Check out 19 ways to quickly and easily refresh your home with simple summer decorating ideas! Create beautiful home decor for a summer home!  Keep reading to see how I’m refreshing my home this season and get tips for an easy summer refresh.

The summer season is always so fun.  Being a classroom teacher, I count on the summer months to refresh both my home and my heart.  Of course, enjoying every possible minute with my family is the best part of all!  Today, I am sharing my favorite ways to create simple summer home decorating ideas to help you enjoy your own “summer home”, right where you are!

Let’s chat about a few popular questions that may help you get started with planning your own summer refresh!

How can I make my house feel like summer?

My first step toward a summer refresh is to lighten my color palette.  Even though I use a lot of white furniture year round, I often add a lot of woods and deeper colors in decor, depending on the season.

For the summer, you can create a light, bright, and breezy summer feeling by lightening up the color choices in your home.

Here are a few easy ways to get started with simple summer decorating ideas:

1. Add light slipcovers over existing furniture.
2. Mix light colored throw pillows and throw blankets for cozy summer spaces.
3. Take out some decor, opting for a “less is more” look.
4. Use this chance to lighten the color on an accent wall.
5. Paint a piece of furniture with a light color that you can also enjoy year round.
6. Add more white accessories into your decor: dishes, frames, candle holders, pillows, and vases, to mention a few.  This white footed pedestal bowl is one of my favorite decor pieces and is perfect to use year round for so many things!

How can I make my home beautiful with simple things?

Summer is the ideal season to experiment with a more simple decor style.

First of all, simply using less decor can help any space feel lighter for the summer season.

Secondly, summer is a lovely season to bring in simple, organic elements.  Almost all of my summer decorating includes organic objects such as coral, shells, and palm branches.

I am able to use a lot of my decor staple pieces, like dough bowls and glass cloches.  Then, I can easily add natural, organic summer decor accessories for simple styling!

A beautiful piece of coral resting on functional storage baskets is simple and whispers of a soft, summer style.  At the same time, a big bowl of shells makes an easy statement on a coffee table!

Here are a few ways to incorporate natural elements into simple summer decorating ideas:

1. Add a collection of shells to a favorite bowl or vase.
2. Remove a grouping of decor accessories and replace with a single piece of coral or collection of coral for a larger space.
3. Style a favorite vase with simple palm branches.  (If you don’t have them growing locally, these faux palm branches are lovely!)
4. Tuck a piece of driftwood or similar style element into a vignette.

How can I decorate my house with little money?

I admit it.  When the new home decor collections come out each season, I LOVE  to look through it all.  It is awfully tempting to buy alllll the things because they are just so pretty!

However, remember the tip above about using less decor?  Unless you are getting rid of a lot of decor and switching styles around (which is completely okay to do if you can), you probably don’t really need to buy all the things.  Adding a couple of fresh pieces to your summer decor collection might be all it takes!

This summer, I challenged myself to decorate for summer with only a few budget-friendly additions!  It’s great for the wallet and fun to do!

Here are a few ways to save money on summer decorating:

1. Since you are using less decor around your home, trying shopping your own home first! Moving around pieces can help everything feel fresh.  I swapped side tables between the living room and family room and both spaces look completely different without me spending a dime!
2. Use vessels you already own, such as dough bowls, glass cloches, and candlesticks.  Add simple and natural summer accessories that you can reuse year after year.
3. Find FREE decor!  I love cutting palm branches from my yard for free.  Forage around your own yard for pretty flowering branches, wildflowers, and greenery to create beautiful arrangements.
4. Go thrifting for summer accessories!  Over on THIS POST, you can find 34 thrifted decor items that I am currently using in my own summer decor!

How can I decorate my living room in summer?

Our living room and family room spaces are my favorites to decorate for summer.  Since they have more opportunities for playing around with fun decor, I really enjoy it!

Once you have decluttered, simplified, and taken out some decor, it’s time to decorate these living spaces with intentionality for the special summer months!

Here are a few of my favorite ways to decorate in our living room for summer:

1. Add vintage or vintage-inspired art to a gallery wall.  THIS SET is under $16 and is absolutely stunning.  The prints look like real paintings and are perfectly curated for you!  Easy, convenient, and gorgeous!
2. Add touches of blue and white!  If you have a neutral base for your year-round decor, it makes it so quick and easy to switch up accessories for a fun and fresh look.  Blue and white can blend with any decor style, from cottage to traditional and coastal to modern.  THESE blue and white striped pillow covers are under $14 for the pair and are a good quality.  They are perfect to layer with your everyday throw pillows too!
3. Include soft, light-weight throw blankets.  Remember, you don’t need as many layers as you do for the fall and winter.  However, you still want the space to look cozy.  Adding light-weight layers with texture will give you those cozy vibes.  THIS is my very favorite light-weight throw blanket.  I use it all spring, summer, and into the fall!  I have the oatmeal color but there are several pretty colors available.
4. Use baskets to control the summer clutter.  Yes, summer clutter is a very real thing.  If you’ve got kids around, you know exactly what I’m talking about!  Having everyone home all day, every day is my favorite thing about summer.  At the same time, where on earth does ALL THE STUFF come from?!  Haha!  Woven textures are perfect for simple summer decorating.  However, baskets are also super functional too. I love this divided basket for arts and crafts or even in a kitchen or bathroom!

