Today I am joining friends to for a bit of summer home inspiration for you. I have tips to help you summerize your home, make it inviting and have that resort vibe!
I’m very excited to chat about ‘summerizing’ your home. To me that’s making it brighter, and lighter and the breezy feel of a vacation home. We may not be on holiday, but we can give the house that feeling, even if we are staycationing..
I love summer in Europe and always enjoyed how the store fronts really embrace it with summer themed windows with picnic baskets, throws, lots of seagrass, rattan and woven pieces. The clothing shops have loads of linen and basket purses. It was inspiration to get your summer on, and I noticed it from Amsterdam to Belgium, in Provence as well as Italy…
I snapped this photo of a young woman in Sorrento having a cold drink and reading her book outside a home store.. It just says summer to me with the wicker trunks, and her hair with a scarf and sunglasses… It’s still one of my favorite travel photos. Transporting! Let’s bring that feeling to our homes this summer.
How to give a Summer vibe to your home..
- Add natural and woven materials like baskets, seagrass, wicker, burlap, and caning.
- Swap out wool or heavy throws for linen and cottons.
- Embrace the stripe, which brings a French or nautical feel. They can be in neutrals or blue and whites.
- Lots of plants. I love a big ficus. A fern is great on the kitchen counter or coffee table.
- Lighten colors with neutrals or go for sea glass colors with pillows and accessories.
- A cute look is hats by the door, and a basket or two for flip flops and totes.
- Bring out your souvenirs from a coastal holiday like shells, coral, books, tote bags, etc.
- Change out your bedding. Remove heavy duvets and shams replace with light cotton coverlets and linen or cotton sheets.
- Evoke that summer feel with candles and soaps or diffusers that have a light summertime scent..
- Create an outdoor space with lanterns or hanging lights. Add a basket of throws for cool nights outside.
A few things I did to my own house…
I threw my hat on a large ginger jar by the back door.. ( Mostly so I remember to use it when I go to the garden, but it ended up looking cute.)
Changed out the pillow on the my entry bench..I have one of my Hawaiian baskets here for sandals.
I moved a large ivy and wooden bowl by the front door.. I always have my vintage racquets out in summer in an umbrella stand..and a few burlap bags to grab for shopping.
I found a cute fern for this whimsical pot. I’ve added a few more soft blue pillows to my tan, blue and cream mix in the living room…I also brought out my wooden beads and a shell from Fiji.
I scattered some of my favorite blue and holiday books about..with a bowl of shells, an air plant and a very old photo of us all at the beach.
My crazy mix … It looks like a lot of pillows, but this sectional is deep, so we kind of need them..
I added more colorful pottery and woven pieces to my kitchen. I have a jar of olive wood spoons I have collected from trips. (Tip: When the wooden spoons start looking grayish, rub them with olive oil to get their wood grain look and nice tone back.)
My spoon container is this vase from Anthro.
My blue pottery is from a holiday in Positano and Sorrento.. Just having it out in the summertime transports me back to that trip!
I added a few little ottomans for putting our feet up with our rattan chairs and the one by the door for handbags and things. ..an Amazon find and nicely made. ( Marlo approves.).
In the mudroom/laundry, I added new rope baskets and a blue pillow, an air plant in a wooden bowl and moved this seaside vintage Vogue print in here..
On my bar, I added woven pieces.. some orange napkins to my drink tray, a burlap picture of my boys at the beach the they were small..
I love adding books here and a cup from Hawaii, a bowl of napkin rings in mixed materials, and vintage bar bits like a racquet bottle opener from my pal Erin.
The blue bowl was my grandma’s and it looks pretty with Pixies or tangerines.
Outdoors I just added these Pottery Barn pillows in stripe and the light blue with trim..
I am updating my bedroom and a bed is coming in a week! I also have been changing the yard a little. I’ll share more soon on the weekend blog!
A few summer things you might need- similar to mine..
A few cute things for your home.. Click on the images for link.
Please stop by my friend’s blogs for more summer decor ideas…
MOST LOVELY THINGS
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
Thank for stopping by!
Kim
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Your home is lovely and summer ready. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Linda! xo
I love the airy and fun atmosphere you have created.
Having some difficulty with the white basket link. Would you mind sharing where they are from?
HI Krista!
I just checked and the link is working for me. These are the closest I have seen to my baskets here :
https://rstyle.me/+VOGMupYO_q4AZot0TIXa8Q
Hope that helps!
This is so perfect, Kim! I have the same PB outdoor pillow in tan …love how they don’t fade! And I’m so inspired to work on my back door area…your mudroom is so pretty!!!
Mary Ann, I love those pillows! The tan is cute too. I still want to wallpaper part of the mudroom… Off to read your post! xo
I love all of the textures and colors you have. It looks like your house gets a lot of light which I have been craving but we’re finally having some sunny days! I spied the black and tan bag on the rattan ottoman and I was happy to see you have a link for it. I’ve been looking for something with a touch of black but summery. The little stool/ottoman is also a nice piece. I could move right in!
