12 Easy Ideas To Add Summer Decor To Your Home

These 12 easy summer decor ideas will help you add seasonal beauty and charm to every room in your home.

SUMMER is here! I hope you are all enjoying the beauty of the season! Planting outdoor pots and eating al fresco! Spending time on porches and patios, and maybe even dipping your toes into a pool or body of water. Summer is easy-going and a little more relaxed for many of us! Wouldn’t you love to bring some of the style and ease of summer inside? Here are 12 easy ways to add summer to your home! Let’s enjoy every ounce of this wonderful season inside and out!

Now, let’s summer-ize our homes!

Start At Your Front Door

Welcome summer at your front door with something as simple as a basket filled with seasonal flowers or a colorful wreath. These pretty decorations can set the tone for the rest of your home. Choose faux or real blooms that feel light and fresh. Think peonies, hydrangeas, or daisies. Add a striped or checked ribbon for a cheerful pop of color.

If you are looking for inspiration, you might like this post—How To Create A Summer Door Basket.

Lighten Up Your Pillows

Put away any pillows that feel dark or heavy and bring out ones in lighter colors and fabrics. Cotton and linen pillow covers in soft hues, neutrals, or cheerful summer patterns work beautifully. Just changing a few pillows in a room can make the whole space feel brighter and more seasonal.

While you’re refreshing your pillows, think about updating a few other textiles too. Switch out heavy throw blankets for lightweight ones made of cotton or a soft gauzy weave. Replace thicker drapes with sheers or breezy panels that let in more natural light. Even small changes like adding a summery runner to a table or changing a dark lampshade to a light-colored one can help a room feel more open and in season.

Keep the look light, soft, and simple for the warm months ahead.

Get Beachy

Even if you don’t live near the beach, adding just one or two things from the sea is a lovely way to bring summer into your home. A glass bowl filled with pretty shells, a container of sea glass, or even a few pieces of driftwood can give your space that light, summery look.

These easy Pottery Barn-inspired Rope Wrapped Candleholders would be perfect for your summer decor. I made these simple rope candleholders in just a few minutes. See how I did it HERE!

Just a tiny nod to the sea and the season is all you need. Don’t overdo it—less is best here!

Introduce A Little Blue And White

Blue and white are a classic color combination, but they are also the season’s colors this summer! Whether your style is traditional, coastal, cottage, or transitional, this crisp duo works beautifully in just about every room.

Have fun adding blue and white to your home in big or small ways. Think about using blue and white pillows, ginger jars, vases, throws, or dishes. Add a striped runner to your table or tuck a few blue and white napkins into a basket on your kitchen island. Even one little piece in this color combination can catch the eye and bring a fresh seasonal feel to a space.

And if you’re already decorating with this beautiful duo, you are right on trend!

Style A Summer Coffee Table

Each season has its own beauty and elements that make it special, and summer is no exception. This is a great time to update the vignettes in your home, especially on your coffee table, to reflect the light and easy feel of the season.

Go lighter or brighter, and don’t forget to add a few summer-inspired organics. Think less clutter and more open space to let each item breathe.

Here are a few simple ideas to style your summer coffee table:

• Use a tray to anchor your vignette
• Add a small vase of fresh, faux flowers, or a potted annual
• Include a natural element like shells, driftwood, or a small fern
• Stack a couple of seasonal books or magazines
• Use a candle with a light summer scent
• Add texture with rattan, seagrass, or a small woven bowl
• Include something personal, like a small framed photo or a pretty trinket dish

Keep the look simple and natural. You only need a few well-chosen items to create a summery focal point.

Add Summer Plants To Your Indoor Spaces

I treat summer annuals and perennials like store-bought cut flowers. For about the same cost as a nice grocery store bouquet, I can pick up a blooming potted plant that will last for weeks, sometimes even longer.

The beautiful white verbena on the table lasted about a month. It’s still thriving, and new blooms are popping up every few days. That staying power makes potted summer plants a smart and pretty addition to your home.

I especially love using geraniums, daisies, salvia, lavender, and even small ferns or herbs in pots around the house. They look fresh and seasonal in the kitchen, on a table, or tucked into a vignette.

Once you bring a blooming summer plant into your home, you will be hooked! It’s such an easy way to add color, life, and natural beauty to any space.

Once you bring a blooming potted summer plant into your home, you will be hooked!

Add A Little Patriotic Decor

Summer is the perfect time to add a little red, white, and blue to your home. Around the Fourth of July or Memorial Day, a few small patriotic touches can make your home feel festive without going overboard.

You do not need to decorate every corner. A small flag tucked into a vase of flowers, a blue and white striped pillow, or a red checked ribbon tied around a basket are all simple ways to bring in a bit of Americana.

Try one or two of these easy ideas:

• Display a bowl of cherries or strawberries on the kitchen counter
• Add a navy striped runner to your table or sideboard
• Layer a few blue and white dishes in a hutch or open shelf
• Use red, white, and blue cloth napkins or tea towels
• Fill a white pitcher with small American flags
• Add a patriotic printable in a small frame

Keep it simple and thoughtful. A few well-placed touches can make your home feel perfectly in season while still looking classic and collected.

Add Patriotic Decor

Summer is the perfect time to add just a little red, white, and blue to your home. Around Memorial Day, the Fourth of July or the entire summer, a few small patriotic touches can make your home feel festive without going overboard.

