Decorating Your Summer Space

When you are looking to relax, either in your year-round abode or a special vacation spot, it’s important to incorporate a style that makes you feel like taking it easy. Decorating for comfort can be overwhelming, even if you have a vague idea of what kind of space you want to create. However, with the right ideas, and a little resourcefulness, you can create an amazing area in your home or home-away-from-home that will make you never want to leave.

Deciding on a style that suits you is the first step. Whether you choose sun and sand, or rustic charm, there are steps you can take to get you started in creating your personal paradise.

Choose a pallet. Cool blues, sea greens and neutral sands work best in an oceanfront area, but a secluded mountain cabin may beg for more reds, oranges and yellows. Be sure to match your metals with your color scheme. A silver sun-burst mirror can look amazing on a seascape dining room wall, while a gold picture frame will look more in tune with a vintage dresser.

Make the main areas feel inviting. Choose a large area rug to use an anchor for the living room, and make sure the furniture is comfortable and livable. No one wants to relax in a museum! Keeping a few cozy chenille blankets within reach, and an interesting book or two on the coffee table will make you and your guests feel like striking up a conversation. Using standing lamps in addition to overhead lighting can help keep the mood of the room energizing or peaceful.

Personalize your walls with your story. Choose a favorite art piece to place in a vintage frame, and keep it in a place that you will notice often. Pick one wall in a common area to cover with photographs, and don’t be afraid to mix your frames from rectangle to oval. Seeing these memories will keep them close to your heart, and brighten even a rainy vacation day.

Add character with unique light fixtures. Explore the local antique stores and flea markets for one-of-a-kind lighting that will make a statement in your home. Glass bottle chandeliers or repurposed birdcages can add a touch of understated elegance. Vintage lanterns hung from a circular wooden wheel will be the perfect statement piece to hang from an extra tall ceiling.

Retreat in an outdoor oasis. A weatherproof patio set surrounding a stone made fire pit can be just the ticket on chilly nights. Adding an outdoor barbecue grill or bar will make throwing casual dinner parties a snap, and soothe even the weariest of travelers. Be sure to keep the space well lit with small outdoor string lights held up with posts, or decorative Chinese lanterns hanging from the porch ceiling.