Deck Decorating Ideas For Summer

counter with colorful wallpaper, cabinets, and flowers

Anna Spiro Design

Now that it's officially mid-May, summer is just around the corner. And while we may not be able to jet off to some faraway waterfront locale, we can still get in on the easy summertime living with the right decorating decisions. Ready to dress your home up for a summery staycation? Ahead, discover 30 easy summer decorating ideas that'll lighten the look of your home for warm-weather months and vacation vibes.

contemporary white bedroom with coastal decor

Tamsin Johnson

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Keep It Light With White

Paint everything white, from the walls to the furniture, and then use cream, sand, or white textiles. Here, interior designer Tamsin Johnson added some darker shades of gray with the bedding, but otherwise, everything is white or pale. The idea is to invite as much light into the room as possible.

kitchen with mint green door and bowl of oranges

Anna Spiro Design

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Accessorize With Citrus

As simple as it may seem, decorating with a bowl of citrus fruits can do wonders to make an entire room feel brighter and more summery. Here, Anna Spiro Design opted for a bowl of eye-catching oranges.

bedroom with balcony

Alec Hemer

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Swap In Linen Bedding

Swap out your heavier bedding with linen sheets and pillowcases for a breezier look and feel. This laidback bedroom designed by Kim Dempster and Erin Martin features neutral-toned linens and draws the eye out to the beautiful balcony view beyond.

cheerful green pink and white living room

Victoria Pearson

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Commit to a Floral Motif

Energizing colors, a mix of patterns, and flowers everywhere—real, painted, and printed—make the living room "cheerful, bright, and playful," says designer Krista Ewart of this California beach bungalow.

kitchen with barndoor

Jacob Snavely

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Organize Beach Gear

Designate a place to corral all your summer beach and sporting gear. In this kitchen-meets-mudroom designed by Amir Khandwala, the woven seagrass basket does the trick.

balcony bar cart

Matt Albiani

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Bring a Bar Cart Outside

Since you'll be doing a lot more entertaining outside (or solo happy hours, whatever floats your booze cruise), stock a weatherproof bar cart on the patio. This slim rattan bar cart on a balcony by Gary McBournie is stocked with everything you need to get a party started.

roof patio with colorful furniture

Brittany Ambridge

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Prep the Patio

Get your patio ready for al fresco entertaining. If your deck or garden has enough space, carve out two separate areas to double the functionality. This spacious L-shaped balcony designed by Keesha Franklin of Halden Interiors features a separate lounge and eating area for both an outdoor living room and dining room that overlook the cityscape.

vintage kitchen stools

Victoria Pearson

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Add Pops of Color

Swap in graphic paintings, fresh flowers, or vibrant dishes for the fastest possible makeover. "I like all colors—soft, light, shimmery, deep," designer Ruthie Sommers says of her beachy California kitchen. "If you're ever stuck, lighten your lights and darken your darks to create contrast."

coastal family room

Alec Hemer

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Treat Your Windows

Heavy drapes got nixed for knotted rope in a beach house by Erin Martin. Blue slag glass and industrial-baskets-turned-coffee-tables add the finishing coastal touches.

colorful outdoor dining table

Luca Trovato

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Bring Furniture Outdoors

An outdoor set-up like this shady spot by Stephen Shubel can function as a breakfast room, reading nook, or dinner table when the weather is nice.

Living room, Room, Green, Furniture, Interior design, Yellow, Property, Home, Table, Coffee table,

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Spotlight Coral Decor

Thanks to the tropical colors and materials interior designer Aldous Bertram incorporated, this NYC apartment feels more like an island hideaway. We particularly love the lime green and pale coral color scheme, but if you're looking for an even subtler (and easier to steal) idea, display a piece of coral on your coffee table.

poolside gauzy curtains

Simon Upton

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Hang Flowy Curtains

This Florida home has certainly perfected the idea of outdoor living. Gauzy panels by the pool add privacy, shield the sun, and keep mosquitoes at bay.

bathroom with bronze shell sconces

Anna Spiro Design

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Incorporate Shells

This bathroom by Anna Spiro Design is giving us serious Amalfi Coast villa vibes. For a similar effect, contrast an antique, ornate gilt-framed mirror above the sink with shell motif mirror.

sunroom bar

James Merrell

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Amp Up the Bar

Fresh and fruity summer cocktails deserve a dedicated station. Whip up a mojito or mai tai at a well-stocked table, like the console in designer Amanda Lindroth's Bahamas house. "Every island house needs a fantastic, spilling-over bar," she says.

