Tips for Transitioning Your Home Decor from Spring to Summer

Here are a few easy tips for transitioning your home decor from Spring to Summer.

Easy Tips for Welcoming Summer Into Your Home

This week I started to get my home in Summer mode. The Spring days are going by quickly and I am ready to be spending most of my time outside in the garden!

Since we have 4 true seasons here in New England each one has its own feel that I like to express in my home.

In the Summer, I like to keep everything in my home pretty simple. Who wants to be fussing over stuff when we have such short Summers in New Hampshire?

If you have landed here the first time, welcome to Cottage on Bunker Hill! I’m Jennifer a lifelong New Englander who loves sharing my tips & tricks on creating a beautiful home on a budget. See more about me.

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Spring to Summer Tips

1. Lighten Up your color palette.

It’s time to lighten things up in your home. Do simple things like swapping out your heavy winter blankets for lighter, airier throws, or adding pops of color with pillows, artwork, and other accessories.

Change your throw pillow covers to lighter-colored or linen ones. There is no need to always be buying new throw pillows…it’s so much cheaper to just buy new covers seasonally or when you want a change.

The throw pillows that I have are a combination of textures: linen, cotton, & leather. In the Spring I added the vintage toile pillow covers and the look and theme work perfectly for Summer too.

The large gallery wall that I added in the Spring stayed the same. Most of the artwork is of nature with a couple of images of boats so it’s perfect for Summer too.

Another idea is to change out your curtain panels if you have something heavier on your windows. For Summer I switched out my tan velvet panels for oatmeal linen ones (they are blackout panels too!) These curtains are dupes for the very expensive Pottery Barn flax linen ones and you can’t beat the price…less than $30 a panel.

Add Coastal Touches

You can also display seashells, driftwood, sea glass, or artwork to evoke a coastal feel in your home…even if you live far away from the ocean.

My home palette reflects the colors of the seashore: shades of green, grays, sand, and blues so adding coastal decor flows naturally with what I already have.

We live just a few miles from the beach so it works with our location too,

What is great about adding seashells as decor is that it is a pretty inexpensive way to make your home feel like Summer.

On my coffee table, I filled a large round rattan tray with a tall glass vase of assorted seashells. The vase was a thrift store find and I’ve collected shells for as long as I can remember.

A DIY beaded garland and an interesting ivy finish off the simple Summer look.

On the end table, I filled a teak root bowl with a handful of seashells.

update what you already have:

I’m a big proponent of using what you already have before buying something new.

I’ve had a blue glass lamp for about 10 years and the finish was looking scratched and pretty faded and beat.

But it had the perfect coastal feel and style…even down to the rustic lampshade! So I remembered I had a can of Krylon Sea Glass spray paint (aqua) and gave it a quick makeover.

So for about 5 minutes of my time, I have a new-looking lamp for my entryway that has a coastal feel.

Change Up Your Artwork

Changing up your artwork is a quick way to transition from Spring to Summer.

For Summer, I shopped my own home and moved some of my wall art around.

I moved a large coastal painting from my bedroom to my dining area to bring that Summer feel into the kitchen.

Another free idea…because if it’s free it’s for me…is to print out my own coastal prints to hang.

I’ve added these heron prints to my printable library so you can download them too (there is also a lobster & starfish printable in the same style)! My favorite trick for getting an authentic art print look on my home printer is to use sheets of watercolor paper trimmed to copy paper size. It will give your prints a textured look.

The new heron prints replaced the mushroom prints that I had here for Spring.

Bring In Natural Elements:

Summer is the perfect time to celebrate nature, so integrate elements of the outdoors into your interior design. Place potted plants or fresh bouquets, and greenery on tables, countertops,…honestly, everywhere that you can!

There are plants tucked in everywhere throughout my home. Having plants in your home not only makes your spaces feel more put together they are actually good for your health…so go ahead and treat yourself!

Embrace natural textures and materials to infuse your home with a summery vibe. Incorporate baskets, wicker trays, wood, and pottery into your spaces.

The tall bookcase in the back of my living room is so fun to decorate from season to season.

For Summer I’ve added an urchin and starfish to bring in a coastal vibe. The rest of the shelf is styled with wood vessels, pottery, and a woven dried flower shadowbox.

