Must See Trending Summer Colors for Your Home

I used to think summer decorating was just about swapping dark colors for light ones.

Blues for winter grays. Yellows for browns. Simple enough, right?

But it’s more than that!

Summer has a way of making you see your home differently. All that extra light pouring through the windows can make a room you loved in January seem a bit flat come June.

That’s where the right colors come into play. They work with all that natural light you’re getting this time of year.

The good news is that you don’t need to repaint your entire house to bring in summer colors (unless you want to, of course)!

So instead of just listing which colors go where (plenty of guides do that), I’m going to walk through your home, room by room, and talk about the mood each area should be giving you, and which colors get you there.

I like to think of the living room as an open window on a perfect 75-degree day. Wonderful!

These are the colors that gets you there. Soft sky blue + warm white + sandy linen tones. Or try a butter yellow accent against a cream base to echo some late-afternoon light.

I’m all for a beige living room. But don’t be afraid to let a little personality sneak in! A pistachio green pillow. A faded blue throw. Anything that’s been lived in.

As for swaps here, yes, replace your heavy, dark throw pillows with two or three covers in your summer palette. Five minutes and under $30.

For me, kitchens in summer should be bright and alive. Kind of like you came home with a basket of peaches from the farmer’s market and you’re about to make something great. Mmmmmm, now I want some peach pie with ice cream! I digress…

Even if you don’t have a window in your kitchen, you can still pull this off. The palette that gets you there. White base + warm natural wood + one cheerful accent color. Lemon yellow and buttery hues would look great, or even a faded blue.

Combine soft neutrals with an equally soft color like lemon chiffon or peach for a nature-inspired vibe.

The easy move…a bowl of lemons on the counter, a stack of linen dish towels in a warm yellow, or maybe a herb plant on the windowsill. Kitchens are such a simple room to summer-ify (is that even a word?) because everything’s already functional. You’re only making it prettier.

This is the one room where less truly is more. Your bedroom in summer should make you want to sleep in on a Saturday with the fan on knowing you have nowhere to be…until you decide otherwise.

You want colors that are cool and relaxing. A soft blue or sage green bedding set on a white or cream base. Sage green offers a muted, calming sense that’s both natural and deeply contemporary. One warm accent, like a peach throw pillow, a terracotta candle, is a great add on.

Trade out your heavy duvet for a lightweight linen or cotton coverlet. I get that it’s not technically a “color” move, but lighter fabric changes how color reads in the room.

Heavy fabrics make colors look darker and denser. Light fabrics let them breathe.

Who doesn’t love going on vacation? Walking into your bathroom should make you feel like you’re on the second day of a really good trip.

As for summer colors, try aqua or soft teal + white + one natural texture (e.g., a wood tray). A teal hand towel or soap dispenser in the bathroom is a great addition.

For a super quick bathroom refresh, use white towels. Seriously! Swap out whatever mismatched collection you’ve got for a matching set of white towels. Then add one accent color in a hand towel or bath mat, and put a small plant on the counter. Just don’t expect daily room service to be stopping by…

Summer dining should be casual and generous, as if the table itself is inviting everyone to sit down and stay a while.

The colors: white or natural linen base + one bold pop in the centerpiece. Coral flowers, a cluster of blue glass bottles, yellow cloth napkins. This is the one spot where you can go braver with color because it’s temporary. Want to switch it up? You can change it out every week if you want.

And if you’re not overly matchy-matchy, use glasses in complementary colors, a few clear, a few blue, a few amber.

Outdoors is where you get to turn up the volume. Natural sunlight can handle more color saturation, so what might be too much inside is often just right on a patio or porch.

I say go with brighter blues, punchy corals, citrus yellows, and then ground them with natural materials like wood, jute, and wicker. And if you want to blend indoor and outdoor living spaces, do it by using matching rugs and the same colors inside and outside for a seamless transition.

Another simple styling trick is to get an outdoor rug. It defines the space and makes a patio look more like an actual room, rather than a long-forgotten area with a few dusty chairs.

Pick one in a warm neutral and let your pillows and accessories bring the color.

Not everything belongs in your summer lineup. Some ought to be put away until the next season.

Deep burgundy and wine. Beautiful in October...too much for July. Think of them as your fall starters, they’ll get their moment!

Charcoal in large doses. A thin dark frame is fine. A charcoal throw blanket on the couch in June absorbs all that good summer light instead of bouncing it around your room.

Burnt orange. I know, I know. Some people love it year-round (that was me several years ago!). But burnt orange is the pumpkin spice of decor colors, it just reads as autumn. Save it for when the leaves start turning.

No need to rush and redo your entire house this weekend. (Please don’t. It’s summer. Go outside!)

Step 1: Walk through your home and pick the ONE room where you spend the most time. That’s your starting point.

Step 2: Choose your mood. How do you want that room to feel? Cool and calm? Bright and energized? Relaxed and vacation-y? Use this to guide your color choice, not the other way around.

Step 3: Swap it out. New pillow covers. A vase of fresh flowers. A set of white towels.

Step 4: Repeat in the next room when you’re ready. No rush! Your house didn’t get decorated in a day, and it doesn’t need to get summer-ified in one either.

Enjoy summer and enjoy your home!