How to Decorate Your Kitchen for Summer

Fresh bouquets of summer blooms brighten any kitchen.

Give your kitchen a boost for summer by redecorating it with a summer theme. You can transform an ordinary kitchen into a bright and inviting one by making a few simple and inexpensive changes. Take cues from the sights of summer for ideas, and you'll have an inspired kitchen you and your guests enjoy for months.

Instructions

1. Choose a theme that reflects the bright mood of the season, as well as your style. Options include sea themes, nautical ideas, fruits and flowers. Use a red, black and green color scheme if you want to go with a watermelon theme. Another option is a picnic theme, where red and white checks are displayed with light brown.

2. Select a color palette to emphasize the colors of the season. Nothing says summer better than yellow -- and when you pair it with blue and white -- you've created an atmosphere that is bright and welcoming. Red is another popular summer color. You can go with cherry, strawberry, tomato or watermelon red. Bold, tropical colors, echo an island theme. Alternately, opt for a summer color palette, such as blue, yellow and white. Choose one primary color with two or three secondary colors for a nice balance.

3. Bring summer inside your home with plants and flowers. Summer provides plenty of choices of greenery and blooms to bring indoors. Use potted plants, such as ficus trees or ivy, or you can put fresh bouquets in your kitchen. Roses, sunflowers and lilies are a few options for fresh flower arrangements. If you're going with a more seaside look, decorate with seashells, sand dollars and sand for a natural ambiance.

4. Add seasonal accessories to complete the look of your kitchen. If you're going with a picnic theme, use picnic baskets to hold napkins and fruit. Bright hand-painted pitchers, plates and cups are inexpensive displays. Look for place mats that enhance the mood of your kitchen. Use charming coasters and salt and peppershakers for fun.

5. Decorate with a colorful rug to match your décor. Don't forget your floor when you're looking to add color and life to your kitchen. Choose any style of rug as long as you keep the colors of the rug within the same scheme as the rest of your kitchen.

References

• Southern Living: Beach-Inspired Kitchens
• "House Beautiful"; A Blue and White Kitchen; Christine Pittel
• Home and Garden Ideas: Great Summer Accents for Your Kitchen