The number one simple summer decorating idea: Create spaces that are ready for summer living!

Remember that a living room is a space to be lived in.  Yes, you want these spaces to be pretty and feel good.  I know I do for sure!

At the same time, embrace the casualness of summer and create intentional spaces for memory making.  In our back living room, I keep a game board out on the oversized coffee table.  Tucked in a basket on the coffee table are some of our favorite card games, ready for an impromptu family game night.  The space can quickly be cleared for working on a puzzle and chatting about the day.

Dining room tables aren’t too fussy and centerpieces are easy to slide over for watercolor painting on a rainy summer afternoon.  Create spaces where your family can live!

19 Simple Summer Decorating Ideas: How to Decorate for Summer 2023

1. Add light slipcovers over existing furniture.
2. Mix light colored throw pillows and throw blankets for cozy summer spaces.
3. Take out some decor, opting for a “less is more” look.
4. Use this chance to lighten the color on an accent wall.
5. Paint a piece of furniture with a light color that you can also enjoy year round.
6. Add more white accessories into your decor: dishes, frames, candle holders, pillows, and vases, to mention a few.
7. Add a collection of shells to a favorite bowl or vase.
8. Remove a grouping of decor accessories and replace with a single piece of coral or collection of coral for a larger space.
9. Style a favorite vase with simple palm branches.  (If you don’t have them growing locally, these faux palm branches are lovely!)
10. Tuck a piece of driftwood or similar style element into a vignette.
11. Shop your own home.
12. Add simple and natural summer accessories vessels you already own, such as dough bowls and glass cloches.
13. Find FREE decor to use with simple summer decorating ideas: greenery, shells, and driftwood pieces are a great start.
14. Go thrifting for summer accessories!
15. Add blue and white colors.
16. Use vintage or vintage-inspired coastal art for a gallery wall.
17. Include light-weight throw blankets and light layers to keep spaces cozy but breezy for summer.
18. Use baskets for great summer texture AND to control the clutter!
19. Create intentional spaces for memory making: outdoor dining, a reading nook, a designated game or puzzle table, cleared space stocked with arts and crafts supplies, just to name a few!

Do you have some simple summer decorating ideas ready to go now?

Summer is the perfect season to take a casual, fun approach to your home decor.  Keep it light, bright, playful, and most of all, functional for your family.

A “less is more” approach can be helpful.  At the same time, create cozy spaces for your family to enjoy together on summer evenings!

Use colors that bring sense of calm and relaxation to help your home take on a “summer vacation house” feeling.

Most of all, keep it simple and allow your focus to be on the people in your home, first and foremost!

Happy Summer Decorating!

You may enjoy these related summer decorating posts:

• 5 Things You Need for a Beautiful, Cozy Summer Bedroom
• The Best 10 Things to Use in Summer Shelf Decorating
• 5 Simple Things That Look Good on Your Summer Mantel
• 9 Beautiful Ideas for Your Summer Front Porch Decor
• 5 Simple Things That Look Good on Your Summer Mantel
• How to Make Summer Styling Affordable in Six Simple Ways
• How to Easily Style Your Dough Bowl for Summer
• How to Decorate Outdoors On a Budget: 55 Best Ideas

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Are you looking to refresh your home for summer? Try these easy ways to decorate with summer coastal style with casual vintage inspired decor!  Keep reading for my Summer 2023 Home Tour and see how I switched things up this year!  Hint: I did not purchase anything new!

I love decorating for all of the seasons.  Each one just has its own special feeling and flair, doesn’t it?  There are several reasons why I love to decorate with summer coastal style around our home each year.

First of all, we live in Florida!  Is there any other way to decorate for summer other than some easy coastal touches?!  At least it means the sand we track in from the beach kind of goes with whole look.  Haha!

Secondly, I love the light and airy feeling our home gets when I decorate with summer coastal style.  It is fun to try and make our home feel like our own little summer vacation home, even though we live here year round!

Guess what?  You can decorate with summer coastal style no matter where you live!  It’s fun, easy and I’ll share some simple ideas you can incorporate into your own summer home too.

Welcome to my Summer Home Tour!

