When the sun's out, the best place to be is in the garden - whether that's planting flowers, spending time in our garden rooms or relaxing on the sun lounger and soaking up the sunshine. For most of us, it's just not possible to be outside 24/7! But that doesn't mean you have to settle for staring longingly out the window at the sunshine either! From a lick of paint to some simple style swaps, bring the outdoors in and brighten up your home with these 10 summer styling tips. Read on to find out more or head straight over to our website to shop our in-stock accessories and in-stock furniture to rejuvenate your home with summer style now.
Summer Styling Tips: How to Brighten Up Your Home
1. Make the Most of Mirrors
As our in-house interior designer Nicole pointed out in her Mirror Buying Guide, mirrors create light and space in rooms of any size. For summer styling, select a large round mirror with soft curves that's wide enough to bounce light around the room. You'll be surprised at how effective adding a mirror to a space can brighten a space in an instant - particularly so if your room is small or dark.
2. Minimalist Lighting
While we love a large stand-out pendant light, select something more minimalist for summer. Slimmer, scandi-style designs bring a feeling of openness to a room, allowing natural light to sit at centre stage through brighter mornings and lighter evenings. Try an unobtrusive drop bulb light for a stylish yet understated centrepiece or style existing lighting with rattan shades.
3. Bring the Outside In with Natural Textures
Brighten your home by bringing the textures and colours of the outdoors in. We're talking rattan chairs, rustic woods and natural materials. From casual wicker baskets to natural jute rugs, these organic accessories bring outdoor textures in, giving your home an instant refresh for summer. Not sure where to start? Be inspired by style_at_scores who layers a beautiful and eclectic blend of wood, rattan, faux fur and handwoven details, bringing their dining room and the beautiful outlook over their garden together.
4. Refresh Your Tableware
There's nothing like some new salad bowls and serveware additions to make your summer entertaining shine. Like you dress your table to bring cosiness at Christmas, you can brighten your dining room for summer by styling with linens and napkins selected especially for the season. Wooden serving bowls and charcuterie platters for salads and slices always make a space feel summery. Plus, they're great for summer socialising both indoor and out!
5. Summer Bedding
Whether its floral prints or crisp white colours, brighten up your bedroom starting with the bed linen. Why? Because your bed is the heart of your room. It's sheer size takes up a fair amount of floor space, making it a focal point of your scheme. Changing the linen is one of the quickest ways to brighten up a bedroom, swapping out dark, cosy colours for lighter shades more in-keeping with the fresh feel of summer.
6. A Simple Declutter
When it comes to brightening up your living room or any room of your home, you don't actually have to make any design changes. One of the easiest ways to refresh your interior is with a simple declutter. Less is more. Pare shelves and surfaces back to draw attention to your favourite items and create an uncluttered look. Just simplifying your decor by a few pieces will make a huge difference, bringing a fresh and bright feel to your home.
Looking for some new summer decor? Shop our home accessories.
7. Artwork Refresh
Change up your wall art to brighten up your home with fresh colour and contrast. And no - we're not necessarily talking floral prints and seaside scenery! Select artwork in your signature style and pair it with soft wooden or white frames alongside neutral styling to create a bright and airy look.
8. Greenery & Flowers
Like a sprig of parsley or a sprinkle of chives over a beige-ish meal gives life to the plate, green leaves and plants finish your interior with a flourish of elegance. Green leafy foliage brings a pop of freshness to your interior space. Get creative with artificial flowers in vases to bring the joy of a summer garden to your home, even if the weather's dull.
9. A Lick of Paint
Paint is one of the quickest and easiest ways to brighten a room. Even if it's just one wall or a narrow, unloved alcove, a quick lick of paint will brighten a space in an instant. Go-to shades for summer include greens, yellows and blues, though you could also use pastels or white shades.
10. Cushion Swap
Updating the style and colours of the cushions on your sofa or bed is a great way to brighten your bedroom or living room, without having to spend a fortune. Simply swapping out the cushion covers and any flattened inners brings a new lease of life to your furniture. We'd love to sink into the plush pillows and sumptuous seats of home_at_hillview's Haywood Sofa.
Brighten Your Home with Simple Summer Styling
Summer styling made easy with our 10 top tips to bring brightness to your home. From swapping out your sofa cushions and bed linen to accenting your interior with faux flowers, bringing the outdoors into your home doesn't have to mean a complete interior re-design. Simply try out some of our tips above and your home will feel bright and summery in no time.