As we hit the summer months and the weather starts warming up, many of us take a look around our homes and wonder how we can embrace the sunshine and refresh the spaces around us. The winter months are cozy and the way we live reflects bringing ultimate comfort, but summer is a whole different ball game – you’ll likely want things to be light and airy and feel as clean and clear as possible. With this in mind, here are our top tips to ensure your home is ready for summer, so let’s get stuck in.
Top ways to refresh your home for summer
Bring in the greenery
It’s no secret that vibrant, fresh foliage can completely overhaul the look and feel of any space – and with advancements in tech and smart home solutions, you no longer need to worry about buying plants and having to care for them. Many of us are not green-fingered and plastic plants just don’t hit the right spot, especially in the hotter months where real plants will help to refresh the air.
If you don’t have a good track record with plants or feel you don’t have enough space for your home, aeroponic towers are stepping in to make things both simple and stylish, all while fitting into your home in a unique way – and the best thing is that you can even use them to grow your own produce. You can expect a self-sustaining smart device that allows plants to grow with little maintenance, with an automated light and watering schedule, temperature and humidity sensors and more; acting as your AI gardening assistant.
Switch out your creature comforts
One of the top ways to alter the feel of your home from cozy to cool is to swap the elements of winter that promote warmth. A lot of the time, we remove throws and cushions, but for the best results, think about taking down heavy curtains and hanging sheer ones in their place, change your bedding for a lighter option (in both material and colour) and remove thick rugs, bath mats and any other floor coverings. Light, natural materials will be the strongest tool in your arsenal when making your home feel light and airy, so utilise them where you can.
Clean, declutter and open your windows
Cleaning your home will of course help things to feel fresh, so make sure to clean walls and ceilings and all the nooks and crevices to ensure everything is completely dust free. Once you have done this, open your windows to bring the outside in and elevate the bright, breezy vibes. Another good tip for a lighter feel is to take out any warm light bulbs and use daylight bulbs instead to really brighten up spaces. Again, advancements in tech have brought a stunning range of lighting solutions that can elevate your home with little fuss.
Take things one step further and declutter, as the more open space you create visually, the less rooms will feel drawn-in and gloomy, no matter their size. Remove stacks of books and add decor pieces with natural elements in their place – and don’t forget that going with a more summer-themed palette will feel more crisp and natural.
Move your furniture around
Again, many homes in the winter are set up to promote coziness. One example is that sofas may be positioned closer together, so think about moving them closer to windows, pulling them away from walls and similar to create a more open-plan ambience. The aim will be to create spaces that feel open yet inviting, with gathering spaces in mind.
Let your walls reflect the season
Often, the artwork and wall decor we choose will stay up year-round, but you may be missing an opportunity to make things as summery as possible by overlooking these. It can be a great idea to take down darker pieces in favour of brighter ones, but mirrors can be a fantastic way to reflect the sunshine and brighten things even more, using the natural light within rooms to their fullest.
Is refreshing your home for summer worthwhile?
The answer to this is undoubtedly yes, as the key benefit to a brighter home is improving your physical and mental health. Natural light is a fantastic way to boost your mood and minimise the effects (or occurrence of) depression – and when you feel better, this has a knock-on effect on how you work, relax and even take care of yourself. Aside from this very important benefit, you will likely save money and energy by making these simple changes around your home and utilising natural light – so what are you waiting for?