A Summer House

 Elsie King Moreland wrote in American Home in 1934, "Changing the furniture around is to a woman what taking a vacation is to a man..."     Have you ever thought about changing your house with the season?   We all seem to do it naturally when the Holidays roll around.  Soon there are cozy blankets or pillows about the living room because when it's chilly outdoors we tend to want to hunker down and get cozy.  But what can you do with your summer transformation?

Most of us naturally put away the extra cozy blankets and pillows, the holiday stuffs are back in their boxes, but we can go a step further for those summer months.  Put away things that are bulky.  Leave the floors bare.  Knick knacks that need to be dusted often, or worse, need to be polished (like silver or brass) can be tucked away as well.  

What about putting a cover over the couch?  Fabric remnants can be picked up for less than usual price, or you could shop a local thrift store for a white bedspread or table covering to throw over a couch or chair.  Drape an end table with a piece of bleached muslin.  Put a basket of dried flowers on the fireplace hearth.  This will give a summery feel to your room with little money invested in the look.  

Seashells you've collected, some driftwood or twigs are natural and can lend the look of summer as well.  And of course red, white and blue are always traditional summer colors.  What about tossing a few towels in these colors over your outdoor furniture for a festive look?  Beach towels are often the perfect size and relatively inexpensive to create that new summery look.

Not all of us can afford a vacation in the country, or a lengthy stay at a beach house, but that doesn't mean we can't give our homes a little bit of that vacation feel on a budget.  Creating a "summer house" starts with a state of mind.   Just one or two things can make a big difference!