How to Switch the Living Room to Summer Decor

Help your living room keep its cool when summer rolls around. By switching accessories, you can turn the room into a cool retreat on a sizzling day.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Area Rugs
• Blooming Plants
• Candles
• Cotton Blankets
• Curtains
• Floral Arrangements
• Potpourri
• Throw Pillows
• Candles

1. Cover warm upholstery with a cool cotton quilt.

2. Give throw pillows a seasonal feel. Switch from deep-toned corduroys, chenilles and velvets to pale satins and chintzes.

3. Display seasonally appropriate flowers in both permanent and fresh arrangements.

4. Toss out that ungainly poinsettia and replace it with a pot of freesias, miniature roses or another blossoming potted plant.

5. Replace your dark-colored taper candles with pastel or white ones. Scented candles should have a light floral scent. Burn them sparingly because they will warm the room.

6. Replace winter potpourri with a lightly scented floral.

7. Swap a heavy window treatment such as a damask or tapestry drape with a sheer tab curtain or simple voile valance.

8. Roll up area rugs and leave the floor bare (or use a canvas floor cloth) because these firm surfaces feel cool underfoot during the summer. If you have wall-to-wall carpet, layer a sisal or pastel cotton rug over it.

Tips & Warnings

• Appraise the room for other changes that will give a summer feel. For instance, swap a bronze urn for an ivory ceramic vase. Or you might swap a black or dark parchment lampshade for a white one.

on 11/22/2005 Store fireplace tools out of sight. You can still make the fireplace the focal point. Place plants or a candelabra with ivory candles inside the fireplace. Store heavy throws. Replace with sheer or lace fabric throws.