Summer is one of the busiest months for outdoor entertainment. When the weather heats up, it’s the perfect setting for bringing people together on your property and enjoying the longer evenings and beautiful sunsets. This is also a great time to refresh your outdoor space by using some fun and easy decorating tips that can make entertaining enjoyable and beautiful. Here are a few ideas for your summer entertaining, so you can enjoy the season from daytime lunches to evening barbecues and beyond.
Outdoor Entertaining Basics
Your outdoor entertaining spaces are the focal point for getting people together to have some fun. That being the case, you want to make these spaces as inviting and comfortable as possible for your guests. People want to relax in the warm weather, perhaps with a cool drink in hand. Consider patio furniture such as chairs and benches with bright and colorful cushions to provide extra comfort and a festive mood. Another sparkling touch is outdoor lighting. Strands of delicate white lights or even colored lights make for a fun atmosphere.
Small Touches for Big Impact
Summer decorating is all about making an impact with small, colorful details. Flowers are a great way to start. If you have a flower garden in bloom, start right at home. You can cut a few choice blossoms from your own garden and place the cuttings in a bud vase to give your home extra color. Consider mixing different flowers and colors for a variety of looks. If you don’t have your own flower garden, visit a local farmers’ market for seasonal blossoms to give your home a cheery feeling.
Candles are another wonderful way to add an inexpensive but impactful touch to your summer decorating. The soft light of candles can add lots of mood to any gathering. If you’re planning an outdoor party, consider lighting many small tea lights to encircle the area where your guests will sit and visit. Tea lights aren’t costly and come in large bags so you can use many all at once to create an effect that your guests will remember. Consider placing a flower inside a votive for a unique look.
Maintenance Basics
No decoration in the world will be noticed if your home isn’t checked and ready for the basics it needs when the warm summer months hit. During the winter, your home’s exterior accumulates dirt and grime from the harsh elements of snow, wind and the resulting melt off and mud. Even in places where it doesn’t snow, the cold temperatures often prevent homeowners from keeping exterior spaces clean. Now is the time to give a thorough washing of outdoor spaces like driveways, walkways, siding and windows.
Another essential maintenance task is calling an HVAC professional to perform a service check on your air conditioning unit. There’s nothing worse than getting caught in blazing temperatures without a working cooling system. A professional will make sure your home’s cooling is clean and working properly so you can stay comfortable no matter how hot it gets outside. This is best done before the hot days hit, so you can make sure you’re ready and don’t get surprised by unexpected breakdowns.
Natural Materials
Another decorating idea is to incorporate natural, seasonal materials into your designs for tabletop centerpieces and throughout your home’s interior and exterior spaces. For example, summers evoke images of long days at the beach, so why not collect some shells or fill clear glass bowls with sand to bring the beach feeling indoors? Small dishes of sea glass and beach shells can also add a lovely touch to a bathroom sink counter or a guest room.
Use your creativity to conjure up warm weather decorating features that will keep summer going throughout your home and garden.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
