’re the “do it yourself” type, make sure you look into what product would be best to use to polish the types of wood you own. If you’d rather play it safe, consider hiring a professional to come in and clean, refresh, or reupholster your favorite pieces of furniture.

We look forward to bringing your summer home dreams to life and watching you create your own beautiful spaces with pieces from Laurel Crown.