Before I dive into all the details about how you can easily create a simple, coastal style for your home, let me first welcome you to my summer home tour!  Hosted by my good friend, Kelly, from The Tattered Pew, I am joining 30+ friends this week to share all of our favorite summer inspiration with you!

If you’re hopping over from Open Doors, Open Hearts, thanks for joining me!  I love every detail of her home tour.  What a perfect space to relax in the summertime!

Every day this week, new home tours will be featured, and you’ll love following along with each one.  It is the perfect space to gather all of your favorite summer inspiration (don’t forget to pin them!) and create your own, unique summer home style!

What are the elements of coastal decor?

• White, light colors
• Touches of light blue
• Woven textures
• Natural elements like coral and shells
• A few coastal elements like a pretty sailboat accent
• Cane and rattan accents
• Fresh greenery (convenient since we have palm trees all over our yard!)  In case you don’t, these faux palm branches are wonderful!

How do you decorate in coastal style?

Coastal style has come along way since the early 2000s, I have to say.  While you can still go into big-box home decor stores and find aisles full of shell-covered pillow covers and beach reproduction signs, there are some more subtle coastal trends that I personally really enjoy!

For example, I have traded out most of my regular home decor store-bought coastal accents for pieces of vintage coral from antique shops and sea fans from my local beach shop.

Reproduction signs have been replaced with pretty vintage or vintage-inspired sea scapes.  At the same time, they are styled with carefully curated collections of pieces that tell a tale of a lazy, summer beach day!

Things we use, such as straw hats and beach bags, are hung as decor (and convenient to grab when headed out the door).  Simple, neutral throw pillows and light-weight gauzy blankets add just the right cozy touches for summer movie nights without looking too heavy or cluttered.

Less is more is so accurate for this light, airy, coastal look!  A few simple touches, added to a soft, neutral color palette, will give you just what you need to decorate with summer coastal style.

How to Decorate with Summer Coastal Style: Summer Home Tour

How to Decorate for Summer: Tip #1

If for no other season or reason, summer is the perfect time to declutter and enjoy a simple style.  Now, I am far from a minimalist in my decorating.  Actually, a minimalist style just wouldn’t work for our home (and my favorite collections) very well at all.  However, summer is the season where I dial it way back.  “Less is more” is a good rule of thumb for summer decorating, no matter what style you take on.

If you haven’t already done a thorough declutter as part of your spring cleaning, summer is the perfect time to do so!  Host a community yard sale or bless your local thrift store.  However you go about clearing out some of the clutter, this is the time to get it done!

Trust me: your fall and Christmas decor-loving-self will thank you later!  Haha!

Pro Tip:  Enjoy a lighter, more breezy look for summer by using less decor over all.  Leave more “white space” and create statement and focal points with your very favorite pieces!

How to Decorate for Summer Tip #2: Declutter!

Part of the appeal of the light, coastal style is a space that is more free of some of the fuss and “extra” that other seasons tend to have.

Pro Tip:  After I decorate with summer coastal style in a space, I often live with it for a few days, then come back and edit.  Sometimes, I’ll add something in.  However, most often, I’ll take away a little piece here or there.  

You don’t have to go full on “minimalist” to achieve this look.  By grouping items together in collections, you can feature a lot of your favorites in a less-cluttered style.

Let’s take a look at a few spaces where I’ve actually used a lot of decor pieces, but they definitely feel more light and airy than other seasons.

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #3: Incorporate coastal colors

We love going to the beach in the summer.  Yes, we actually live where a lot of people vacation!

One of my favorite things about the beach is the soothing sound of the waves and the calming aesthetic of the natural colors.  The pretty blue sky against the cool tones of the ocean pair perfectly with the tan and white sand.  At the same time, earth toned shells scatter beautifully along the shore, giving texture and character.

You can decorate with summer coastal style by bringing that aesthetic into your home too!  Light blues, crisp whites, and earth tones are the perfect combination for easy coastal decorating.

One of my favorite things about the styling in my dining room are the whites and tan colors of my vintage pieces.  The neutrals turn the light blue and green of these vintage bottles and sea glass into statement touches, even though they are so simple!

You can add some coastal colors with easy accents, such as:

• Dishes
• Flowers
• Pillow covers
• Table runner
• Vase or pottery
• Shop my storefront HERE for some easy coastal accessories!

How to Decorate for Summer Tip #4: Use baskets and woven textures.

Even if you’re not going for a coastal look, baskets and woven elements add wonderful texture to summer decorating!  At the same time, baskets are great for organization and can help with some of that decluttering from Tip #2!

On the coffee table, I use these stacked baskets to keep family card games convenient for some quick summer evening fun!

Here are some great options for adding woven texture into your summer decor:

• Rattan table lamp
• Scalloped jute rug
• Rattan wrapped wooden chain links
• Rollable floppy straw hat
• French market basket bag, variety of sizes
• Woven storage trunk (double as a cute coffee table!)
• Stacked baskets, set of two, variety of colors

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #5: Hang up some straw hats!

