Spring cleaning is a popular refrain when it comes to seasonal change ups. But, looking ahead, the shift to summer is another great opportunity to rethink and refresh your design.
When temperatures rise and activities move outside it’s the perfect time to lighten things up, minimize and even bring in some brighter pops of color.
Credit: Clara Chambers
Credit: Clara Chambers
What needs to happen to make sure you have the best time indoors and out this year? We asked top Atlanta designers what they recommend to get your home and yard ready for warmer weather.
Q. Can you share some practical tips for things you might want to give a good cleaning outside and inside with the change from cool to warm weather?
A. “Once the pollen started to calm down, I hired my guy, Derrick of All Power Cleaning to power wash the exterior of my home including the siding, porches, windows, sidewalks, driveway, and outdoor furniture. I also had Donald from Jordan’s Legacy Landscaping refresh all of my flower beds, boxes, and planters, and start back on my biweekly lawn maintenance. I love how my yard looks this spring and I’m excited to see my flowers bloom throughout the summer.” — Amber Guyton, Blessed Little Bungalow
Q. Summer is a time when many people are traveling. Are there things people should be doing in their homes to maybe make sure they are functioning best when we aren’t there, or make them places we want to come home to after a long trip?
A. “I always feel good coming home to a clean house with fresh sheets and folded laundry. It takes a weight off the transition of returning from a vacation and all the anxious to-dos. If you can’t take care of this before you depart, maybe have a cleaning service clean your home while you’re away so it’s one less thing to do for you and the family.” — Amber Guyton, Blessed Little Bungalow
Credit: Clara Chambers
Credit: Clara Chambers
Q. Do you think swapping darker colors for lighter is a good idea in warmer months: things like pillows, rugs, curtains, towels, linens or anything like that?
A. “Yes, I particularly update entertaining areas and the table linens and tableware I plan to use for the warmer summer months. In dining rooms and kitchens, switch your table linens to colors that are bright and fun and add in tableware that speaks to the summer season. In this dining room, we mixed in floral dinner plates, added ginger jars and potted fresh flowers.” — Kristin Kong, K Kong Designs
Credit: Mali Azima
Credit: Mali Azima
Q. Are there any tips you can offer to make your outdoor spaces, whether that means a deck, front porch or screened-in porch more appealing and livable?
A. “Don’t be afraid to add art, lamps, furniture and items that traditionally are seen an interior items to your exterior spaces. I love the look of natural woven materials for lampshades, planters, and serving trays, but I always spray them with a clear, matte sealer, to help preserve them and keep them from mildewing. I also bring in all my cushions, right before the pollen gets really bad, and they all are washed and stored prior to my porch pollen scrub down. This helps preserve the fabrics and keeps it all looking fresh.” — Kristin Kong, K Kong Designs
Q. We are all used to putting away our winter things and getting out our summer clothes, but is there anything equivalent people should be doing in their homes in terms of their interior design to get ready for warmer weather?
A. “Fall and winter are when we think of warm cozy spaces, but in the spring and summer we like our spaces to feel fresh and breezy. We recommend decluttering first. Keepsakes and memorabilia can get scattered through the house over the course of a year, and we recommend finding one location, in a more family-oriented room, to collect and compose all of those special items in one place. Create a composition that includes books and some small pieces of artwork. Once you’ve decluttered, look around your home and remove accessory items in darker, warmer colors and switch them out for something lighter and brighter. You can change the look and feel of a room with a fresh palette of pillows, accessories and maybe a new piece of art.” — Mark Williams and Niki Papadopoulos, Williams Papadopoulos Design
Credit: Emily J Followill
Credit: Emily J Followill
Q. Do you think swapping darker colors for lighter is a good idea in warmer months: things like pillows, rugs, curtains, towels, linens or anything like that?
A. “When designing, we typically recommend that our clients choose larger, more “permanent” items, in a neutral palette. Then we add color and punch through artwork, accessories, pillows, etc. Replacing your drapery between winter and spring can be a very impactful, but most likely an expensive venture. If your drapery is made from a heavier, darker fabric, changing that important room element to feel lighter and breezier will absolutely help the room feel ready for spring.” — Mark Williams and Niki Papadopoulos, Williams Papadopoulos Design
Felicia Feaster is a longtime lifestyle and design editor who spent 11 years covering gardening, interior design, trends and wellness for HGTV.com. Felicia is a contributor to MarthaStewart.com and has been interviewed as a design expert by The New York Times, Forbes and the Associated Press.
