Things You'll Need:
- imagination
- house plants
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Step 1
Cafe curtains let the light in. Burro's tail is an easy, sun loving plant.Decorate with the sun in mind. For a shady room that doesn't get much sun, try light, sheer curtains if privacy is not a concern for that room. If privacy is needed, try the sheers with inside shutters on the lower half of the window, or cafe style curtains that only cover the bottom half. This will allow the sun to come in and brighten the room,
and give much needed light. It may also lessen your dependence on electric lights. In this case you're thinking of bright, sunlit days of ease.
On the other hand, if the room gets the full brunt of the afternoon sun, you can cool it down and still get a summery feel by going with heavier curtains that block light and heat. With this kind of room, you are trying to get the feel of a cool, shady patch; an oasis against the heat and glare. You'll want to use color and accessories to brighten, while using the heavier curtains to cool things down and make the room an inviting place to beat the heat.
Remember that summer has two sides: a bright, sunny fun-loving side, as well as a humid, scalding, smothering hot side. Decide which your room needs, more sun or less sun, and go from there. -
Step 2
Light hardwood floors seem perfect for summer, but mats can give a similar look to carpet.Whether you go with the sun or against the sun, you can make even carpeted rooms feel more casual and summery by using throw rugs in a lighter weight and color, or better yet, bamboo, twine, or straw mats. Test first to make sure the mats will not discolor the room's main carpeting. If it is slippery, you'll need to buy strips that go under the rugs and prevent slippage.
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Step 3
Hoya is a great plant which thrives in bright light, but manages with less light.Instead of decorating with themed accessories, try being more eclectic. Hang sun catchers in the upper part of the window. You can find these in all kinds of styles and colors, from childlike to sophisticated, and they really do catch the sunlight and add some sparkle to the room. Make a window valence of sorts with a series of dangling crystals and beads, leaving most of the window bare, still. Plants can really open your room up to summer. Use plants to create a cozy, cool, shady oasis -- or a bright, tropical island. Consider plants in place of traditional window coverings, as well as in other parts of the room. See the tips below for suggestions of easy care plants for both high light and low light locations.
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Step 4
Pothos is a very easy care plant that can handle shade or bright light but no direct sun.Watch your room at different times of the day, and get a feel for the way the sunlight plays on the walls, floors, and accessories during morning, afternoon, and sunset. Arrange your room and accessorize to take full advantage of the interesting changes shadows and lights that just are not as noticeable in the winter. Play up these contrasts to add interest and layers to your room.
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Step 5
Wall decor that can be accessorized for summer or fall.Don't forget the color changes. Color plays an important part of any room's decor, so don't forget some seasonal color changes. Generally, lighter colors will be at home with most any summery decor, but experiment with other choices, not just the typical pastels. Sometimes, a deep shade or a bright color can work wonders, even in summer, as well as neutral, muted shades of greens, browns, golds. It's a good idea for more expensive or harder to place items to be anchors or foundations, which can be freshened by different colored accessories, depending on the season. The photo is a good example of a wall decor that could easily be freshened for summer by adding color splashes of greens, softer blue, or lighter yellows. And then in the fall, switch to the deeper shades for accessories. See resources for more information.
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Step 6
Bamboo wall stickers could be a quick, summer change for a casual room.Break the rules. If you have a wonderful window that gets full, direct sun, grow colorful vegetables there instead of houseplants. Let them fill the window and dispense with curtains if possible. Try the Topsy Turvy hanger for growing great veggies upside down. If your room doesn't have good light, consider adding some artificial lighting with full spectrum bulbs, to brighten things up and help your plants along.
There are fun, inexpensive, new wall stickers! Yep, reusable, removable, stickers for your wall. They can be used to add a very inexpensive change, and can be used in a very whimsical manner or a slightly more sophisticated manner, for all but the most formal rooms. See resources for examples and ordering.
Comments
TheCook said
on 6/1/2009 Good suggestions and choices.........especially for bringing the outdoors in.........thanks!