In our family room, I had fun hanging a collection of thrifted straw hats on my gallery wall, paired with a cute straw bag too.  There is something about hanging simple, every day objects as a collection that turns them into art!

Plus, this was super budget-friendly as all of the hats were thrifted.  Most of them were under $3.00!

While collections are great, you can also toss a single hat over the corner of a chair or bedpost for a super quick and simple coastal touch.  Even if you didn’t just come from the beach, your home will have that relaxed feeling!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #6: Add tropical greenery.

How do I make my house look coastal?

Another super easy way to add a breezy look to your summer coastal decorating is to incorporate some palm branches.  Actually, I take out some of my other greenery (remember that decluttering of Tip #2!) and replace it with simple palm branches.

That is easy enough for me to do and it’s also completely FREE, as we have a lot of palm trees in our yard!  However, if you do not live in a tropical state, try THESE budget-friendly and beautiful faux palm branches for a low-maintenance and easy style!

You can also just drop by for a glass of lemonade and a chat.  I’ll be happy to cut a few branches for you for free!  Add them to a vase of water and they will stay looking beautiful for weeks!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #7: Tuck in a piece of coral.

How to decorate your house in coastal style?

One of the most obvious ways to decorate with a summer coastal style is to add found objects, like coral and shells.  I am separating shells from coral, however, as coral can really make such a gorgeous statement on its own.

If you find real coral in a substantial size, you are likely to pay a good investment price for it.  My husband bought this huge piece for me from an antique store for Mother’s Day one year and it is such a special piece.

Instead of switching out a lot of decor in the music room, I simply took out a couple of spring accessories, added this large coral, and a couple of other small pieces of coral.  With very little effort, the entire room immediately took on a relaxed and elegant coastal style that I love and enjoy!

Pro Tip:  Real coral is typically more of an investment but it is so gorgeous and you don’t need a lot to make a beautiful coastal statement in any room!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #8: Add a bowl of sea shells!

You can quickly and simply add a coastal touch to any space by adding a pretty bowl of sea shells!  Perhaps you have some shells from a favorite beach trip tucked away somewhere.  Summer is the perfect time to pull those out.  Then, put them in a bowl or bottle and add to a summer vignette!

I had a lot of fun with our shell and driftwood collections on my coffee table.  However, even though we have SO MANY, it still wasn’t enough to fill this huge antique trencher.  So, here’s what I did:

How to create a coastal centerpiece:

• First, I filled the trencher with brown Kraft paper.  I keep a roll of this handy for decorating year round!
• Secondly, I added this large wooden chain link decor.  Even though it isn’t “sea shells”, it mixes with the style perfectly and helps fill the space!
• Next, I spaced out my large conch shells and pieces of driftwood.
• Lastly, I filled in all the spaces with small shells.  I had to tuck the paper in a bit as a went to make sure I got it all covered!  However, if you look closely, you may see some brown spots here and there.  The brown paper is perfect because it blends in and isn’t obvious that there are a few spots that I couldn’t cover all the way with the shells I had!

You can get a big bag of really pretty assorted shells HERE!

These small driftwood pieces are great budget-friendly filler too!

You can shop a variety of gorgeous wooden vessels, perfect for your own summer centerpiece, on my storefront HERE!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #9: Incorporate ocean-inspired art.

One of my favorite ways to switch up decor for any season is by changing out my art and gallery walls.  Even though art can get a little pricey, I absolutely love these vintage-inspired prints for under $16.  They look like real paintings and are easy to switch out for seasons.  Plus, they don’t take up storage space!

For under $20, you can have a whole new seasonal gallery wall every season!  I seriously cannot get over how gorgeous they look.  A set of 5 prints that look vintage for under $20?  You can’t beat it!!!  I love to pair mine with thrifted frames for super budget-friendly wall art!

I also love to pick up vintage art at markets, yard sales, and thrift shops.  This painting that I used on my summer mantel was only $25 at an outdoor market!  You just never know what you might find!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #10: Decorate with beach-inspired signs.

Can you mix coastal and modern decor?

My answer (just my humble opinion), is YES!  Coastal accents can work with any kind of decor, from vintage to cottage and from traditional to modern.  Coastal accessories are perfect even with casual boho styles and farmhouse decor!

I added these gorgeous pieces from one of my favorite small businesses, Joyfully Said, to my dining room.  I love how the modern style of the painting is softened with the light wood.  The wood blends perfectly with my vintage European pieces.  The “You, Me, & the Sea” adds a fun, playful touch, which I definitely love for the summer!

