An eager summer-loving resident asks: What are some interior design tips or trends to consider for making a home feel fresh and inviting during the summer months?

 

Even in our mild climate, we experience four distinct seasons. And at the end of winter, we long for rolling fairways of the verdant golf course to return, lawns to green-up, and planters and gardens to be filled with flowers! We are eager to let the light inside and move outside to refresh, rejuvenate and expand our living spaces!

There is an increased awareness of biophilic connections to the out-of-doors which in the high desert is rather barren in wintertime and can be mitigated with live plants indoors and cheery bouquets to brighten the doldrums. Continued research supports the benefits both mental and physical that can be derived from bringing live plants into your interiors. As summer approaches, we want to celebrate the expansion of outdoor living and connect completely with our fresh new growth and resurgence of life on the other side of our windows!

Making your home feel refreshed and inviting for the summer months, might start with a spring cleaning – declutter! I’m telling myself this as I impart this imperative tip to you! Maybe change out your throw pillows to a new, fresh pattern or color. Wash your windows to have a crystal-clear view to the outside. 

Then visit your front entry. Nothing says that you are greeting your neighbors and guests more than a blooming bouquet beside or flanking your front entry. Outside my design studio/gallery downtown we actually keep a large pot of vivid pink geraniums alive all winter, out on the sidewalk, by our entry door. By bringing it in every evening and on particularly cold days it thrives. Everyone remarks that it is a cheerful, unexpected addition to the streetscape. 

No matter the size - whether grand terraces, sprawling patios, decks or modest seating spaces in your yard or on a balcony, having the additional square-footage to increase living spaces outside is an exponential expansion of your home. All weather patio furniture – I prefer aluminum, iron, teak and resin - for our climate and our inland, high desert, mountain context. Faux wicker hit the market, trending in a big way a few years ago and I have never placed wicker patio furniture in a project here in the mountains or anywhere away from the shore. But if you are going for a tropical escape, it might be just right. Cushions and throw pillows add color and comfort to any outside furnishings regardless.  

Think of your outdoor spaces as you do your indoor rooms. Add lamps, artwork, hang draperies, place etageres for display and buffets too! Area rugs zone the spaces and soften the otherwise hard surfaces. They can be organic like jute or seagrass, patterns that mimic Persian rugs, bold geometrics or solid colors. Many fibers are advancing the practicality for exterior use. Ultraviolet protection, polyesters and acrylics now offer amazing, beautiful woven textures and patterns in textiles that challenge one’s thinking about moisture resistant and sun safe “outdoor” fabrics. 

String lights or cluster twinkly little Christmas lights in your trees.! Take your music outside and also mount a TV. Whatever your comforts, they can be achieved outside in your summer rooms. Relax and enjoy!

From fully outfitted kitchens to the handy little charcoal-fueled barbeque grill, no space is too small to be treated to the festive comfort of outdoor living. For large gatherings or intimate alfresco dining, make your exterior spaces the destination for your staycations and  daily summer getaways.