Have you seen the viral wooden flowers at Trader Joe’s?? They are $3.99 a bunch.

Refresh your Entryway:

Welcome the summer season right from the moment you step through the front door. Place a fresh doormat or outdoor rug with vibrant colors at the entrance. Hang a summer-themed wreath or decorate your entryway table with a vase of seasonal flowers to create an inviting first impression.

To brighten up the front porch I’ve added this bright blue outdoor rug.

On the front door, I hung this DIY mermaid wreath for a real welcome to Summer feel.

And on the inside of the front door, I hung a door basket filled with the same weeping willow & eucalyptus that I used in the mermaid wreath. Tied an ocean blue bow and sand dollar around the basket for another coastal touch. This Antique Farmhouse door basket is about 10 years but here is a similar looking one that they sell now.

On my entryway table, I have the lamp that I painted, a bowl of greenery, and a carved whale’s tail.

Update Your Tablescapes:

Transform your dining table into a summery focal point by updating your tablescapes

For a simple seasonal Summer look in my dining area, I went with a coastal look with both the colors, centerpiece, and place settings

I definitely didn’t want a fussy table and went for a simple look.

The only new thing that I purchased was a blue and white linen table runner.

The table settings are a combo of white, green, and blue…a perfect coastal palette!

Are you looking for a set of affordable, stylish napkins? Grab this cotton floral set from Target for $10! They are from their Studio McGee line and look much more expensive than 10 bucks!!

With keeping that theme of natural materials I am using seagrass woven placemats.

The green dishes were thrift store finds, thrift stores are great resources for dinnerware.

I just couldn’t miss the chance to display my thrift store wooden fish! It works with this tablescape.

My corner hutch in the dining area was a great spot to continue transitioning my home from Spring to Summer.

Here I added a wicker tray of hand-crafted pottery in the colors of the ocean.

In the Spring, I painted the hutch this bronzy green and changed out the glass, and replaced it with rattan webbing.

On the top of the china hutch, I took the opportunity to add more wicker and greenery along with a vintage jug, and a thrifted pewter bowl that I used as a planter.

Fresh Flowers

Fresh flowers in your home just make it feel like Summer! It’s too early for me to be picking bouquets from my garden so I have to do the next best thing…go to Trader Joe’s! They have the most affordable and best selection around (at least here in NH!).

For a very coastal-looking dining table centerpiece, I used a large glass thrift store vase and filled the bottom with seashells.

Then I wrapped nautical rope around the rim and tied a simple knot.

For the flowers I used sea holly…perfect for this simple Summer look.

In the living room, I filled a large vessel (you can see how ugly it was before I made it over) with a bunch of $3.99 Trader Joe’s eucalyptus.

Summer Scents

The last simple tip for making your home feel like Summer is to change to a lighter, summery scent in your home.

My own personal favorite is from the Rockport Candle Co. in Rockport, MA. Their “Summer Girl” fragrance in candles, room sprays, and wax tarts are exactly what a day at the beach in New England smells like.

Rockport is one of my favorite spots in Massachusetts. You can take a virtual visit with me on a day trip last Summer.

Those are just a few simple tips for transitioning your home from Spring to Summer.

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Next up on the tour is my friend Brendt of She Gave It A Go sharing her modern farmhouse Summer tour. You will love her home!

xo, Jennifer

Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours

This week I am joining some of my blogging friends for the Bloggers’ Best Summer Home Tours. Twenty eight talented and creative women will be opening their homes up for you to tour all week long. You can visit each summer home tour by clicking the links below.

Monday’s Tours

The Tattered Pew // Worthing Court // StoneGable

My Wee Abode // Southern Home and Hospitality // My Thrift Store Addiction

Tuesday’s Tours

She Gave It a Go // Cottage In The Mitten // Eleanor Rose Home

Peacock Ridge Farm // Bricks n’ Blooms // Cottage On Bunker Hill

Wednesday’s Tours

White Arrows Home // A Life Unfolding // Simply2Moms

WM Design House // White Lilac Farmhouse

Thursday’s Tours

The Ponds Farmhouse // Thistle Key Lane // Open Doors Open Hearts

Robyn’s French Nest // Cloches and Lavender // DIY Beautify

Friday’s Tours

Pasha Is Home // My Family Thyme

Midwest Life and Style // Amy Sadler Designs

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