I chose to use the light woods and sea glass colors for my Joyfully Said pieces.  However, they have a variety of wood stains, font colors, and even sizes of art.  Plus, you can use my coupon code: FRENCHNEST for some summer savings!

They have several different options in their summer collection that will add just the right amount of coastal style to your summer home!  Shop my favorites HERE!

How to Decorate for Summer Tip #11: Incorporate some pieces with patina.

What style goes with coastal?

I think you can mix coastal accents with almost any home decor style.  However, my favorite kind of coastal looks definitely have some weathered patina mixed in.

Even if your weathered wood is weathered from sitting on a farm in the midwest, you can mix it with some coastal accents.  All of a sudden, it takes on the look of wood that has been weathered by the sea salt of the ocean over many years.

See how you can use your decor pieces to create a home decor story?!?

I love bringing in some of my favorite architectural salvage pieces to add to coastal-inspired vignettes around our home.  This cabinet vignette, for example, only has one thing that is specific to the coastal style: the coral candle holder.  However, the mix of rattan, weathered wood, palm branches, and coastal hues all play a part to help tell a coastal home decor story.

Pro Tip: Mix elements to create a coastal style without being overly thematic with your decor.

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #12: Simplify by decorating with what you use.

Okay, in full disclosure, I don’t like wearing hats and I usually use a different bag for the beach.  However, you can achieve that casual, coastal style by decorating with beautiful items that are functional too!  (Even if you don’t actually use them.  Haha!)

I added my favorite French market bag and a cute hat to the small wall in our entryway.  They are convenient to grab on the way out the door.  At the same time, the woven style and overall look are a perfect complement to a relaxed, vintage coastal decor style.

A summer home is all about simplicity.  You want to keep your decor simple so you have more time for creating special summer memories.  Combining function with decor is a great way to get that simplified look that works so well with a summer coastal decor style.

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #13: Decorate with stripe patterns.

Summer and stripes just go hand in hand!  Whether it’s on my favorite linen summer dress, a casual pillow, a light-weight throw blanket, or a comfy beach towel, you’ll find stripes in almost any coastal style!

You can add a quick coastal vibe to any room by adding a stripe pattern!

Here are a few favorites to add stripes:

• this blue striped chair
• these khaki striped pillow covers under $14 (seen below on my sofa!)
• soft striped throw blanket
• a striped jute rug
• linen stripe table runner, comes in different colors
• neutral stripe of these organizational baskets!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #14: Use jute accents.

I love using jute accents around our home.  Actually, I keep jute rugs in more than one room year round.  During the spring and summer, I especially love adding some small jute accents, like pillow covers, placemats, and even table runners.

Even though I have had these square jute placemats for at least 5 years, they are still some of my favorites.  They are still available for purchase HERE!

Paired with these non-breakable, casual light blue gingham dishes in my dining room, they add a pretty layer with more texture to this everyday summer tablescape.

Jute is easy to maintain and I love that it adds so much texture while still being low-maintenance and easy to style!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #15: Add driftwood accessories!

Adding texture is a perfect way to bring in those coastal vibes for summer.  After all, the beach is certainly full of amazing texture, right?!  Consider adding some simple driftwood pieces to summer vignettes around your home.

As with the coral, you don’t need a lot in order to make a statement.  A couple of key pieces can bring in a subtle coastal style without feeling like you’re in Key West!  Haha!

A small driftwood piece looks pretty tucked in beside a plant and candle or combined with shells in a bowl.  I enjoyed styling mine in this big trencher on the coffee table.

At the same time, you can use this inexpensive driftwood filler for any bowl or vase around your home!

How to Decorate for Summer Tip #16: Add flowers!

Flowers are always in style!  Summer is a perfect time to enjoy a fresh bouquet of flowers on a coffee table, nightstand, or even by the kitchen sink!

I especially love to use my vintage vessels to hold pretty flowers.  Over on THIS post, you can find my favorite tips for styling inexpensive grocery store flowers!

On THIS post, I share 3 simple and easy ways to arrange my favorite summertime flowers!

While I love fresh flowers, I don’t always have time or remember to grab some at the grocery store.  However, my favorite faux peonies look so realistic!  I love the white flowers combined with the coastal blue of these pretty vases!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #17: Create coastal vignettes.

You can give any space a simple coastal look without redecorating the whole room!  In fact, one of my favorite ways to decorate for different seasons and holidays is by creating vignettes throughout the room.

Simply switching a vignette on a coffee table or side table can make your whole living room feel fresh!  At the same time, a new centerpiece on the dining room table or summer coastal art hung on a gallery wall can transform the room!

Here are a few posts to help you decorate this vignette spaces:

• How to Decorate a Coffee Table in 4 Easy, Budget-Friendly Steps
• How to Easily Style Your Dough Bowl for Summer
• 5 Simple Things That Look Good on Your Summer Mantel
• 3 Easy Ideas to Display Beautiful Thrifted Art

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #18: Decorate with summer book titles!

