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,

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