Designers Share Their Preferred Summer Decor Themes, Ranging from Vibrant Sorbet Shades to Intense Bolds
As the long winter thaws, homeowners are eager to usher in summer with fresh decor ideas. Instead of simply purchasing new furniture and decor pieces, focus on refreshing your space with the latest summer color palettes.
Coastal schemes, pretty pastels, and light, airy textures are all on trend for the summer months, promising to invigorate your living space during the best three-month stretch of the year. To help you get started, we’ve asked a panel of interior designers for their top summer decor tips and tricks.
- Material Refresh: In winter, heavy materials like velvet, wool, and flannel dominate our homes. To prepare for summer, opt for lighter, airier, and more natural materials instead. Kathy Kuo of Kathy Kuo Home recommends incorporating beachy materials such as linen for pillows and throws, woven wicker and rattan for decor, and accents like seashell sculptures, rattan trays, and driftwood candleholders. This approach lends a summer-inspired look without going overboard on the beach motif.
- Citrus and Greenery: Just as we decorate with fir trees in winter and pumpkins in fall, try incorporating seasonal greenery and produce into your summer decor. A pothos plant mixed with decorative citrus can add life and color to a room, while a crystal bowl filled with limes, lemons, or oranges can lighten and brighten your kitchen counter.
- Flowers: Decorate with flowers for a instant summer refresh. Peonies, roses, hydrangeas, sunflowers, and dahlias are all popular choices for heralding in the warmer months. If fresh stems are not within your budget, fake bulbs can be used and saved for the following year as well.
- Edit Down Your Accessories: When it comes to summer decor, less is more. Cut back on accessories with intention rather than due to necessity. Melanie Bryant, a renowned interior designer, explains, “There is something about having fewer objects in a space that just feels lighter and more intentional. In the cooler months, we naturally gravitate toward a cozier and more collected look, but in summer, a little breathing room goes a long way to make the space feel fresh, calm, and effortless.”
- Reinvent the Table Setting: Nothing says summer like an outdoor dinner party or barbecue, but you can still achieve a seasonal dining experience indoors with the right hosting materials and decor. Switching out your dishes and table linens for summer or coastal styles can communicate the arrival of summer to both guests and homeowners.
- Switch Out Your Lampshades: Changing out darker lampshades for something lighter or seasonal is a simple yet effective way to update the look of your space. Melanie suggests looking for fresh yellows, greens, and pinks, or cornflower shades. Patterned and pleated shades are popular choices for bringing in a touch of color and fun.
- Change Out Your Pillows: While it’s not necessary to exchange throw pillows every season, it’s an exciting activity for any true interior design enthusiast. By choosing brighter colors, incorporating new textures, and shopping for new additions, you can easily revamp your comfort selection for the summer months.
- Incorporate Warm-Weather Art: Swapping out art on your walls can be an easy way to pull in new hues from your throw pillows or blankets. Choose a piece that reflects the season, such as a botanical, vivid landscape, or colorful portrait.
- Roll Up the Rugs: Although you might not be able to recreate the feeling of walking on the sand, removing rugs for summer or replacing them with more breathable sisal or jute options can give your space a more relaxed, beachy vibe.
- Focus on the Outside: Don’t forget about your outside space! By investing in outdoor furnishings, incorporating potted plants, and arranging lanterns and candles on your patio, you can create a welcoming alfresco atmosphere.
In addition to these tips, consider playing with bold and expressive color schemes, using sun-washed citrus tones, cool, calming blues, botanical greens, earthy warm tones, and creamy neutrals with texture. These hues are expected to be popular for summer 2025, as they provide vibrant and cohesive spaces that evoke personality and wellness. Ultimately, the key to summer decor is to choose colors and materials that bring you joy and make you feel at ease in your refreshed space.
- To refresh your interior design for the summer, opt for lighter materials like linen, woven wicker, and rattan to create a breezy, summer-inspired look.
- Incorporating seasonal greenery and produce, such as pothos plants and decorative citrus, can add life and color to your living space.
- Decorate with flowers such as peonies, roses, hydrangeas, sunflowers, and dahlias to herald in the warmer months.
- Reduce the number of accessories in your space and focus on a few intentional pieces to create a lighter, more effortless summer look.
- Reinvent your table setting by switching out dishes and table linens for summer or coastal styles to communicate the arrival of summer to guests and homeowners.
- Change out darker lampshades for lighter or seasonal ones in shades like yellows, greens, pinks, or cornflower to update the look of your space.
- Revamp your comfort selection with brighter colors, new textures, and patterns on throw pillows for the summer months.
- Swap out art on your walls with pieces that reflect the summer season and incorporate new hues from your throw pillows or blankets.
- Remove rugs for summer or replace them with more breathable sisal or jute options to give your space a more relaxed, beachy vibe.
- Focus on your outside space by investing in outdoor furnishings, incorporating potted plants, and arranging lanterns and candles on your patio to create a welcoming alfresco atmosphere.
In addition to these tips, consider using bold and expressive color schemes with sun-washed citrus tones, cool, calming blues, botanical greens, earthy warm tones, and creamy neutrals with texture. These hues are expected to be popular for summer 2025, as they provide vibrant and cohesive spaces that evoke personality and wellness. Ultimately, the key to summer decor is to choose colors and materials that bring you joy and make you feel at ease in your refreshed space.
