50+ Of House & Home’s Best Summer Decorating Ideas
Make the most of summer with a home that celebrates living indoors and out — and maybe even blurs the line between the two!
Here are some of our best summer decorating ideas to get your home into an easy, breezy state of mind. Scroll down and get inspired!
Accessorize your foyer with summery details. Switch into summer mode by displaying summer hats, pretty cushions, and woven baskets with fresh blooms in your foyer. The result? A light and airy ambience the moment you walk through the door.
Channel the West Coast. This Toronto foyer has a Cali-cool feel thanks to stone floors, eclectic objets and woven rattan chairs.
House & Home January/February 2022
Go tropical. Design a space that will make you feel like you’re on summer vacation all year. In this bold Vancouver dressing room, tropical banana leaf wallpaper creates a resort-inspired feel.
House & Home May 2022
Install board-and-batten wall panelling. And paint it in an immersive hue! In this screened porch makeover designed by Cynthia Ferguson, wall and ceiling panels in varying patterns create a rustic ambience.“Using the same color on the walls, ceiling and bar cabinet created a streamlined backdrop for the soft brown and blond tones we added in the space,” says Cynthia.
House & Home May 2022
Decorate with watery hues. Blue and white is one of summer’s most iconic color combos, and this lakeside banquette masters the look with textiles and furniture in watery hues. A live edge wood table is another great way to bring summer style home.
Go mod with sleek, black furniture. Summer decorating can range in style from boho chic to nautical, but sometimes sleek and sophisticated patio furniture is the perfect contrast to lush greenery and hardscaping. Here, black aluminum chairs and contemporary table lanterns elevate the space.
House & Home September 2017
Bring the beach to you. You don’t need to live in East Hampton to create a beachy vibe. Design cottage bedrooms or bunkies with simple details like painted white walls and floors, hanging straw hats and photographs of the ocean.
House & Home July/August 2021
Bring in freshly cut blooms from your garden. Spring favorites like lilacs and peonies don’t last long, so skip the flower shop and take advantage of the gorgeous growth in your own garden. Pro tip: Shake them out for ants and dirt before bringing them inside!
House & Home June 2021
Install a hammock. There’s no doubt that patio loungers and Adirondack chairs are popular summer seating solutions, but nothing is as satisfying as lying in a hammock with a good book. If you don’t have an outbuilding or tree to flank a hanging hammock, consider a freestanding one that will achieve the same look and feel.
House & Home May 2022
Create a built-in bar in your backyard. Give your outdoor space the illusion of a restaurant patio with a built-in bar that can double as a buffet or drink station when you entertain.
House & Home May 2019
Add greenery to your windowsill. A pair of mini potted trees freshen up this Victorian farmhouse‘s living room.
House & Home June 2020
Display family heirlooms. Create a cottage feel by hanging antique objets, like designer Emily Griffin did here at her summer getaway in the Kawarthas.
House & Home July/August 2020
Layer your florals. Vintage green glass vases are filled with a variety of blooms, while a floral cabinet skirt contrasts beautifully without stealing the show.
House & Home July/August 2020
Add a botanical wallpaper. Teal bed accessories and colourful wallpaper create a cohesive color scheme in this principal bedroom.
House & Home September 2020
Bring in a summer chintz. Les Ensembliers dressed their pool house with layers of fun patterns to create the ultimate summer hangout.
House & Home May 2020
Make it personal. In Toronto-based artist Virginia Johnson’s creative studio, the kitchenette is decorated with artful dishware and colourful art.
House & Home May 2021
Move dinner outside. Homeowner Stephanie Nerlich opted for a wooden table and airy white chairs for a fresh summer look. Layering the table with clear vessels creates a pretty tablescape and puts the focus on the turquoise pool and lush greenery beyond.
House & Home July 2018
Incorporate natural materials. Designer Sam Sacks wanted her boho cottage kitchen to feel like it was on “island time.” Pair natural wicker, rattan and wood to achieve this laid-back mood.
House & Home July 2019
Dress up a porch. With its patterned outdoor rug, fresh foliage and breezy chairs, Jeff Stober‘s PEC porch is the perfect place to while away a Canadian summer.
House & Home August 2019
Paint a chair. Spruce up an old chair with a coat of paint in a fun, summery color.
House & Home August 2018
Contrast with dark hues. If standout summer colors aren’t your vibe, simple black outdoor furniture adds a dynamic look to your backyard set-up.
House & Home May 2018
Add a pop of color. Designer Robyn Rider opted for a classic Kelly green hue to freshen up the entryway of her 1,400-square-foot Toronto home.
House & Home August 2019
Use a fun wallpaper. Wrap a powder room with California-cool tie-dye wallpaper to create an unexpected summer retreat.
House & Home June 2019
Bring some texture to your foyer. Designer Tiffany Leigh Piotrowski turned revamping her cottage‘s inviting entryway into a fun family project: her father built the bench and her mother sewed the throw pillows.
House & Home July 2019
Go nautical. A sculptural rope lamp is complemented by nautical objets and a kitschy poster.
House & Home July 2014
Hang a paddle on the wall. Add some fun Canadiana by hanging canoe paddles on a wall.
