Sizzling Summer Decorating Secrets
by Joey Pebble

Summer is a time of warmth and sun, when the days are long and the schools are empty. It is a time of vacations, of relaxation, and of light and airy luxury. While you may not be able to move out to the beach or take up residence in a summer home, you can do a number of things to celebrate the onset of this season in your own home. All you have to do is employ a few summer decorating secrets.

One of the hallmarks of summer decorating is the use of light, airy colors, including a variety of off white, beige, and pastel hues. These can be spread throughout the home easily, just by replacing darker, heavier accessories with lighter colored pieces. Look with a discerning eye on things like pillows, curtains, rugs, and decorative pieces, and figure out the easiest items to replace with summer themed decor.

If you have large furniture pieces which feature dark colors you can often dress them in light using slipcovers. You can also use covers for decorative pillows and other fabric pieces, allowing you to add color to the room without havingto replace everything you own.

You should also try to replace busily patterned objects with pieces that have a simpler color scheme. If you have rugs, sofas, or other furnishings that have wild patterns, you may want to consider replacing or covering them with calmer colors. A summer decor should be soothing and relaxed, not busy and bustling, in order to create an air of luxurious vacation throughout the home.

If you want to get really dramatic with colors you can throw a little paint on the walls to completely remakethe look of a room. White and off white are going to be your main hues, but there are also a variety of soft amber, gold, and tan tones which can also evoke a summery sensation. Even just repainting your walls the same color can help to freshen and revitalize the space.

The main feature of summer is the beautiful weather that it brings. Invite that into your home, by opening up windows, and drawing back blinds to allow sunlight to come streaming in. Replace thick velvet curtains with lighter cotton and silk drapes, that will allow illumination to filter through them even when they are drawn. Then use accent pieces to draw the eyes of guests to these windows, so that they naturally become focal points for the room.

You can go even further by bringing nature indoors, with a series of decorative plants which you can distribute throughout your home. Flowers can fill the space with colors and fragrance, and make the entire area seem more alive. If you don't have a green thumb then plastic pieces can be purchased which will at least allow you to use the colors of nature throughout your home.

One summer decorating trick is to turn an unused fireplace into a floral display centerpiece. You won't need the heat of burning logs during the warm summer months, so instead fill that space with flowering plants and other natural elements that will make use of an accessory which would otherwise be ignored until it started getting chilly again.

The mainstays of summer decorating involve light, bright, airy colors and materials, in simple laid back patterns. You should try to feature nature as much as possible, and stay away from busy patterns, thick materials, and dark hues in all of your furnishings.

This article is brought to you courtesyof PebbleArt's line of decorative drink coasters which are crafted from a variety of naturalmountain born stone materials. The article itself was written bystone artist and design specialist Joey Pebble.

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