Do you yearn for ways of making those wonderful long summer days last longer?
Maybe you go indoors and miss the scent and colour of the garden or wildflowers and budding trees. But it doesn’t have to be like this; there are many ways in which you can bring summer inside your home and here we are going to look at some of our favourites.
So the temperature is rising outside but how do you retain that sun-soaked feeling 24/7? None of us wants to feel SAD due to lack of sun and by making use of a few well-used ideas you can keep the feeling of summer inside your home, bringing the outdoors in.
- Add colourful vegetables, fruit and flowers – this is easily done by displaying lush bowls of fresh fruit or swathes of cut flowers. Even vegetables can be set out on the kitchen worktops in rustic willow trugs, maybe using them as a centrepiece for your table. Think freshly picked peas and carrots, greenhouse tomatoes and brightly coloured peppers. If you don’t have space to grow your own, try the local farmers market. Also use cut flowers to add a dash of delight, making them last longer by putting them into warm water and adding lemon juice and sugar; this will act as a plant food and keep them fresh. You can create your own arrangements in pretty jugs using willow twigs mixed with tulips and daffodils or even flowers from your own garden.
- Brighten up your décor – if you don’t have time to paint, hang up brightly coloured and patterned curtains and accessorise with cushions and throws. Wooden chairs and tables can also be spray painted quickly with chalk paint which adds a great vintage feel as well as a splash of brightness.
- Summer smells – freshly cut grass, cucumber sandwiches and summer pudding; think of these smells and you are immediately transported into a wonderful countryside scene. If you would love to bring these scents into your home but have no idea how to, then try out this wonderful hand-made ‘Kitchen Larder’ candle range which does a fantastic job of retaining these sumptuous scents in wax - our candles
- Freshen up your linens – use crisp white linen, seersucker or cotton percale on the beds, draping with colourful cotton throws. If your room is not overlooked, replace heavy drapes with chiffon or flowing muslin curtains. Kitchen tables can be given a summer look instantly by throwing over a pretty tablecloth, the fresher and brighter the better.
Focus on flooring – if you already have bare floorboards rather than carpet, you can easily add woven cotton rugs or even those made from sisal, jute or rush. Even if you have fitted carpets you are not spoilt for choice as you can overlay with light rugs. You should also try out the fabulous indoor/outdoor rugs which come in a range of wonderful colours and are made from recycled plastic straws; not only stunning to look at but also environmentally friendly. Put them on the patio or in the conservatory when not laying them out on the grass for picnics.
Summers may seem short but it really is possible to make them feel much longer by adding a little sunshine inside your home. Try out our ideas, add a few of your own and lift the mood of everyone, purely by adding a few well-placed summery-themed items.
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