DECORATING Touches of summer brighten things up inside and out

Give your furniture a quick change through slipcovers.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
Summer is here, and you've unpacked your shorts and swimsuits for vacation time. The garden is well under way, whether it's sprouting vegetables or the flowers you love.
Along with that sense of freedom comes the feeling that your home should have a different look for the season. No one has the time to do seasonal redecorating, but some simple changes will make your rooms say "summer."
First, lighten up. Put away bulky blankets, throws and bedspreads, and replace them with lighter colors and textures. These can range from a simple matelasse coverlet to lighter hues in towels and table linens. Any shade of white or cream will lend itself to a neutral backdrop for brighter accessories such as pastel throw pillows. You can also store darker-toned rugs for the season and leave wood or stone floors bare, or use carpets in lighter tones.
Though you will still want protection from summer sun, consider leaving windows bare or switching out heavy window treatments by replacing them with a set of airy sheers, or simply change to a valence and tieback in a lighter color. You also can choose lightweight blinds or shutters in linen or bamboo for another option.
Other ideas include summerizing with a slipcover. Just as you're changing into your summer clothing, dressing your furniture for summer is an effective way to change the look of your room.
Although custom-made slipcovers can be expensive, there are less costly versions you can fit yourself without sewing a stitch, and you don't necessarily need to cover all your furniture pieces.
Choose a light, solid color for your sofa, and then the sky will be the limit for the hues that you can go for in pillows and throws.
You can also use slipcovers in the summer because they're so practical. When family and guests are in and out of the house all summer, it's great to be able to pull those slipcovers off and simply toss them in the washing machine.
Touches of outside
Also, try bringing the outside in and vice versa. Getting outdoors and enjoying summer weather is the inspiration here. Fresh flowers, houseplants and even small indoor pots of herbs will make their statement. Bunches of simple branches or grasses can make great casual arrangements. Bring a favorite piece of garden furniture, such as a metal chair or table, inside for the texture and feel of the outdoors.
Take the indoors out by creating outdoor rooms that will be natural gathering spots for everyone. Simply extend your interior living spaces to your porch, patio or yard. Decorating rules for interiors apply to outdoor rooms, as you make use of furniture, lighting and accessories to bring people together in a comfortable, cozy setting.
Brighten your outdoor furniture with colorful slipcovers or cushions. Add a table skirt to a simple wooden decorator table and top it with a lamp. Accessorize this space with baskets, candles and your favorite hanging and potted plants.
Surround yourself with items that evoke summer for you. Even after that week at the beach, keep those seashells in a small bowl on a coffee table and hurricane lamps on the mantle. Simpler yet, why not use a bowl of seasonal fruit, such as the strawberries you picked yourself or a basket of fresh lemons, as an edible centerpiece for a family cookout? Add a small flowering plant or summer herbs to decorate your kitchen island.
As Emily Dickinson said, "to see the summer sky at night is poetry."