Stylish Spring to Summer Decorating Ideas {Before & After Pics!}

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If you need a few inspiration ideas of how to go from spring to summer decor, today I’m sharing what I did in my home, with before and after pics! Check out how I gave my house a summer refresh, inside and out.

Spring to Summer Decorating Transition

In years past, I haven’t done too much to my house in the summer that was ‘that’ different than spring. Changed out a few signs that said ‘spring’ and switched up a wreath or two. Spring and summer are sometimes a seamless overlap, which is totally fine. 

Usually, we’re all too busy getting ready for the kids being home for summer to put too much energy into a summer home. At least I was.

But this year, we took the plunge (no pun intended) and got an above ground pool as a way to fight the afternoon heat and constant requests to just watch TV because it was too hot to do anything else. In my kids’ defense – here in Tennessee, it’s absolutely true. There are no outside afternoon activities unless they involve water.

Anyhow, since we bought our house as an estate that was listed ‘as is’ (you can fill in the blanks), most of my energy has been updating the inside; I’d pretty much neglected the outside. 

However, now that we’d be spending a lot more time outside this year, I knew it was time to bite the bullet and get the outside summer-ready.

That also inspired me to put a little more effort into summer decor on the inside, so today, I’m going to show you how I switched up and spring decor – and then, how I cleaned up the outside.

What’s the Difference Between Spring and Summer Decor?

I absolutely think the answer to that is something of a personal preference. Obviously, there’s overlap – flowers, greenery, all signs of blooming and new life. However, I think there is typically not only a shift in color palette, but in style as well.

But for me personally, summer is all about the boldness. Where I generally lean more neutral and muted colors in my decor, summer has a different feel for me.

In the spring it’s definitely softer yellows and greens and pinks, warmer pastels.

In the summer, I’m all about the bold colors – bright reds, greens, yellows, and turquoise – kind of like the colors of popsicles. I think of lime green, lemon yellow, rich red hibiscus… those are my inspiration colors.

While inside, I tend to stay with warmer tones; hues are richer in the greens and terra cotta and contrasts of black and white.

There’s also a slight shift in style for me. While I generally am rustic farmhouse, in summer, I tend to lean a little bit more modern farmhouse and boho-farmhouse. You’ll might catch on to that a little when you have the side-by-side shots.

I also tend to go with more earthy and natural textures – woven ropes, sea grass , even concrete … it adds a little bit of a beachy vibe, too. 

So today, I want to share how I switched things up and the easiest way to do that is with some before and after pics. I’ll add in a few extra close ups as well.

And if you want to see my spring home in its entirety for this season, you can check it out here.

Spring to Summer Home Decor: This to That

This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosures for details.

Front Porch

You can see that I stayed with the same colors, just a little bolder. I like hydrangeas and ferns in the summer, compared to dogwood stems or softer flowers. Darker, bolder greens instead of softer. Slight shifts. 

I generally keep the vintage window up with those very same wreaths and slightly adapt them for each season. Those are clip on flowers from Dollar Tree. You can also check out the DIY for the magnolia bead wreath here!

 

Bonus shot! Here’s what you can’t see from the front:

So precious, right?!? We have baby birds in there now! I can hear them chirping all day long!

For more summer porch ideas, here are 35 more!

Front Entry Way Wall

Here are some close-up comparisons of this wall:

You can really see more of my boho leanings in this picture.

I love that this poster is congruent with my decor because it’s one of my favorite Scripture verse reminders. You can also get the print in my Etsy shop!

The pitcher is a thrift store upcycle, done with chalk paint and baking soda! Love the summery texture there. And the room spray is my absolute favorite:Salt from Hearth and Hand – pretty much the beach in a bottle.

 

Floating Mantel Shelf

This is the shelf I used as a mantel until we had one built over our fireplace. 

I didn’t change out a whole lot here  – the center canvas is my Verse of the Year, so that will stay through every season. Again, added a little more texture – concrete planter and greens, concrete candle (it’s Salt from Hearth and Hand, and smells exactly like a summer day!)

I swapped out the spring printableble for a summer printable– I love hibiscus in the summer, and the orange was a nice fit with the darker terra cotta colors in the rest of the room. And, I used to be a high school English teacher before I had my sons, so if I can fit some literature in with home decor, well, I’m here for it.

The quote is from American poet William Carlos Williams.

 

Cabinet Topper

This has a little more of a rustic feel to it – not as much as my spring decor – but with a touch of boho and modern farmhouse.

 

Fireplace Mantel

Always, my mantel is one of my favorite places to decorate. I knew the feel I wanted well before summer – the clay pots, the ferns the greens… I’m real excited that this area actually matched my vision.

