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Ahhh, the sumptuous days of summer. Clear skies, green lawns, barbeques and trips to the beach. Who wouldn't want to capture that feeling year-round?

Believe it or not, it is easy to bring the style of summer into your own home. Follow these simple, inexpensive tips, and be on your way to enjoying a summer home in your own home... any time of the year!

Color is Key

Paint is a simple tool that can be used to create a summery atmosphere in any room of your home. Brighten up a living room with lime green walls, a dining room with canary yellow, or a playroom with creamsicle orange.

Lighten up dark wood coffee tables, side tables or bookshelves with salmon pink or eggshell blue. Even painting the inside of a dark bookshelf a bright, summery color can freshen up a room considerably.

Store or cover darker colored items, such as maroon pillows and brown couches, replacing them or covering them with lighter, brighter covers. Floral patterns are nice and summery, as is a beach motif. Hang white or see-through curtains over dark drapes to quickly achieve a summery feel.

White is the perennial summery non-color. Repainting walls, bookshelves, coffee tables, and even framed mirrors a cool, crisp white will transform any room. With all that white, don't be surprised if you and your family feel like you've been instantly transported to Miami Beach!

Fabric of Life

Store or cover wintry wares like velvet drapes and pillows, wool throws, and dark leather couches, ottomans and chairs. Don't worry, you can always rotate them back out again when you are ready to return from your summer retreat!

Add summery fabrics, like linen table cloths, cotton flower-print curtains, and gauzy bed skirts.

Cover couches and armchairs with bright or floral patterned slipcovers... nothing says summer like light, bright fabrics.

Feel Like Flowers

Fresh Flowers will give your house a fresh summer look and scent. Keep water in vases clean by changing it often, and throw out flowers as soon as they begin to wilt, replacing them with a different bright selection.

Floral patterns also spell summer. Flowers look great embedded in the embroidery of a throw blanket, covering the upholstery of a couch or armchair, or gracing the surface of a decorative plate, bowl or hanging print.

Decorative floral accessories can be set atop bookshelves, entertainment centers, desks and dining room tables to "summer-ize" a room. Flowers, greenery or a small fountain can also be placed inside an unused fireplace for a more summery feel.

Odds and End Tables

Choose a theme that represents summer to you, then decorate a room around that theme. Beach and seaside items, flowers, fruits and birds are just a few themes that lend a summery feeling to any room.

Choose furniture for its summery feel, and dot these items around the house. Add a couple of wicker chairs, a wrought iron and glass coffee table, a white bookshelf or desk, or even a new floral couch (or an old couch with a new floral slipcover!), and transform any room in your house.

However you decide to add a touch of summer to your home, do so with happiness and joy... the energy of summer! Then, make yourself a lemonade, cuddle into your couch or loveseat, and bask in the warmth of your bright, summery home.