kathryn m ireland cape cod beach house

James Merrell

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Paint the Furniture

Unifying a ragtag patio set is as easy as grabbing a bucket of paint. For a Florida home's oceanfront porch, decorator Tammy Connor coated the antique sofa and assorted chairs in a matching cloudy blue.

todd romano florida house dining room with red chairs and rattan table

James Merrell

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Compare and Contrast

Complementary shades can feel fresh—not jarring—when done correctly. The cool palette on this vacation house's enclosed front porch keeps the Florida heat at bay. For crisp contrast, Louis XVI-style chairs are covered in bright coral Ultrasuede, and the walls are painted in Benjamin Moore's Sweet Celadon.

living room corner with striped blue and white chairs

Tamsin Johnson

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Balance Beachy With Subtlety

Though this little living room corner designed by Tamsin Johnson feels distinctly summery, it would also hold up during the rest of the year. That's thanks to the whimsical, chic, and quirky pillow chairs. Their plush, retro design was inspired by 1960s Italian Rivera style. The jute rug, woven sconce and pale gray-green paint add a soft contrast for a balanced space.

blue coastal living room

Jonny Valiant

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preppy bedroom with bamboo bedframe

TRIA GIOVAN

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Install a Ceiling Fan

In this summery bedroom designed by Amanda Lindroth, the ceiling fan blends right in with the white ceiling. If you don't already have one in your warm-weather home, make sure it's installed and ready to go before it gets super hot.

green wall and antique dresser with yellow lamp

Anna Spiro Design

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Swap Out a Lamp Shade

Anna Spiro brightened up the moody olive green walls and dark antique dresser with a sunny pleated lampshade and an easy-going bouquet of flowers displayed in a pitcher.

shabby chic bedroom with framed map

DITTE ISAGER

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Frame a Map

Nod to your hometown—or a favorite summer vacation spot—with a personalized chart, like this New York home's Shelter Island print.

oversize lantern

John Gould Bessler

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Make the Trim Matter

Fresh cushions or pillows can change up an entire room, especially if you consider the details. "There's a nautical feeling to things like the trim on the curtains and the piping on the upholstery," T. Keller Donovan says of his Nantucket living room. "I was inspired by the look of lounge chairs on an old yacht and that great old 1930s pool furniture, both of which had contrast piping."

Room, Green, Yellow, Property, Interior design, Turquoise, Bathroom, Wall, Floor, Furniture,

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Polish an Outdoor Area With a Mirror

Hanging a mirror in an outdoor space or pool house can make it feel more like an actual, polished room. The tropical wallpaper, light green skirted vanity, and rattan accents in this space by Anna Spiro Design also assert a summery flair.

outdoor counter

Alec Hemer

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Set Up a Counter

If you can't splurge on an outdoor kitchen, an extra-wide window might do the trick instead. Designer Erin Martin extended the marble counter from a beach house kitchen to make alfresco dining easier.

white eyelet canopy

Bjorn Wallander

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Add a Canopy

Panels of pure white feel fresh, not heavy. Swathes of white eyelet make a grand statement in a Caribbean home's guest bedroom.

swinging daybed

Francesco Lagnese

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Pile on Pillows

At her Palm Beach house, Liza Pulitzer Calhoun simply covered the swinging daybed with a summery tablecloth and added a whopping 10 pillows for a welcoming nook.

outdoor dining table with candle lantern and hanging potted plants

Reed Davis

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Frame Your Florals

Impress guests by hanging your garden, like this chandelier of potted plants in an outdoor dining room. Plus, you'll have extra tabletop space for place-settings and party food.

fire pit

James Merrell

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Ready Your Fire Pit

Take inspiration from this dreamy New York backyard and create a fire pit for roasting s'mores or stargazing on clear nights.

outdoor pool area with daybed

Ryan Garvin & Tyler Hogan

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Create a Napping Nook

At an elegant BelAire, California home designed by Bregan Jane, a daybed with flowy curtains becomes the ideal summer napping and lounging spot. The easier solution for an outdoor bedroom? Just string up a hammock or bring out a lounge chair to catch some blissful ZZZs.

yellow mudroom

Tria Giovan

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Arrange Backyard Flowers

Whether you grow hydrangeas, sunflowers, tulips, carnations, or anything else in your garden, consider bringing some inside and arranging them in vases to spread the cheer throughout the hour. This little potting station in a sunny mudroom-meets-laundry-room by Barry Dixon is the perfect spot to do so.