I knew the print I wanted to create long before summer – it just took a little while to decide on the Bible verse. I’ve been a bit discouraged just seeing the way of the world these days, so this verse has just been ringing in my heart, and it’s my daily reminder that light will always overcome darkness.

This print is in my Etsy shop as well.

Yes, that’s an eyesore of a TV there. My husband and I are still in negotiations over this.

 

Outdoor Summer Refresh

For this next section, it’s not really a spring to summer progression, but just more of some updates on some projects that I took on outside.

I did a tonnnnnnn of painting this spring before my boys finished for the summer, and while it was so much work, we have been using our outdoor spaces so much more this year, especially the deck off our inside dining area.

Here are some before and after pics of the painting and how I’ve decorated the space. 

Full Disclosure: I’m always about being real and authentic. We are not a wealthy family. I love to DIY and make pretty spaces, but we are in a basement rancher that was built in 1961.

While we have a large house, we are in not in a new build in a new neighborhood. Our neighborhood is not especially manicured – we are in a woodsy area up a mountain, a beautiful mountain view from our backyard. Rustic definitely suits our location well, and I’m totally good with that! I’m so grateful to God for what He’s given us!

I hope this inspires you to be content to work with what you have and a create a peaceful, pretty space for you and your family to live life. No unrealistic expectations or comparisons – just doing the best with what we have and being content!

Top Deck

I know, this ‘before’ picture is pretty embarrassing, but we are keeping it real! The deck will eventually need to be replaced – you’ll some of the banged up boards in the pictures, but this should get us through a few more years until we can do that.

I’ve added a lot of pictures of the deck to this post (on summer backyard decks, lol), but I’ll share a few here, with 2 different ways I set it up.

We purchased a pergola this year (you can read my review here!), and that has made a ton of different as far as usably shady space. We bought the dining set a few years ago, but we will use that until it wears out as well!

One is a little fancier (as seen above), but less practical with kids. (Here are the links for the beautiful tablecloth and the solar mini globe lights if you’re interested in those).

The second display is my day-to-day, with a nice vinyl tablecloth that is easy to clean!

 

Here’s the everyday version. 

 

Lower Deck

This was too much to include in one picture, so here are some progression shots.

 

 

Here are a few close ups of this area. This was furniture we had – it’s a few years old and still has more life in it, so we will keep using it until it wears out!

 

Front Yard

As I said, we are in a woodsy area at the top of a mountain, so rugged kind of works here. However, I gave it a college try to spruce it up, while maintaining a rustic feel. I think the brown paint (leftover Behr deck paint) did a good job of providing that.

 

 

The cape, the poles in the carport, the shutters, the privacy fence – plus the 2 decks equaled about 3 weeks of painting. Y’all, it was exhausting.

But we have used our outdoor space so much even in these past 2 months. Totally worth it.

It’s hard to see in the above pictures, but there’s a patio off to the left, behind the carport. Another area that will need to be redone in the future, but we added some color and brightness, and it’s a good spot to sit while my kids are in the sprinkler or playing outside.

Why Go Through the Trouble to Refresh Your House for Summer?

That’s a good question. And I think I have a good answer.

As someone who generally doesn’t mind being inside, it has been so good for my soul to just get outside of my 4 walls, in an easy, convenient way. To be able to enjoy the space we have, with sunshine, to relax on a lounge chair, to look around and take it all in…. it’s made my time with my family so much more enjoyable.

Y’all, I know it’s not all about the stuff. But I think we are wired by God to love beauty. So, it’s a reflection of Him when we are creative and take time to make things around us beautiful. Not obsessively so, but to enjoy the blessing of beauty with the family He’s given us.

And, I love that it’s so much more enjoyable to be outside with my sons rather than have them begging for more TV all summer long.

I’d love to hear what you think about all this! Leave me a comment!

More Summer Home Inspiration

If you are sprucing up your home a little more this summer, here are a few posts that may help:

Charming Cottagecore Style with a Summer Wall Art Free Printable

Cozy Backyard Decorating Ideas on a Budget

21+ Affordable Outdoor Dining Sets for 2022!

30+ Fresh and Beautiful Summer Mantel Decorating Ideas

Best Backyard Dinner Party Ideas {Budget-Friendly, Outdoor Charm}

Fast, Easy, Cheap Ideas to Decorate Your Home for Summer (Farmhouse Style!)

Free Watercolor Printables for Summer (Farmhouse Wall Art)

Front Porch Decorating: Summer Modern Farmhouse on a Budget

If you try any of these ideas, I’d love to see them! Tag me on Instagram @100affections or leave a comment on Pinterest!

Other thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Leave a comment below!