Summer with Style: Decorating Tips for the Season

Summer is here. Warm weather, sunny days, and being outdoors is more appealing than ever. But busy schedules and even extreme temperatures can prevent us from being outside as much as we want. One popular solution: bring the outdoors in to your home! Here's how:

Broaden Your Horizons
If you can't be outside, you can recreate comfort and beauty of the great outdoors right inside your home. The key? Your view to the outside world - in the form of your windows.

Don't hide your scenery with closed, heavy drapes. Instead, keep your view open by choosing window treatments that accentuate your view, instead of hiding it. Wood blinds with wider slats or specialty shapes offer just that - expanded view-through when the slats are open, so you can easily welcome the sights of summer into your home.

Take Cues from Nature's Hues
Trend watchers say that earth tones of browns, greens, and neutrals are going to be a hit for the summer. They are reminiscent of Mother Nature in her simplest state, and have a calming effect during the hustle and bustle of summer.

Fabrics and Finishes
Light, sheer fabrics are critical to capturing the flavor of summer. They'll let the sun flow in and light colors serve as a reflector, illuminating the rooms of your home. Try sheer horizontal window shadings, or even a soft drapery sheer, to give your home the soft feel of the breezy outdoors.

And your home can look like the outdoors, too, if you choose to use natural-looking materials like granite, stone, and wood. Try "faux wood" or wood alloy blinds that provide an array of natural-looking colors designed to mimic the feel of real wood. But these products typically offer added durability, so you can get the look of the outdoors that will last season after season!

Turning Things Inside Out
Another great way to welcome summer - transform your outdoor areas into trendy indoor ones. Instead of a simple patio table and chairs (which are also great furniture pieces), carefully plan out your outdoor "living area". Deliberately choose furniture, flooring, and framing that will define the area and make it more homey. Pay special attention to hedges and lighting to create an indoor structure that complements the naturally occuring beauty of the outdoors.

Be Earth-Conscious
With an increased focus on the brilliant lights, colors, and feel that Mother Nature herself gives to us, it's a great time to think about how we can give back. Use earth-friendly home accessories to accent your home, and participate in recycling and "Save the Environment" programs whenever you can.

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