Hi, I’m Penelope, a mom and writer and author of Penelope’s Oasis, a site where I write about marriage, beauty, food, and New York. Today my friend Anne is letting me steal some space on her site to write about whatever I want, so I thought it would be fun to focus on two things I love: summer and the home. How about some fun ideas for prettying up our homes for the warm summer months?
I love color, so one of my favorite ways to make a room come alive is to add flowers. There is no commitment (you can put a different colored bouquet in a beautiful vase every week), and placing flowers in a room makes those who see them think you really care about your home and family (and your family will feel like their home is special when lovely flowers are decorating it).
Because I love color so much, another favorite idea is to change out your staid, heavy winter comforters, and instead put some vibrant and light weight summer comforters or quilts on your beds. It will help spruce up a room and lift everyone’s moods to match the fabulous weather, and when you take them out each year, it will sort of “mark” the beginning of summer, making everyone excited.
A fun way to liven up the afternoons is to make everyone ice tea, and use a bright set of tumblers and matching pitcher, with quirky straws and even little umbrellas. Serve it on a tray with sugar cubes and lemon wedges, a sort of resort moment in your own house. It looks great on your table, and everyone will enjoy their iced tea (and family time) more as well.
Finally, replace your weather beaten, foot-trodden old welcome mat with a fresh new one so anyone who comes to your door knows this is a loved, well-cared for home and family.
Have a happy summer!
What a pretty pitcher and glass set!
I love colors and experimenting and of course flowers! What a beautiful pattern.
Love the pitcher~
That glass pitcher is just beautiful!
we just changed out our comforter. It was just way too much with our Florida heat.
Great ideas, Penelope!
Now that’s a cute pitcher set and I love the tips… thinking I need to replace my mat at the front door.
I like doing little things to change the look of a room.
Great ideas! I love fresh flowers… I need to do that more.
I love using bright colors in the summer. Great tips.
I definitely need to do that with my welcome mat, it’s looking pretty rough.
These are some great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Oh I so need to replace our welcome mat. It’s crazy scary so lord only knows what people think 🙂 Great tips Penelope.
That is a cute set!
We’re building a new patio and I can’t wait to get some colorful lanterns to hang outside. I love green – but sometimes you need a splash of something else to kick it up a notch! 🙂
I love colors as well, especially anything that is bright and cheery. Colors can make or break a mood, so I try to stay away from anything that is drab. 🙂
Good ideas… I like using fresh flowers when I can. Does so much!
I love things in black & white with BOLD colors.
I love these tips and am a HUGE fresh flower fan. It not only brightens my home, but it brightens my mood as well.
what fun ideas and I love iced Tea
Those are all such great tips! I am totally heading to shop online for a new Welcome mat! 🙂
Great ideas. I often forget how easy it would be to add some color with different flowers!
Love the idea of swapping out our winter comforter! 🙂