Make your Home Feel Like Summer

When the weather is beautiful, we want to stay outside all day long, we want to feel that beachy breeze every chance we get, because it never lasts nearly long enough. So, why not optimize that ‘long-days, hot nights’ vibe and keep it going, even after the summer days start to fade away…  

To get the feeling of summer indoors you will need to lighten things up! 
This can begin with removing excess clutter and the remnants of the seasons. It is amazing how when we get busy things get forgotten to be stored away, even from holidays long passed.  

Put these seasonal things in deep storage – nothing dispels the myth of summer like snowboard boots sitting out in the mudroom; only warm weather things should be in sight – like a beach ready basket, filled with towels, a frisbee, and space to add some cold drinks and snacks and head out the door – when these things are within reach, you will find yourself enjoying more of those times and putting them to use!  

Stow heavy linens, extra bedding and blankets, and even thicker towels. You won’t be needing them in the heat, so having them out of sight allows you to keep summer things in mind.  

Open all your windows and clean them while you are at it. A nice summer breeze not only makes the space feel great, but it inspires imagery of the billowy gauzy drapes of paradise getaways where lazy mornings are spent lounging… there is no reason that you can’t create this within your very own home. Lightening up your window coverings will also brighten your home by letting more light in, and this is a great opportunity to get the heavy ones cleaned. About cleaning, get the dust – all of it! – from reaches you haven’t been thinking about in a long time. You probably cleaned in spring, maybe for the last time if you read our last newsletter ????   but removing heavy bulky items allows the dust to re-settle and inevitably unearths missed bits, this is a great opportunity to get to these spots while access and the light are good. It would also be worthwhile to check on your cooling system, ensuring that it is working BEFORE a heat wave, as the breeze thru the window is great, but depending on the summer we have, it may not always be cooling enough.  

Do a clean sweep of your space and scoop anything that doesn’t inspire summer vibes, clearing the excess from horizontal surfaces, whether it is meant to live there or not. Lightening up for the summer months feels freeing – and there is no season that encompasses the feeling freedom more than Summer! A lighter more natural approach to a space not only allows more room for play, but it also gives you more time to enjoy the beautiful sunny days with less to clean and dust. 

You don’t necessarily need to get new or summer specific accessories, but you could put some away, or change some out. If you enjoy accessories, make sure they add to the vibe of carefree fun! You could always add a nautical touch, or a bright punch of color that you might not have ever considered… because they especially suit the hot days! (Be forewarned, sometimes changing décor for the season can become a chain reaction… changing these could make you want to change everything else… not that we are against that) ???? 

A less obvious by key factor in making a home feel summery… A fresh yummy smell! There are certain fragrances associated with summertime, and if they are not happening naturally because you aren’t lucky enough to live near the ocean, or those hanging baskets aren’t fragrant as we wish they’d be – then don’t hesitate to pipe some good smells in! No matter your preference for diffused aroma, candles, or an indulgent room or linen spray – the smell of summer is going to make your place feel great! 

Create a connection between your indoor and outdoor spaces… 
A few of these summery indoor considerations have their roots in the outdoor scene…which makes sense as summertime is all about enjoying the outdoors while the weather accommodates it! There is some opportunity for overlap and flow when it comes to indoor-outdoor living through the warmer months.  

The first thing to consider is mobility between the spaces. If outdoor dining and patio socializing take top spots on your summer social calendar, you will want to be sure that the path between them is unobstructed. Carrying a tray of drinks or platter to the grill should not be a challenge, nor create any form of hazard to its host or guests. Many new homes and extensive renovation projects within our portfolio see the use of bifold patio doors, such as Eclipse or NanaWall systems, that allow an expanse of wall to open completely onto the outdoor space. This provides optimal enjoyment of both spaces as removing the barrier between expands the indoor-outdoor connection, and the overall footprint, for a most interactive entertainment venue. 

The fresh air and sunshine connection between opening our spaces has so much to do with the energy of the season. Another component of setting the scene for summer is greenery, gardens, and flowers! The aesthetic of things growing, the tastes of crisp salad greens and summer berries, and the sweet smells that wander in on the breeze, lend reason to keep the gifts of the great outdoors coming inside! 

Your outdoor area plays a starring role in making your home feel like summer… 
No matter the space that you have to work with, a few thoughtful considerations can make it into the place that you will want to live in throughout the season. 
 

Give your patio a refresh to make your outdoor living as enticing, if not more so, than your interior during the time of year when we can enjoy the outdoors. Livingroom style seating has become more popular than ever for patios, but this doesn’t mean that you must have a patio the size of a living room to achieve that inviting feeling, you just need find the right pieces for your space. Consider what you wish to do in your time outside… do you sit to sip coffee with your partner, stretch out like a cat to soak in the sunshine and read a book, or do you like to gather with a group of friends? Just like the other areas of your home, it is important to think about how you are going to use the space in order to make the best selections on how to furnish it. Be it a bistro set, chaise lounge, or full-sized patio living or dining suite … you can be sure that there is something out there to make the BEST of what you’ve got! 

Next determine or create a focal point… much like interior design, exterior spaces feel best when they are focused on something special. These options can be somewhat dependent on what you’ve got to work with; a beautiful view, a feature such as a fire-bowl, a colourful flower garden/pots, or anything you create to make your outdoor space unique and welcoming… make it so that you enjoy what you see while you are spending time outside, and it will become a place you want to invite a friend, or many, to enjoy with you. 

If not already a green thumb, try your hand at gardening, no matter whether you have a sprawling lawn, patio box, or hanging basket – something fresh and living will make your space feel inviting, and give you reason to come back often… even if only to keep it alive ????   Not to mention how wonderful a fresh clipped bouquet will look and smell when brought in from your garden… bringing us full circle! 

Make your home feel like summer and that summer mood might just follow us through the rest of the year.  

What People Are Saying

Lawrence Green

"I was impressed not only by Sarah's design ability, but also with her level of construction knowledge. I have heard that a lot of designers are good at making things pretty, but are not that great at understanding how things are actually built- Sarah is fantastic at both. I recommend them to anyone and everyone I know without hesitation."

Diane and Vince Grdina

"We had the pleasure of working with Sarah on the construction of our new home. We had a lot of fun working with them and found them always thoughtful, mindful, and professional. We would highly recommend their firm and would use them again without hesitation."

Pete Rackow

"We were immediately impressed with Sarah's ability to assess our needs and understand the type of home my wife and I wanted for us and our 3 boys. Her attention to detail is flawless and every inch of our fully renovated home is thoroughly thought through. I felt like they cared about our home as much as we the homeowners did."