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It is now officially summer! Bring that lazy,
breezy feeling into your home with a few easy tips.
A recent Realty Times article discusses several
ways you can bring the feeling of summer into your home. Try one
or try them all, and instantly feel your mood lift!
1. Set out welcome mats and display fruit
baskets to make guests feel welcome.
2. Fresh-cut flowers instantly brighten any
room. Try buying a colorful bouquet every week or two.
3. If you have a fireplace, clean it out and
try replacing it with flowers, plants or candles for the summer
months.
4. Replace the bedding in the house with something
light and airy. Go for floral prints or bright patterns.
5. Instantly change the look of your living
room by putting slip covers on couches. You will have plenty of
flexibility with color and pattern, but won’t feel tied
to one thing forever.
6. Get rid of a few of those plain, white
walls and go for a paint that’s bright and cheery.
7. Clean your window screens and windows to
let the sun shine in clearly.
8. Store floor rugs or replace them with brightly
colored rugs or runners.
9. Replace heavy blankets with light throws
throughout the house. Make couches inviting for reading that summer
novel or taking a nap by using fluffy throw pillows.
10. De-clutter your house. This is the perfect
time to hold a garage sale or give items that are no longer useful
to charity.
11. Try staging a family photo shoot. Go to
a park, the pool or your local nature preserve and display the
results around the house.
12. Install ceiling fans with lights in bedrooms
or rooms that need ventilation. You’ll be grateful for the
moving air when summer really heats up, and fans are an added
selling point when you choose to move.
13. Hang mirrors to make rooms appear lighter.
If you can arrange a mirror so it reflects your garden or yard,
it will help bring the outdoors inside.
14. If you have dark furniture, try using
white lace tablecloths, placemats or runners to create a lighter
feel for summer.
15. Try replacing heavy drapery with sheers
or lace curtains. If you don’t want to replace the drapery,
try changing the valance to create a different look.
16. Purchase a fiberglass screen to surround
your porch or patio. It will let the breeze in and keep the bugs
out as you host a dinner or relax with loved ones.
17. Replace darker lamp shades with lightly
colored or floral ones to lighten up the mood in a room.
18. Bring the ocean into your home by decorating
with calming blues, greens and whites. Or, try spicing things
up with the feel of Latin America with hot reds, oranges and pinks.
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