Late Summer Deals on Decorating- What to Buy Now

One of my favorite things about late summer is definitely the deals. Buying something, lets be real, buying anything on clearance makes you feel better about your purchase.

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Patio furniture and outdoor accessories are getting price cuts left and right. Even though we have a couple more months to really enjoy the outdoors, retailers are becoming focused on what’s right around the corner, fall. So now is definitely the time to update your outdoor seating, pillows, and other accessories.

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Speaking of accessories, most should be on sale at this time. Pay extra attention to ready made curtains and pillows. Keep in mind that adding both of these to any space makes it feel more finished and lived in, oh and not to mention is a super easy way to add pops of color. So go ahead and stock up on colors that you absolutely fell in love with from this past season, weather it be marsala, Lucite green, or a bold blue!

How to Decorate for a Summer Party

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Whether you’re hosting a BBQ, a pool party, or you’re just having friends and family over to enjoy some summer fun. I am sure these tips and ideas will make your gathering a hit!

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First off, we all know how important it is to protect you and your guests from the sun, so have some sunscreen along with bug spray on hand for everyone to use.

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After quickly mingling, your guests will surely go grab a drink. Instead of using a typical cooler, use a wheel barrel. You’ll be able to fit tons of drinks, and even better, you can move it around twice as easy as a standard cooler. To make things a little more fun, instead of using plain ice to keep drinks cold, use frozen water balloons for a splash of color. Oh and don’t forget to tie a bottle opener to your cooler so guests don’t have to wander around asking for one.

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But where will you seat all these guests? Hay bales actually make for pretty amazing seating, especially for a summer party. You can use them individually or push them together for larger seating. Just place blankets overtop to make them less itchy and more comfortable.

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Now for the little touches, these are super inexpensive and add some fun. Instead of leaving your string lights naked, cut a tiny hole and plastic party cup on them, if you’re guests didn’t know they were there for a good time, now they do! And of course you’ll need a firefly catching station for the kiddos, make a sign to place on the table, and use old pickle jars with holes poked in the lids for the kids put their catch in!

Hot Summer Colors

As these hot summer days roll in, you may be wanting to brighten things up around the house or even cool things down when it comes to your decor. These three colors are great options that are very on trend for this season.

Marsala

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Marsala is Pantone’s color of the year for 2015. This deep wine color is a fantastic option to use throughout your home this summer. Colors that pair well with this hue include soft blues and crisp whites. It is good to keep a deep, rich color like this one, balanced with lighter more airy tones. Below are some examples of great uses of this fantastic color in the home.

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Lucite Green

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Lucite green is another one of Pantone’s top picks for 2015. This hue is a soft green that is almost a mint green, but with a little less blue. This is a fantastic color to use in your home this summer because it is a very tranquil and calming color that pairs well with many other shades. Lucite green pairs beautifully with blues, especially in the aqua/turquoise family. It also looks great with bright, saturated accent colors like the fuchsia used in one of the photos shown below.

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Bold Blue

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Bold blues are great choices to go with to refresh your home’s décor this summer. This is a dynamic color that can take your home in a number of different directions depending on what you pair it with. If you are looking to really make an impact, you can pair it with another bold and saturated color like tangerine, which is its color complement. If you would rather make the bold blue be the biggest impact itself, pair it with more muted neutrals like soft gray or ivory and then include small accents in a complementary hue.

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Create a Cost-Effective Outdoor Living Room

We just wrapped up a covered patio project, and not only did the clients LOVE it, but so did we. The colors were so soothing and the seating was so plush and welcoming; it really did make all of us just want to sit and enjoy the mild summer afternoon. So it got me thinking, how can I adapt this space into a more price friendly manner? So here are a few tips, tricks, and DIY projects that can help you to create the same a cost effective outdoor space for the whole family to enjoy!

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Pallet Furniture

If you’re interested in new furniture pieces, but don’t want to spend a potential arm and leg, take on this DIY project. You can adjust these instructions to make the pieces fit your space, whether you’re looking to make a chair, couch, or sectional. Just stack discarded pallets to the height wanted and secure them together with screws, cover the exposed spaces with 2 X 4s or leave them open, stain them paint them, or leave them be, throw some outdoor cushions and pillows down and you’re good to go!

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Layering Fabrics

While we’re on the subject of outdoor pillows and cushions, keep in mind that adding fabric to an outdoor area really does soften the space and definitely help to bring the indoors out. So go ahead throw some floor cushions down, and don’t be afraid to even hang some durable curtains on your patio. Create layers with outdoor rugs and give your outdoor living room as much dimension as possible.

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Illuminate

Adding lanterns and lamps continue to bring the inside out, extending your living space, and maximizing it’s full potential by allowing you to use the space at night.

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How about those cinderblocks?

Another brilliant and cost effective idea is painting your outdoor cinderblocks to create durable flower boxes, coffee tables, fire pits, and even seating.

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Bucket Table

My last tip/DIY project is a bucket table. This is especially great for outdoor spaces because it creates extra storage, and allows you to tuck pillows and candles away so you don’t have to leave them out in the rain. Or you can even take the top off and create a cooler when entertaining.