I love using vintage books to decorate our home.  Thrifted books can be great to add a touch of seasonal color to a room.  However, I also love to look for book titles that help tell my home decor story.

Next time you’re out thrifting, check out the book section!  You may come across some books that add those coastal hues.  At the same time, titles that have “ocean, sea, beach, vacation, or coast” could be wonderful details to add to your space!

Over on THIS post, I share all of my favorite ways to decorate with thrifted books!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #19: Use linen fabrics.

When you’re thinking about the texture you want to bring into your space for summer decorating, make sure to include some linen!  I love wearing linen in the summer and I also love decorating with it!

Linen pillows, tablecloths, table runners, and even throw blankets are perfect ways to bring this lovely texture into your home.

I lightened up the layers in my master bedroom for the summer.  This gorgeous linen duvet from Simple Opulence is perfect for the foot of my bed.  It adds a cozy and comfy look while still being light and airy.  At the same time, I am enjoying the softness of these neutral colors too!

I also layered this super soft gauzy coverlet for some neutral pattern and my favorite gauzy throw blanket.

Even though it’s hot outside, the air conditioning is definitely running in our Florida home and I love getting cozy for a good summer movie night!

How to Decorate for Summer Tip #20: Decorate with travel collections.

Do you have a favorite collection from summer vacations?  If your kids have loaded their beach bags with shells from a trip, this is the perfect season to put those to good use!

Even though my kids are older kids now, they still love to bring home pretty shells and add to our ever growing collection!

Perhaps you collect something that you’ve picked up throughout vacation or summer travels.  Favorite old bottles, postcards, or souvenirs can become a fun conversation piece to enjoy as part of your casual, relaxed summer home style!

How to Decorate With Summer Coastal Style Tip #21: Add beach decor outdoors too!

Don’t forget about the exterior of your home too!  To add a coastal look to the outside of our home, I kept it simple with striped outdoor pillows, some jute accents, a pretty umbrella, and weather-resistant outdoor lanterns!

Pro Tip: These outdoor battery operated candles make a summer night look so relaxing and cozy!

Are you ready for summer?

Now is the time to start planning, gathering your favorite summer styles, simplifying, and preparing your home for a wonderful summer season!

As a mom, these coming weeks are sacred family time and I am so excited to have our summer home ready to make as many wonderful summer memories as we possibly can!

Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours

The Tattered Pew // Worthing Court // StoneGable

My Wee Abode // Southern Home and Hospitality // My Thrift Store Addiction

She Gave It a Go // Cottage In The Mitten // Eleanor Rose Home

Peacock Ridge Farm // Bricks n’ Blooms // Cottage On Bunker Hill

White Arrows Home // A Life Unfolding // Simply2Moms

WM Design House // White Lilac Farmhouse

The Ponds Farmhouse // Thistle Key Lane // Open Doors Open Hearts

Robyn’s French Nest // Cloches and Lavender // DIY Beautify

Pasha Is Home // My Family Thyme

Midwest Life and Style // Amy Sadler Designs

Now it’s time to enjoy Cindy’s home tour from Cloches & Lavender.  I love her style, and her decor tips will inspire you, too!

You may also enjoy these coastal-related decorating posts:

• How to Make Coastal Farmhouse Decorating Easy
• 5 Things You Need for a Beautiful, Cozy Summer Bedroom
• 5 Simple Things That Look Good on Your Summer Mantel
• 9 Beautiful Ideas for Your Summer Front Porch Decor
• How to Make a Simple DIY Poster and Art Hanger
• How to Create a Beautiful Decor Story in Your Home

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Summer can be overlooked as a decor season, yet it is one of my favorites!  Check out 34 things that I always look for when I thrift for summer home decor!​

Do you love to go thrifting?  I think it’s kind of one of those things that you either just absolutely love to do or you just really don’t enjoy it at all.  Both are fine and you can have amazing home decor either way!  For me, though, half of the fun is the hunt!

I admit it.  I get ridiculously excited over a great thrifted find!  You too?!

Seasonal decor, in my opinion, is a great thing to hunt for in thrift stores, vintage markets, flea markets, and those kind of second-hand places.  I am happy to invest in pieces that I know I can and will use year-round.  When it comes to decor that is only going to be out for a short season, I love to get a great deal.

I have been able to thrift for summer decor over the years with some luck and there are several things that I always watch for now.  Let’s check them out and see if we can add anything to YOUR thrift store hunting list!

Thrifting with the Gals

Before I dive into my favorite summer thrifted finds, let me introduce you to my monthly blog, Thrifting with the Gals!  I love joining with vintage and thrift-loving friends from around the country to share our favorite decor ideas.  Of course, we are all using thrifted and vintage finds!

