Through the Front Door

by Lisa Bartell of Wisteria Cove
photos by RAZ Imports

Happy Hues of Summer

The warm sunny days of summer are upon us. The landscape is profusely dotted with the vibrant colors of nature that make us feel happy and alive. Let’s capture this abundant sunshine of color, and bring it into your home. You can achieve this by using a summer color pallet of reds, yellows, oranges, fuchsia and chartreuse. These colors give off a certain emotions when viewed. Rich reds evoke feelings of love and passion and make you feel confident. Orange — a mixture of red and yellow — gives you feelings of joy and happiness and is actually known to increase oxygen to the brain when viewed. Yellow is energizing and cheerful. Pinks and fuchsias make you feel almost childlike and affectionate. Chartreuse, a vibrant green, is the color of rebirth, making you feel fresh and alive. By using some of these wonderful colors that are stimulating to the senses, will surely bring the happiness of summer into your home.

The kitchen

The kitchen is where people tend to gather and connect through eating and conversation. There are many quick and inexpensive changes you can make to this space to make it feel like summer. Add a few brightly potted flowering plants to a windowsill. Take down your window curtain and replace it with a summer valance to let the sunshine in. Change out your ordinary dishes to a colorful set. Your kitchen table will look fresh and alive with a nice summer print tablecloth. Try replacing your utensil holder with a watering can, big enough to hold all your wooden spoons and ladles. Nothing says summer more than fruit and veggies; use these themes for framed or canvas prints. Replace your traditional dining chairs with cool patio chairs.

An easy, breezy summer bedroom

Get rid of heavy bedspreads and draperies and replace them with a lightweight comforter set and airy shears for your windows. Add fresh flowers or silks to a vase on your dresser. Beautiful summer pillows placed on the bed and plenty of garden and vacation periodicals on the bedside table add to your summer reading pleasure. Use floral and fruity scented candles to create summer aromas. Crack open your windows and let the sounds of nature put you to slumber. If you live in the city, play a cd of a babbling brook or soft waves of the ocean crashing onto the shore to drown out the sounds of the city, soothing you to sleep.

Summer greatness

The great room is another gathering place in the home. Most great rooms have a main focal window or set of patio doors in the room that you can use to your advantage to bring summer nature into full view. To obtain this, plant butterfly bushes, bee balm and other brightly colored flowers right outside your window to attract birds, bees and butterflies. Next, place a comfy chair next to the window to relax and enjoy nature’s show. Reminisce of summers and vacations pasts by making a collage of mementos on a small bulletin board and hang in the room. Gather postcards, maps, ticket stubs, photos, shells, foreign currency, etc., and place on the board, enjoying the fun family memories that were made. Don’t forget the quick changes of toss pillows on sofas and chairs and summer accents on tables and shelves. Change out framed prints and area rugs.

Author: Brian

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