10 Ways To Brighten Up Your Home This Summer

Your home is very much like your wardrobe. What works in the winter months does not necessarily work in the summer months. When the weather gets warmer, and the nights get lighter, it is time to brighten up your home, and really make the most of these longer days. This does not mean that you have to completely re-decorate your home. Instead, a few simple, inexpensive additions can really help to brighten up your home. We have put together 10 very easy ways to help get you started.

Flowers really can work wonders at brightening up your home. Do not be tempted to turn your home into a florist, but a few strategically placed vases of flowers, or house plants, really can make your room look and feel a bit brighter. It is also an effective way of introducing a splash of colour in an otherwise neutral room as well.

Make your home look and feel clean. Clean furniture and surfaces will automatically make the room look cleaner and brighter, and it will help you feel prepared for the longer, summer months. A clean home is a happy home. Make sure this is deeper than your usual housework though. Pull all of your furniture out and clean inside cupboards – you will be surprised at how much of a difference it makes.

Fix some mirrors up in your home, to give the impression of a larger living area. These will reflect natural light as well, which will make the room feel brighter. This is especially effective if you have a lighter, more neutral colour on the walls, as darker colours will just make a room feel smaller. Mirrored tiles (such as Quartz tiles) will make kitchens and bathrooms feel brighter as well.

It might be that your home has just become a little bit too predictable and simply changing the accessories will help make it feel new and brighter, and more fitted for summer. This can be inexpensive to do, and a few changes can make a big difference. Consider upgrading your cushions, candles and lamps.

This is the perfect opportunity to completely clear out all of your cupboards. Go through any paperwork and letters that you have been pushing to one side, clear out your kitchen cupboards getting rid of anything old or out of date, and your bedroom cupboards to get rid of any clothes that no longer fit, or you do not wear. It is time to be ruthless, because if you are more relaxed, you will be happier in your home.

Re-arranging your furniture can make a big difference to any room. It will feel like you have completely redecorated, when in reality, it has cost you nothing to do. Make your room as open as you can do in the summer months, allowing as much space and light to enter the room as possible. This will instantly brighten up your home and make you feel ready for summer.

Paint will dull over time, and sometimes it will require a little pick me up. Refreshing your paint job with another coat of the same colour will help to cover any marks or imperfections that have developed over time, as well as making the colour fresher and brighter. Don’t forget the ceilings and skirting boards when you are doing this.

This does not have to be as costly as it sounds. If you have a tired, worn out carpet, consider changing it to a tiled floor, or, if you have solid wood flooring, consider restoring these to make your home brighter. If you have a darker carpet, that you want to keep, instead of replacing the whole flooring, add a lighter rug, which will really brighten up the room, making it feel cooler in the summer months.

Think about clever storage options and remove any excess clutter. The more items you have in a room, the smaller it will feel. Remove anything that is unnecessary, and ensure that everything has a place. The more natural light that can enter a room, the brighter and larger it will feel. For more information on storage options, read ‘15 interior design ideas for small homes.'

Thick, lined curtains are excellent for those cold, dark winter months, as they help keep the heat in and block out the nasty elements outside of your window. However; in the summer months, you should be thinking about keeping your room light, bright and airy. Think about investing in an inexpensive pair of sheer curtains that can replace your lined one during the warmer months.