If you’re not following each of these amazing bloggers, you’ll want to start NOW!  They have incredible finds every month and we love sharing together!

• Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse
• Ann from Dabbling and Decorating
• Kristin from White Arrows Home
• And our guest host this month, Cindy, from County Road 407

Now, who’s ready to thrift for your summer decor with me?!

How can I decorate my living room in summer?

Thrifted finds are perfect for summer decorating.  Often, they have a casual look that can fit nicely into your summer vibe.

Here are some of my favorite categories of items to thrift for summer decorating:

1. straw hats
2. coastal inspired pieces
3. shells
4. baskets
5. art
6. books
7. free objects from nature
8. colored glass
9. architectural salvage
10. patriotic decor

Throughout this post, I’ll share specific ideas for each category and help you build your own summer decor shopping list!

34 Affordable Items You’ll Want to Thrift for Summer Decor

How to decorate on a budget?

Go thrifting!  Let’s look at some great ideas for 10 categories of items.  Then you can build your summer thrifting list for home decor!

How to decorate a room for summer?

Living in Florida, it’s just about a given that I would add some vintage coastal to my decor for summer.  Even though coastal decor can sometimes get a less-than reputation for being a little cheesy, there are great ways to incorporate even subtle touches into summer decorating.  However, you probably do not want to break the bank on shells, right?

Thrifting Tip #1: Add some thrifted shells!  

This will surprise you, but my best thrifted shells are not from Florida at all.  In fact, I found the best thrifted ones off the beaten path in South Carolina.  They were laying outside the antique shop on a weather-beaten table, covered in layers of dirt, and cost me $2-6 dollars each…for BIG ones!  Without a doubt, a great thrifted find.

You may have to pay more than that, but watch for shells year-round at thrift stores, yard sales, and the dusty antique mall corners!  Even if your summer decor style isn’t coastal, a pretty dough bowl with sea shells or a simple conch shell resting atop a stack of vintage books can give just the perfect, casual summer vibe without shouting “beach house”!  (Though I happen to think that is perfectly fun also!)

One of my favorite summer thrifted finds is a huge planter that is shaped and textured like a shell.  I think it was $6 at the thrift shop and it makes such a fun statement for a simple coffee table arrangement!

Thrift for Summer Decor #2: Baskets

I hope you don’t get tired of my thrifted baskets but they are just so fun.  Open-air vintage markets this spring held some lucky finds for me and I added several baskets to my collection of spring and summer decor.  If you want to thrift for summer decor, baskets are a perfect start!

Plus, they are perfect to tuck away the summer clutter and keep your home as low-maintenance as possible for the summer months.  Baskets make for quick clean up at the end of a long summer day.  After that, you can just enjoy more time relaxing and making memories with your family!

Thrift for Summer Decor #3: Art

This is one of my favorites. However, if you are a true art collector or really know your art, you may scroll down to #4.  Haha!

I am 100% honest that the only real thing I know about art is that I just know what I like when I see it!

Whether on a gallery wall, leaning against the wall on a mantel, or tucked into a vignette on a shelf, art is a wonderful thing that you can thrift for summer decor!  I definitely don’t want to spend a lot of money on art that is going to switched around.  The great news is that you can thrift for summer decor by watching the art section in thrift stores and looking for cute, small art pieces in vintage and antique shops too.

I always flip through the crates of art at flea markets and have found some really wonderful pieces that way.  It is fairly common to find old prints or even paintings of the ocean or sketches of sailboats.  Tuck one of these into your regular decor for an instant summer vibe!

Thrift for Summer Decor #4: Books

You didn’t possibly think I would make it through a post about how to thrift for summer decor without including books, right?!  Books are a perfect way to add simple seasonal touches.  They can also add seasonal color to your decor!  I love using blues in the summer, so I am always watching for pretty, faded blue books.

Another idea to thrift for summer decor is to watch for book titles that have to do with summer, the ocean or sea, or boats.  I picked up this book of ship sketches for a few dollars at a vintage market.  Just layering that title into my decor gives an instant summer vibe, however, still in a subtle way.

How do you make decor look expensive on a budget?

Seasonal objects are so fun, yet something that I try to catch a good deal on whenever possible!  Thrift stores, flea markets, and vintage finds are a perfect place to look for great deals and thrift for summer decor.  

Thrifted Summer Decor #5: Free items from nature!

I shared with you about my inexpensive thrifted seashells.  However, I also have a lot of shells that the kids have collected over the years, totally free!

Look around and use free decor from nature whenever you can!  It’s great because it’s free but it’s also Mother Nature’s seasonal decor, which is always the best inspiration.  For example, I love to bring in fresh branches from our palm trees.  After all, it is the one season where my trees actually are the right season for the rest of the country!

