10 Brilliant Tips For Interior Decorating This Summer

Summertime is well and truly here, and there’s nothing better than refreshing your interiors with some easy tips for interior decorating for the warmer seasons. It’s amazing how even the smallest changes can make a huge difference in altering the mood of a room, or even your whole home. By swapping out dark, moody winter hues for brighter colours and florals, you can make a huge improvement to your interiors.

Freshen up your home with these tips for interior decorating for the warmer months. You can choose to update your interiors with just a few, smaller pieces, or go wild with a large outdoor set; the choice is yours. Overall, the key to summer decorating is light, bright fabrics and pops of colour. This summer décor can even be stowed away again for the cooler months, and outdoor furniture can be stashed away when not in use. That way, you’ll always have fresh décor, all-year-round.

Read on for our top tips for interior decorating for summer.

1. New bedspread

A new bedspread is a perfect way to refresh your interiors instantly. Not only do summer bedspreads bring a much-needed pop of colour to your spaces, but they also work to insulate warmer temperatures and are generally made from lighter colours which work to reflect heat. Choose breathable fabrics like cotton and linen for maximum comfort. Once summer is over, you can switch it out for a heavier, darker quilt or a warmer winter bedspread.

Our favourite bright summer bedspread ideas are:

• Bright florals, in an array of styles and colours
• Brightly-coloured modern styles, from bold, graphic prints to intricate organic neutral patterns
• Pure whites and neutrals with a bright pop of coloured cushions scattered across the bed
• Cool blues, light green or spa blue
• Nautical-themed blue and white or navy and white. Even if you’re not embracing a full-on coastal theme within your home, you can still borrow aspects of this look in the bedroom, even if only seasonally
• Bright, tropical prints with banana leaves or palm print designs

Get the look: Try one of our summer bedspread ideas above or, if you’re not able to swap out your entire bedspread, you could switch up your bedroom look simply by changing around your cushions to alter the colour scheme in your bedroom. Scatter a few bright and inexpensive cushions on the bed for an instant refresh. Select one of the colours in your existing bedspread (for example, orange or yellow) and extend it to your cushions to ensure you are still tying your overall look together.

2.Wall hangings or art

Wall art or wall hangings are another very simple way to completely alter the mood of your spaces. Wall art is affordable and can be easily produced and personalised to suit your needs.

Get the look: Choose from a range of different wall art options, from single prints, to photo collages, to split prints for an impactful look.

• Travel shots. You can select your own travel shots to brighten up your spaces. Select one or two beautiful prints, or a series of smaller prints in a grid formation to create a larger display. This is ideal for hallways, living rooms or dining rooms. For a summery look, select beachy shots or island holiday destinations.
• Split prints. A large, split canvas print can create a high-impact look in any space. Essentially one image is spread across three, four or more separate prints to create one large artwork made to be displayed in sequence. This look works best with landscapes but can also work with family or couple photos and a range of other photos.
• Wall displays. If you’re not up for creating a split canvas look, you can compile series of images to create a large, impactful display.
• Nautical art. There’s a whole world of nautical art out there, from images of ships, anchors, compasses and mermaids to seascapes, the beach or sea creatures.
• Scenes of nature or landscapes
• Flowers or tropical prints

3. Adorn your outdoor areas with colour

The easiest way to spice up your spaces for summer is with colour and plenty of it. Decorating your outdoor spaces can be notoriously difficult, as not all materials are durable enough to withstand the elements yet still look good.

Get the look: For an instant pop of colour in your outdoor spaces, try adding a bright indoor/outdoor rug that can be used in a variety of spaces or bright metal wall art. Our HD metal wall art has a high-shine finish that, when printed with an image of your choosing, picks up all the small details in your image, leaving you with a print that drips with saturated colour and detail. It’s also highly durable; it can withstand rain, hail or shine for decades without fading and if you ever need you can move it indoors, where it will look just as fabulous.

The same goes for indoor/outdoor rugs. They can be transferred to and from a variety of spaces, from the balcony to the bathroom. Hardier outdoor rugs can work outdoors and can withstand all weather, whereas other indoor/outdoor rugs work best in covered outdoor spaces where they won’t necessarily be subjected to torrents of rain or hail every other week.

