Give the Family Home a New Look for Summer
The pretty pictures on the front of current magazines portray beautifully inspiring d?cor that is perfect for the hot summer months. The only problem with these wonderful images is that copying the look takes time and could break the budget for most average families.
This does not mean, however, that these busy, frugal families are doomed to live in winter drudgery all year long. Summer is the time of year for lightening up and cleaning out. Just discarding some of the accumulated clutter and creating more space will make the home feel more seasonal.
Imagination can stretch a dollar farther than most people know, and the following suggestions should give most homemakers some unique ideas for making their surroundings more appropriate for casual summer use.
Wall of Wonder
One way to change the ambience of a room very quickly is to redo the pictures that are being displayed. Frames of all sizes can be found cheaply at yard sales and thrift stores, but old frames will work just as well when sprayed in bright summer colors. They can be made even cuter by hot gluing shells, sequins, or dried flowers to corners or along the edges. Inexpensive works of art can then be made using one of the following:
? Take pictures of family members at the pool, on the beach, in a park surrounded by flowers, or any other summer venue. Have these pictures enlarged and use them all together in a display of summer fun.
? Find postcards with intriguing pictures that reflect summer events. Place them in the same frame to form a collage.
? Stretch old tees with witty sayings over a square of cardboard. Place in a frame with the words showing prominently.
? Place a summer beach towel in an acrylic poster frame to brighten a room.
Creative Cover Ups
Another way to give the family home a new look for summer is to cover the dark winter upholstery and furnishings with lighter colors. The following are simple changes that can make a big difference without much expense:
? Purchase loveseat slipcovers in light, fresh colors or in large floral designs. These will not only provide protection from the bright light of summer, but they will have an immediate impact on the room’s atmosphere.
? Search for pieces of scrap material in summer shades at a fabric store or mass merchandiser. Sew these together in a patchwork design to use for table coverings.
? Place bright inexpensive place mats on furniture surfaces and top them with fresh floral arrangements.
? Grow fresh herbs or vegetables in large pots inside. Nothing brings summer inside quicker than a pot of tomatoes in front of a window or a small herb garden on the kitchen table.
? Buy some pretty sheets and gather at the top to make lighter summer curtains and add more color to a room.
Guest blogger, Caroline, believes that with a little creative thinking, it’s possible to give the family home a quick and simple makeover without spending a great deal of time or money. She writes for a website that sells a variety of slipcovers that make seasonal decorating easy and cheap.
