Creative Decor Ideas for Indoor and Outdoor Styling

An easy but surprisingly effective way to welcome the arrival of summer is to add some bright, colourful accents. Bringing in a few items that “pop” with colour is a great way to add a sunny, summery feel to any room, regardless of how “blah” it may have seemed.

What would summer be without a frosty libation to sip in the sunshine while entertaining on the patio? With that in mind, the onset of summer provides the ideal opportunity to stock up your bar and keep the cocktails flowing. If you’re lucky enough to live in a home with a permanent wet bar, make sure it’s stocked up with plenty of glasses, ice bucket, glasses, citrus, shakers, etc. – all the accoutrements to prove your bartending skills. If not, think about picking up a bar cart (vintage if possible) as a sophisticated summertime addition to your home.

Canadians know how precious those summer months are, and we like to spend as much time outdoors as humanly possible once the temperature starts to rise. A great way to facilitate outdoor living is to create a functional, attractive dining space outdoors. Even existing patio furniture can be made to feel far more inviting with the addition of flowers, table runners, cushions and the like, moving mealtime out of the kitchen or dining room and out into the open air.

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, or old fireplace that’s no longer functional, put it to good use as a showcase of sorts for accent pieces, fresh flowers, baskets or other attractive items to contribute some summertime flair.

To change things up in the living room over the summer, get a white or pale-coloured slipcover for your sofa, which will open up all sorts of design possibilities by creating a lighter, brighter look.

While floating candles may not seem to be a summertime thing, they can certainly add a fantastic flair as a centrepiece on a backyard dinner table when dining al fresco.

It may be obvious, bordering on a no-brainer, but adding some bouquets of fresh flowers will provide a bright burst of colour – to say nothing of the delightful fragrance – that is always a welcome decor addition during the summer.

You’d be spending more time enjoying your home’s outdoor areas if you added a few pieces of inviting, comfortable outdoor furniture to the mix. With additions such as hammocks, recliners, deck chairs or even a groovy hanging basket seat like the one pictured here, you may never want to go back inside!

Even if you already have patio furniture and cushions, the addition of a few colourful pillows can serve up some extra touches of vibrant colour along with added comfort that will contribute to the feel of inviting comfort.

If you’ve got some old wicker furniture or deck chairs that have seen better days, never underestimate the magical makeover that can be provided by a simple coat of paint. Summertime offers a tremendous opportunity to repaint some old items that may have been bound for the dumpster, giving these items a second life as outdoor furniture during the summer months.

Whether it’s the classic patio lanterns of yore or some of today’s more modern lighting options, there are numerous ways to add some outdoor lighting that will create gorgeous backyard ambience and help you squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of your summertime entertaining.

When the seasons change, we’ll typically begin changing things like bedding and tablecloths, putting aside the fall/winter items and using brighter, more seasonally appropriate versions. So why not take the opportunity to do the same thing with artwork? You can easily freshen up a room and provide more of a summertime vibe by switching prints or paintings from one room to another – or, if you’re feeling like spending a few bucks, even picking up some new art.

You don’t have to be a Survivor contestant to enjoy the timeless charm of a tiki torch, which will lend a warm, fiery glow to any backyard bash that continues after the sun goes down. As a bonus, imagine how much fun can be had when it’s time to give guests the hint they should get going by snuffing a torch and saying: “The tribe has spoken…”

OK, so this might not be the easiest summertime addition to your home, but think of the elegant cool factor of being able to take an al fresco shower in the great outdoors! It’s also a great way to clean off dusty kids and muddy dogs before they go inside, and will truly be something the whole family will enjoy.