Aw thanks Wren! sure have been enjoying the sun when we get it. It’s been a dark year, so I’ve especially appreciated the skylights and extra windows.. I just got the bag. I was trying to decide if I like that pattern or not! I haven’t used it yet. I love the little stool and it was really nicely made! xx
Looks great Kim, a summery vibe for sure! I like the air plant; how do you water it? You have gathered a nice mix of textures. xx Karen
Thanks Karen. The air plant I just soak in a bowl of water every few weeks or so, and then let dry out. They are so easy! Thank you so much. xo
Kim
I just love your home and it is so you! Love the simple summer touches you have added. Every time I see your entry bench it makes me want a bench outside our back door! No one uses our front door. I have been thinking about ordering those PB sunbrella pillows. I had that same stripe in sand at both our lake home and our Chualar home. Thanks for joining us. You always inspire me!
Thanks Cindy.. I wonder if I haven’t changed it much since we did this last year…. I do love my Carson bench. Everyone sits on it for putting shoes on and leaves bags and coats on it, so it’s super useful too. It gets a lot of sun here from the skylight and it has not faded! I am off to read your post now. xo
I love what you’ve done to your home Kim! I just bought the same Pottery Barn outdoor pillows, plus a couple of the patterned ones for our backyard. I haven’t replaced my pillows in such a long time. It really is fun to change things up with the seasons!
Cynthia, I love their pillows! Agree fun to change it up a little. xo
Hi Kim … as always you’ve come up with some great ideas and your home looks perfect. I could happily move in for the Summer 😂 Thanks for the tip to use olive oil on wooden utensils such a great idea!
I often feel my home has more of a “Winter feel” It isn’t as bright as yours but on the plus side it stays fairly cool on warm days which is a blessing … but I’m definitely going to try using some of your ideas … which are practical as well as pretty! Love your Grandmas blue bowl.
I hope you’re having a lovely week.
Rosemary xxx
Hi Rosemary, Thank you.. This house was pretty dark when we bought it. Certain times it seems very bright now.. I know I am so glad I found that bowl. I hope your trip here is going well!xo
All beautiful summery touches. Everything looks beautiful placed but never contrived. That’s what I call beautifully designed and thought out. You do your casual California look so beautifully Kim. Another beautiful post!
Thank you so much Kathy for saying that.. xo
Lovely post!
The blue with the off white is SPECTACULAR!
I would never think about changing out the STUFF for seasons!
I have no where to store it!
Well DONE OFF TO SEE WHAT JULIET HAS ACCOMPLISHED!
Thank you I love the blue and cream tones too..Kind of an accident I ended up putting them together.. Well you know we don’t have a lot of storage space either… I just fold up the pillow covers now and keep less inserts. xo
Just beautiful. It’s so serene and peaceful. I love orange with blue also, and I am lusting for that all saints bag too!
Thanks Catherine! I know that is one of my favorite combinations.. I just got the bag, haven’t use it yet! xo
Another inspirational post Kim. I’m now motivated to dig out more of my summer weight throws… the cool summer has me still in spring mode!
I’ve saved a picture of your bar area… love it! About to become an empty nester so may find the space to create a little bar area… I definitely need a drink after raising kids :).
Look forward to your next post!
Hi Fiona, Thank you. I know it’s been so very cool this year. Thank you about the bar! Congrats on becoming an empty nester.. It’s got a lot of perks. We deserve it after all the years in the trenches!
Good morning, Kim! I spy Marlo enjoying her summarized staycay retreat! Your house looks so lovely … and coastal and summer ready. If only the weather would catch up. Soon. I can never get enough of all your interesting pots and vases … what an amazing collection. Truly the collected look for summer. So fun doing this with you. xo
Juliet, Marlo is so spoiled! I just find vases here and there.. I loved your home and all the pretty colors- so many good ideas too. xx
I do love the air plant in wood bowl! So good alone or with another or other items from nature like you have it! You could also rotate out. Will try! We keep an ongoing hurricane jar for bits & pieces of nature mostly collected in CA, but also from the desert where we live now, but I have some bigger items that won’t fit. The bowl w/ air plant would be a neat idea! Thank you!
Thanks Nicole! It’s an easy thing to do and care for.I love the idea of the hurricane jar with found treasures!
Kim! I just love your home in any season and how you make small but lovely changes throughout your home to reflect the season and what’s going on outdoors. Your home always feels fresh and new! I love your little bowls from Positano in the kitchen. And the bowl by that bar from your grandma. And that fern.. . So light airy for summer! I would staycation at your house any day!
Xo
Annie
Thank you so much Annie! I hope you can visit someday..xx
Kim,
Your house make me feel cosy and I have never even visited it. I am sure that it “wraps family and friends” in a hug as soon as they walk in the door.
I love seeing all of your season touches and sentimental pieces.
Have a wonderful weekend, I will see you tomorrow!
xo Elizabeth
Elizabeth, You are always so kind. Thank you. xo
Love your breezy summer style, Kim! You make me want to move to California, haha! Your home is lovely!
Aw thank you Molly!