You do not need to decorate every corner. A small flag tucked into a vase of flowers, a blue and white striped pillow, or a red checked ribbon tied around a basket are all simple ways to bring in a bit of Americana.

Try one or two of these easy ideas:

• Display a bowl of cherries or strawberries on the kitchen counter
• Add a navy striped runner to your table or sideboard
• Layer a few blue and white dishes in a hutch or open shelf
• Use red, white, and blue cloth napkins or tea towels
• Fill a white pitcher with small American flags
• Add a patriotic printable in a small frame

Keep it simple and thoughtful. A few well-placed touches can make your home feel perfectly in season while still looking classic and collected.

Summerize Your Foyer

Greet friends and family with an attractive and tidy foyer that reflects the season. Keep the decor simple, but be sure to add something that hints at summer’s easygoing charm.

On the vertical coat rack, I’ve hung my straw sun visor and a favorite summer tote. Those two things add texture, function, and a little seasonal style to the space.

What could you add to your foyer that gives a subtle nod to the summer season? Here are a few ideas:

• A small bowl filled with shells or sea glass
• A vase of fresh or faux summer flowers
• A rattan or woven basket for shoes or mail
• A lightweight throw in a soft, summery pattern
• A simple print or artwork that feels seasonal
• A summery candle in a clean scent
• A straw hat or market bag hanging on a hook
• A mirror with a light wood or bamboo frame
• A pretty rug in soft blues or sandy neutrals

Even one or two thoughtful touches can help your foyer feel current, refreshed, and ready for summer company.

Make Garden Flowers A Focal Point

One of the prettiest ways to decorate in the summer is with flowers straight from the garden. A handful of blooms or herbs in a small pitcher or a big bunch in a favorite vase can make a room feel cheerful and in season.

Use what you have! Clip hydrangeas, daisies, zinnias, black-eyed Susans, or anything blooming outside and bring them indoors. Even a few sprigs of herbs or flowering branches can be beautiful when displayed simply.

Try placing flowers in:

• A white ironstone pitcher
• A mason jar with twine wrapped around the top
• A clear vase to show off long stems
• A group of tiny bud vases down the center of a table
• A small vessel tucked into a bathroom or beside the kitchen sink

When flowers become the focal point in a room, you don’t need much else. They carry the beauty of the season all on their own.

Use Fruit As Decor

I love this idea. It is so easy and so pretty. Adding fruit like lemons, limes, or other citrus brings a fresh pop of color to a room.

In the image above, I added a few leafy branches from a tree along with a bowl of lemons. It made the simplest and brightest arrangement. This is a quick way to decorate that feels cheerful and natural.

And when the fruit starts to get a little soft, use it! Display it first, then enjoy it in something delicious.

Here are two favorite ways to use lemons:

• Lemon Zucchini Bread
• Arugula Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

Some fruits and vegetables should be kept on the counter. Why not make them part of your seasonal decor? Put them in attractive bowls and dishes on a breadboard with a small vase of garden flowers! A very pretty summer display.

Pretty and practical, this is such a smart seasonal decorating idea.

Make A Summer Bed

One of my favorite things to do each season is to change the bedding. Not all of it, just the top layer and pillows. This simple update makes a bedroom feel fresh and ready for the warmer months.

In the summer, I like to use lighter layers. A cotton coverlet or a soft woven blanket is a perfect choice. They look crisp and feel comfortable. Gauzy throws, lightweight quilts, and anything in a soft fabric will help the bed look and feel cooler.

Changing the pillow shams and decorative pillows also makes a big difference. Choose soft colors, small prints, or simple floral patterns to keep things relaxed and pretty.

Here are a few ways to dress your bed for summer:

• Use a cotton or matelasse blanket in a light color
• Add a soft throw at the foot of the bed
• Change pillow shams to cotton or linen
• Use one or two pillows in a seasonal color or pattern
• Keep the look simple and uncluttered

With just a few thoughtful changes, your bedroom will feel cooler, calmer, and more in season.

You do not need to make big changes to give your home a fresh summer look. Just a few small and thoughtful touches can make your spaces feel light, bright, and in season. Use what you have, add a little color, bring in some summer flowers or greenery, and enjoy creating a home that reflects the beauty of the season. Summer decorating should feel easy and relaxed, just like the days ahead.

Create A Summer Bar Station In Your Kitchen

Setting up a small bar or beverage station is a smart way to add a seasonal touch to your home. It is easy to do, and it becomes a little area that everyone will enjoy using.

Use a corner of your kitchen counter, a small table, or a bar cart. Add a tray to group a few pretty and useful things together. A pitcher of infused water with lemons and mint, a jar of iced tea bags, or even a few bottles of sparkling water are all simple ways to make this feel summery and special.

Do not forget the coffee lovers. A summer coffee bar is a fun idea, especially if you have overnight guests. Fill a tray with mugs, chilled creamer, flavored syrups, and even a small bowl of fresh berries or lemon slices. If you have space, add a stack of napkins, iced coffee glasses, or a little sign that says “Good Morning, Summer.”

Whether morning coffee or a refreshing afternoon drink, this easy setup makes your kitchen feel more welcoming and in season.

Happy summer, friends…