Summer Decoration & Color Palette Ideas
The days are longer, sunnier and alive with color, making summertime the perfect opportunity to update your decor.
During warm months, decorating with summer colors, patterns and textures keeps your home cool and fresh. For interior designs and patio layouts that transport you straight to a sunny field or a sandy beach, consider a few of our summer decor ideas for your home.
What Are Summer Colors?
Decorating with a summer color palette is all about bringing the look and feel of warm beaches and lush gardens into your interior design. Summery seasonal colors can include light, airy tones that evoke a clear, sunny sky as well as bold shades reminiscent of blooming flowers.
Blue and Beige
A staple of nautical and coastal decor, this pairing is calm and casual. Neutral beige works well with many accent colors while adding more character and warmth to summer decor than stark white. Try using blue shades like navy and sapphire alongside beige and ivory to take advantage of this versatile combination.
Coral and Aqua
In keeping with a beachy theme, you can also combine warm and cool complementary summer colors like coral and aqua. Green-blue hues and pink-orange tones create eye-catching contrast that infuses rooms with energy. Add a coral and aqua area rug to your kid’s bedroom for a youthful feel, or enhance the light blue color scheme in your guest room with a blush comforter set.
Seafoam and White
Everything from bedrooms and patios to living rooms and kitchens can benefit from soft summer color palettes like seafoam and white. The combination of these bright, airy hues is refreshing yet subtle enough for relaxation.
Easily integrate this pairing into your kitchen and dining room using small additions like dish towels and place settings. For a cool, soothing summer bedding idea, add a seafoam comforter or accent pillows against a white headboard to bring instant serenity to your bedroom.
Gray and Blue
So long as you stick to lighter hues, gray and blue can set the stage for cool summer vibes, as these colors promote a relaxed, open atmosphere. Use cloud gray, pale slate and similar tones as your base and experiment with mint or sage accents or lamps in aqua hues to create visual interest.
Also, keep natural lighting in mind when trying this color combination to prevent your layout from feeling stuffy or overcrowded, especially in compact spaces. If you’re concerned about using gray or blue in a smaller room, consider mounting mirrors on the wall to reflect light from the windows and make the space feel more open.
Yellow
A natural complement to summer designs, yellow accents bring a sun-soaked field of flowers to mind. This bright and cheery color is right at home next to crisp white and blue hues, but it also works well with purple and lavender. Summer wall decor and accent pillows in canary, lemon or daffodil yellow give any room an uplifting dose of sunshine.
Enhance Your Summer Home Decor with Patterns
Whether indoors or out on the patio, summer patterns promote an upbeat atmosphere. Drawing from nature and the prints of your favorite summer outfits, most of these designs work throughout the house and can even blend well with each other. Experiment with a few of your favorite patterns for interesting results, or incorporate some of the following prints for a refreshing take on your look.
Floral Patterns
Summer is the season of blooms, and flower patterns are a wonderful way to bring outdoor elements inside. These versatile prints can be elegant and formal or rustic and laid-back, depending on how you use them. Start by adding floral wall art, vases and cushions to your living room and kitchen, then expand the theme to other rooms in your home for a cohesive look.
Geometric Patterns
Gingham, polka dots and nautical stripes are prominent staples in summer decor. Combine any of these prints with vibrant floral fabric for a classic, foolproof pairing. Geometric designs can also suit each other, so feel free to experiment and try different mixes like an oversized stripe with a delicate check.
Nautical & Tropical Patterns
Beachy patterns are peak summer decor. Take advantage of themed accents, such as pillows with palm leaves or photos of seashells, to add a vacation motif to your space. If you prefer a touch of the tropics, search for pineapple patterns or fabric prints featuring bright blooms against a backdrop of green foliage.
Textures for Summer Decorating
Using summery textures in home accessories creates an atmosphere that’s undeniably cheerful and carefree. It’s simple to incorporate light flowing fabrics and natural materials throughout the house with curtains, rugs, upholstery and more.
Breezy Fabrics
Sheer curtains let just the right amount of sunlight inside and keep things feeling like summer with their billowy movement and flow. Echo this look across the living room or bedroom by swapping out heavy blankets and rugs in favor of lightweight textiles. Silk, linen and cotton are popular summer fabrics that also help to keep you cool.
Natural Materials
Summer decorations are all about bringing natural elements indoors. Accent layouts in every part of your home with eco-friendly materials for a design that’s at one with nature. Bamboo and hemp placemats, jute rugs and wooden wall decor contribute to a subtle and stylish resort vibe.
Woven Accents
Rattan and wicker sofas, chairs and headboards are summer decorations that can fit into Bohemian and coastal decor year-round. For just a hint of tropical charm, search for woven trays, end tables and baskets to get a similar feel minus the commitment of larger furnishings.
Outdoor Summer Furniture
When designing a deck or backyard patio, you’re starting with a backdrop that has a vibrant summer color palette built right in. Decorating your home interior is all about building a specific look from scratch, whereas designing an outdoor area lets you complement nature’s beauty. One easy way to do this is by using natural wood furniture with some summer character, such as teak.
Rattan
This natural material works well inside a home, and it’s ideal for developing a summer look outdoors. Rattan is durable and flexible, and it stands up easily to moisture and sun damage on outdoor patios, ensuring your breezy look will last.
Wicker
Wicker furniture is another great option for outdoor seating and dining. This distinctive material is lightweight, durable and easy to integrate into existing designs. Wicker captures that effortless summer vibe so well you can buy a bundled furniture set and have most of your decorating work done with a single purchase.
Outdoor Summer Decor
Once you’ve decided on the furniture for your outdoor space, you’ll want to add a few finishing touches. And remember, summer outdoor decor can be stylish as well as practical. For example, a table umbrella coordinates with your summer palette while keeping guests out of direct sunlight. Other smart options include outdoor rugs with tropical patterns and accent pillows with UV-resistant fabric.