Here are a few free items you may find in the summer:

• shells
• driftwood
• wildflowers
• palm branches
• tree branches
• pretty rocks
• What other ideas can you add?!

Thrifted Summer Decor #6: Straw Hats

I admit it; I’m on a bit of a straw hat kick right now.  However, they are easy to store and easy to find at thrift shops.  I recently picked up a few more at a vendor market, all for such great deals!  Whether you add a straw hat to a peg rail or add a collection of them to a wall, they help tell the story of casual summer days, just in from the beach or fun outing at the lake.  That sounds like a lovely summer story to me!

Next time you’re out to thrift for summer decor, keep an eye out for a cute hat or two.  You’ll have so much fun adding them into your summer decor!

Thrift for Summer Decor #7: Glass

This may sound like an odd item to include in my top 7 things to thrift for summer decor, but when I look back at some of my favorite summer decor, there are always thrifted glass elements.  For example, vintage bottles with hues of blue and green add just a touch of that light, summer vibe.  Glass cloches are perfect to cover a favorite shell or collection of shells from a beach trip.  At the same time, old apothecary bottles make the perfect vase for a freshly cut palm branch or bright summer flowers.

All of these items I mentioned are ones I’ve found at yard sales, thrift stores, flea markets, antique shops, and vendor markets!  Almost all of them have been significantly budget-friendly (though a few of my cloches have been investment pieces because I used them year round).  However, one of my favorite cloches was a yard sale find for $1!

Glass is a great way to bring in a light and bright look to your decor.  If it is thrifted, even better, because I don’t worry too much about the late night hide and seek games that could knock something over!

Thrift for Summer Decor #8: Coastal inspired items

Nothing says summer decor like a few touches of coastal charm!  Remember, you don’t have to go full-blown nautical in order to achieve a subtle nod to summer days at the beach!  In fact, the trend is strong right now to include objects that represent the coastal look without being too themed.

Here are some of my favorite ideas for thrifted coastal objects:

• brass figures such as boats, shells, and swans
• straw hats
• seascape art
• seashells
• old oars
• baskets
• picnic items
• straw bags or cute beach bags
• sea sponges
• pieces of coral
• sailboat art
• items made with driftwood
• items with a cane or rattan finish

Thrift for Summer Decor #9: Architectural Salvage

You all already know how much I love architectural salvage, right?!  I definitely use it year round.  However, in the summer, I love to pull out some of my favorite pieces with blue and gray tones or chippy paint.

These simple touches of color help tell the story of summer beach days throughout our home!

I love these old hotel ledger pages I found at an outdoor market.  Using some $6 architectural salvage pieces, I made DIY poster holders!  Get my simple tutorial HERE!

Then, watch for some small architectural salvage pieces to make your own seasonal DIY picture holders!  You could even display favorite photographs from your summer travels!

Thrift for Summer Decor #10: Patriotic Decor

Summer is the perfect time to pull out the red, white, and blue decor!  I love finding holiday decor when thrifting.  Since I don’t leave my patriotic decor out for the entire summer, I get especially excited to find great deals on pieces I can mix into my summer decor.

I picked up these old flags when visiting family in Alaska.  They have 49 stars, which makes them a fun piece of history.  Plus, they were only $6 each!

Here are a few ideas to look for when thrifting that you can use for patriotic decor:

• flags
• red gingham textiles
• blue or red striped fabrics, like tablecloths or pillow covers
• red or blue dishes
• red or blue pottery
• twinkling lights (perfect for a July 4th party!)
• patriotic serving dishes for entertaining
• star baskets (I feel like I see these often!)
• Americana signs
• vintage pictures of Presidents or historical figures
• Presidential silhouettes
• vintage military photographs

How can I decorate my house on a budget?

Now you know the answer!  It’s time to go thrifting, hit up those summer flea markets, yard sales, estate sales, auctions, and vintage markets!

So…are you ready to go thrifting?!  If you’re like me, that is a big yes, always! I hope this gives you a few ideas to add to your thrifting list and even better, to shop your own home as you create some really simple styles for your summer decor!

Have fun and happy thrifting!!!

Next, I want you to hop over and visit these blogging friends.  You’ll love what they’ve found to share this month, their decor tips, and DIY ideas too!

Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse

Cindy from County Road 407

Ann from Dabbling and Decorating

Kristin from White Arrows Home

You may also enjoy these summer decor posts:

• 15 Simple Ways to Transition Your Home Decor from Summer to Fall
• The Best 10 Things to Use in Summer Shelf Decorating
• 5 Simple Things That Look Good on Your Summer Mantel
• How to Make Summer Styling Affordable in Six Simple Ways
• How to Create an Outdoor Dining Space: 5 Easy Tips

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)