While the first official day of summer is June 20, the warm weather has most people already thinking of all things sunny. Fortunately, a growing number of businesses are re-opening in the United States with pandemic precautions to follow. Still, typical traditions such as summer vacations and entertaining groups of friends with backyard BBQs have in large part been put on hold. For example, my trip to South Africa with my husband Jon has been canceled due to international travel restrictions. If you’ll be spending more time at home this summer, invest in your environment to make your setting wonderfully designed for your family during the warmest season. Consider these design tips for your own living room refresh that’ll have you grinning from ear to ear and relishing your time at home.

Summer presents a great time to introduce pops of color in your living room and the places to do it are endless. The right colors can invigorate you and sometimes we all need a boost of energy to overcome the draining heat. Start with your living room accent pillows. As I shared on Instagram, I like to put brightly colored pillow covers over my designer throw pillows that feature a leopard print preferred for winter. This way, I keep the quality of my accent pillows while introducing summer color. I found my accent pillow covers at Etsy, which offers cost-effective options and allows me to splurge in other areas. Of course, you can purchase new accents pillows in a multitude of hues and prints, and place your winter ones out of sight. The pillows shown below at right are several I saw at High Point Market last fall. Coral, blues and teals are trending this year.

We seem to be craving color to brighten our moods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Refresh your living room by adding colorful flowers (real or artificial) to a favorite vase that you have tucked away in a cabinet. We love the Creative Branch for amazing seasonal flowers and plants that don’t require watering to stay beautiful.

Punch up sunny colors by filling a clear vase or crystal bowl with vibrant lemons and oranges. This is often seen in kitchens to keep the fruits within arm’s reach while cooking or baking. However, this classic look illuminates any room. I love this pop of summer yellows and oranges.

Another easy update is to rotate your accessories. I often find homeowners don’t refresh these, although they tend to have plenty of mementos that could be substituted for those that have been on display for some time. Dust off the gorgeous coffee table book of destination beaches to tie into the sea-glass hues in accent pillows. Incorporate a candle in a lighter color with a soft scent like cucumber melon or even citrus.

If you’re ready for grander living room updates, the Pamela Hope Designs team is ready to help. We’re seeing more interest in large-scale windows and doors that blend indoor and outdoor living spaces. Partners like La Cantina Doors offer folding, sliding and swinging solutions with unobstructed views of well-manicured lawns or breath-taking mountain ranges, while also providing effortless access to the outdoors. If it’s time to replace dingy windows that don’t embrace your lifestyle, this is an impactful way to visually expand your living area without adding actual square footage.

Photo courtesy of La Cantina Doors. 

Our design team can also help select flooring that works best for your family. So often, summer means trips in and out of the pool, which can also translate to damp floors. There are numerous choices for durable flooring for homeowners with children, pets and even heavy foot traffic. The porcelain planks covered last month are an obvious pick. While wood floors remain popular in general, they can show scratches from pets’ claws and kids’ playtime. Yes, they can be refinished but that can be costly. A properly planned living room upgrade can provide durable alternatives for all of your flooring needs. Tile of all types, in stone or porcelain, tends to be quite durable and can handle water well. Different tile materials have different characteristics, with some being much easier to live with than others, so the goal is to select the right flooring material for you.

At Pamela Hope Designs, we feel that a living room isn’t at its best until it has a rug. Area rugs add warmth, color and texture to a space. They are also helpful in defining smaller areas, especially in large or open format living rooms. For an Uptown Park townhome that we designed, we chose a contemporary rug from Oriental Rug Gallery of Texas. The rug pulls in the accent colors from other areas of the living room and creates a destination around the pool table. The right rug will take your design to the next level!

So, what are the top priorities that you’d like to address in your living room refresh for summer? If you’re ready to update your living spaces with a bit of sizzle, contact Pamela Hope Designs for an initial consultation.