If you’re excited for the summer months, but your heart sinks when you look around your living space, you’re not alone. Over winter, as we cozy into our warm homes and thick blankets, it’s easy to forget the outside world exists at all. Now, however, as the sunlight starts streaming in, it can start to illuminate all sorts of little issues that may have gone unnoticed until now, from stains on the carpet to dusty corners to a color scheme that just doesn’t work anymore or maybe never did! Suddenly, your previously comfortable living room doesn’t feel like somewhere you want to spend a whole lot of time. This can be stressful – but don’t worry! And you aren’t alone! My husband and I recently updated our living space and we are loving the lighter, brighter feel. It makes the entire floor feel more calming. There are plenty of small ways you can rejuvenate a room without breaking the bank (or your back), turning a winter hideaway into a summer lounge in a few short steps.
Materials
What do you think of when you think of winter materials? Wool, furs, and thick knit right? On the other hand, summer means light cotton, linens, and flowing materials fluttering in a lovely breeze. Well, it’s no wonder that your cozy winter space doesn’t feel right anymore. Your first step should be to fold up and put away any of those cozy, thick throws or blankets that have kept you warm over the winter. You can replace them with thin cotton blankets in light colors if you like. This is especially useful if your couches are made of dark thick material. No one wants to lie on a leather couch in high temperatures, so cover that up with a light, gentle material, and you’ll be well on your way to a summer room.
Color and Paint
Sometimes, a gallon of paint can solve a whole host of problems. This might be slightly more effort than just replacing a few throws, but the results can be so worth it! Zinsser paints are great for home improvement projects, and you can get everything you need from primers to sealers. Removing stains and giving your walls a fresh, gorgeous sheen can make the difference between a tired old room and a stylish, functional living space. And it’s such an inexpensive change!
Light
The best part of summer is, without a doubt, the increase in natural light we are treated to for a few months. To create the perfect summer living space, you’ll want to maximize and use this light as much as you can. If you have an appetite for renovation, putting in bay windows and knocking out bricks to replace them with glass is of course the best way to let more sunlight into your home and your life. When this step is too much, there are plenty of other ways to help light up a room. Strategically placed mirrors are a brilliant way to reflect natural light and make a room feel brighter and more spacious – or if you want to cheat a little, invest in some natural-sunlight lamps to create that lovely sunny feeling in a room without the benefit of huge windows. And when hanging curtains make sure you don’t cover any of that window up! Place the curtain rod as high above the window as possible and measure to make sure the curtain rod is wide enough for the curtains to hang on each side of the window-not over it. It also creates the illusion your window is bigger than it really is!
I hope these tips help you make some small, but impactful changes!