House & Home August 2016
Bring indoor accessories outside. To make an outdoor seating or living area feel even more welcoming, bring out accessories you’d usually keep inside. Here, blue and white pottery, candles and even a rug make this Palm Beach, Florida, backyard an extension of the inside.
House & Home June 2016
Paint the floor white. Make a space feel instantly fresh and summery by painting out the floor and walls in a crisp white.
House & Home July 2014
Add driftwood to a grouping. Nothing says summertime on a beach quite like driftwood. Here a driftwood coffee table base and mirror frame bring a casual yet luxe vibe to an outdoor seating area.
House & Home August 2017
Slipcover your chairs. White chairs look perfectly breezy in this screened-in porch, and the removable slipcovers are easy to remove and throw in the laundry.
House & Home July 2013
Play with natural materials. Seagrass, rattan, bamboo and sisal, among others, bring warmth and depth to any room and liven up a mod black and white scheme.
House & Home August 2017
Use rattan and caning. French Country style has the timeworn charm of southern France. Open weave materials like caning and rattan help keep a room feeling breezy.
House & Home July 2016
Use rich colors. To bring in a Mediterranean or South American feel, use terracotta to add warmth and depth.
House & Home July 2015
Elevate the fire pit. Bring a little bit of Palm Springs home with a retro enamel drop fireplace. It creates a focal point in the backyard and is usable year round.
House & Home August 2014
Decorate with feathery motifs. Feathery decorations, such as those on these DIY window treatments, give a light as air feel.
House & Home June 2016
Choose iconic summer pieces. Pillows in a classic, thick-striped blue and white pattern are a go-to for a reason — they scream seaside escape. Paired with iconic Muskoka chairs (or Adirondack chairs), this deck has timeless appeal.
House & Home June 2013
Layer on stripes. Stripes scream summer — so why not go all out? Here stripes in all colors and weights play off each other in the rug, poufs, pillows and even in the wall panelling. The mixture adds depth to the room.
House & Home June 2017
Keep it simple. In this cottage sunroom, the windows have no glass — just screens with flip-up storm shutters — which give the space a classic boathouse feel. The simple furnishings add to the rustic charm.
House & Home July 2015
Whitewash the room. A clean, bright backdrop sets the stage and lets brass accents pop. The whitewash unifies disparate elements, bringing a cohesive look to the space.
House & Home July 2015
Bring in blond woods. The pale tones of blond woods impart the summery, light feel of Scandinavian interiors, especially when set against light walls and floors.
House & Home July 2015
Use a canoe as sculpture. A vintage cedar canoe is the main event in this cottage living room. Small canoe sculptures and waterscape photos add to the theme without being too kitschy.
House & Home August 2016
Embrace a South Beach vibe. Colors and tropical patterns bring a Miami feel to a Toronto backyard patio.
House & Home August 2016
Pair blue and white. Dive into the deep end of style and bring this classic summer palette to your space.
House & Home June 2015
Go for open-frame furniture. A breezy canopy bed left bare has a tropical feel, which is enhanced by lightweight white curtains and whitewashed walls.
House & Home August 2017
Incorporate sea-inspired accents. Here an ethereal chandelier that looks like a large piece of coral brings an exotic vibe to a lakefront cottage.
House & Home August 2017
Bring in vintage details. Authentic or retro-style fans make a fun design statement while also helping to keep the room cool.
House & Home June 2016
Set up camp. In this Upstate New York living room, a settee is covered in vintage tents, giving an intrepid spirit to the space.
House & Home June 2016
Say yes to gingham. Cotton gingham is summer’s answer to winter’s heavy, knitted plaids. A daybed dressed up with this punchy fabric has bold pillows to finish the look.
House & Home July 2015
Make seasonal accessories a focal point. Why not put your collection of straw hats on display? This DIY hat rack project makes a statement and is practical, too.
House & Home August 2016
Embrace flea market finds. In this garage-cum-workshop, the whitewashed shell is brought to life with a mod safari-style chair. Folding teak chairs or wooden campaign chairs are also great options for injecting a bit of vintage flair.
Learn how to shop for vintage like a pro.
House & Home June 2017
Dress up an outdoor dining area. Layering up a simple picnic table and benches with sparkly and colorful throws or tablecloths adds a touch of glamor and softness.
House & Home June 2017
Decorate with watery scenes. A vintage picture of designer Jennifer Scott’s grandfather sailing anchors the design of her Vancouver home’s bathroom.
House & Home June 2017
Switch up your linens. Swapping out heavy winter knits and velvets for lighter cotton and linen pieces is a simple way to invite summer into your home.
House & Home June 2013
Play with tonal colors. In this screened-in porch, shades of sandy beiges and bright whites set the scene for relaxation and calm.
House & Home July 2015
Create a beachy vignette. A vintage sailboat sets the stage for a beachy scene. Elevate the look with pieces of coral and shells.
House & Home July 2015
Use durable fabrics. The family-friendly dining area here is dressed up with washable linen slipcovers — perfect for busy, and sometimes messy, cottage life.
House & Home July 2017
Light the way with lanterns. In an indoor-outdoor space, a lantern light fixture is a casual take on the classic chandelier.
House & Home July 2017
Do away with curtains. Eschew blinds or window treatments in favor of letting the sun shine in for a breezy, summery look.
House & Home July 2014