4. Outdoor lights

Nothing says ambience like outdoor lighting, and a little can go a long way in this space. Lights can turn a dark, dingy outdoor space into a well-lit wonderland, not only in summer but in winter, too.

Get the look: Opt for solar-powered string lights so you won’t need to drain your power or batteries when you inevitably forget to turn the lights off after a summer soiree. Or, pave your driveway with a set of individual solar-powered lights which can be spiked into the ground.

If you want a portable light, add a set of string lights to a large mason jar. That way you can move your lights inside, outside, or to the bathroom for a more relaxing bath time with no harsh fluorescent lights.

In place of lights, candles can also work wonders in adding a soft, romantic glow to your spaces, and large candles can double as an outdoor centrepiece and citronella candles can work as a mosquito deterrent.

5. Summer scents

When we think of decorating, we often think about the look of our interiors, but we don’t always consider how smell can change a room. Summer scents can trigger happy memories and remind us of beachside holidays and the summers of our childhood. Ocean breeze scents, cucumber, lemon and lime, or fresh floral scents are perfect for summer.

Get the look: A beautiful candle can also double as a bright table decoration. Select a candle with a metallic sheen, or light up a dimly-lit bedroom with fresh scents and low light for a sultry, summery feel. Use candles, oil burners or diffusers to spread the scents of summer throughout your home.

6. Add colour with cushions

Create bright outdoor seating areas, bohemian style to create a relaxed yet chic vibe. Utilising outdoor areas is usually much easier than you might think. By simply adding some textured fabrics and casual seating areas, you can transform an unused outdoor space into a relaxing oasis.

Get the look: Add ottomans, pouffes and floor cushions to add comfort and luxury into a space. To add a personal touch, use photo cushions with your own images. With our photo cushions, you can add any high-quality image you like to create a unique look that no one else has.

7. Colourful table decorations

Mealtime looks that much more inviting with colourful table decorations. As much as you’d like to, try not to go too overboard; it’s nice to be able to have a conversation with your dinner guests or your family instead of having a large vase in the middle of the table.

Get the look: For a quick, inexpensive update to your table decorations, invest in re-usable, colourful linen napkins and small, plain vases. Add wildflowers to these to create small but unobtrusive centrepieces along the table, or use candles to add colour and light.

8. Revive old furniture

The best tips for interior decorating for summer don’t involve splashing out on new furniture. Instead, why not work with what you already have? Refresh old furniture with a slick of paint of high-gloss shine to breathe new life into your spaces affordably. This is a far more sustainable option than investing in brand-new furniture.

Get the look: When painting old furniture, ensure you start with a smooth surface before you begin. Sand back old wood or chipped paint and treat the wood with a primer if needed before painting. Spray a high-gloss finish on old tables to make them look brand-new again. Or, if you want a bolder look, paint chairs brightly in colours like sky blue, turquoise, or grassy green. You could even spray paint a gold emblem on the back of a chair for a more luxurious look.

9. Brighten darker walls or areas with bright wall art

Choose either a large piece or collection of smaller pieces to brighten up a wall, space or just a dark corner with brilliant colour and light. Wall art can have a surprising impact in brightening up your spaces.

Get the look: There are a number of bright, summery wall art styles which can serve to give your walls a refresh. Some of our favourites are:

• Graphic art
• Japanese wall art, particularly bright floral pieces
• Floral wall art
• Bright retro art
• Graffiti art in bold reds, blues and yellows
• Travel images

10. Clash prints with purpose

One of the most important tips for interior decorating when it comes to summer is… there are no rules! Clash prints brilliantly and incorporate texture without the need for everything to match perfectly to create a fresh, summery space.

Get the look: To clash well, try to ensure that you’re keeping similar colours and tones in your interiors. For this look to work well, you’ll already have simple furniture, walls and floors in plain tones. This gives you a neutral base to build from. Add a rug or large wall print with a bold, colourful print and then match colour and tones from there. For instance, if your print includes pink, grey, white and blue, try to use these colours to decorate the room.

If you’d like more tips for interior decorating, browse the rest of the Canvas Factory blog or discover our collection of wall art to inject new life into your rooms with new and colourful pieces.