Five Tips to Brighten Your Home
Are you ready to brighten your home for the summer? Hello, and welcome and I hope you enjoyed Judy’s gorgeous home, Life is Better at Home. What a group of talented girls in this blog hop and I feel so honored to be included among them. My dear friend, Summer from She Leaves a Little Sparkle was so kind to organize this summer event for all of you.
Alright, are you ready to get a little acquainted? My husband and I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for a good portion of our lives, and we experienced a few too many gray days. So, when we moved to Northern California, we were sun deprived and in great need of a bright home. Over the past six years, I have slowly transformed our living space into a cozy and light home. My family jokes about how everything in our house is some shade of white. I about died when we recently bought a white car and so now we are branching out of the house and white is penetrating every nook and cranny of our lives. I guess you can say it is pretty obvious that I crave a bright and light environment.
A Note About the Nester
While I was in college, I volunteered to decorate my friend’s home for the holidays. I draped pine boughs on her chandelier and while I was up on a chair working, in walks a boy who introduces himself. This young man from Vermont eventually became my husband. We both remember this memorable moment of me showing off my decorating skills.
I realized that there are five easy things that I habitually use when I transform a room. Creating a new look involves a tiny bit of effort, but if you find yourself cramped for time and money, add a few things, and you’ll still have beautiful results.
Here are five tips that will brighten your home. Let’s dive in and brighten and change your home decor for the summer!
Pillows
Pillows are an easy soft furnishing that instantly adds color and a new look. I especially love Pottery Barn pillows for a couple of reasons. Did you know that you can just buy the pillow covers? If you have a ton of pillows in your home, the last thing you want is another insert, so make sure you just buy the pillowcase. The upside is that it will save you some money. The other cool thing is that a cover is so easy to store, and you won’t have a gazillion pillows. I also love how Pottery Barn pillows make such a beautiful statement. When I see their pillows in the store, I kind of feel that they get lost in the sea of others, but once home they add that extra pop of design and color. I also have a few of their faux sheepskin pillow covers that are so soft and dreamy, and they add a nice background for my beautiful Bre Embroidered Pillow Case.
The second photo displays a floral pillow I found at HomeGoods. It has an old fashion 1960’s style and I love its vintage style. Of course, many of my friends loved this pillow too, and they asked me where they could purchase it and I finally found a link for it. Here is the website: EnVogue Floral Pillow
If you are on a tight budget, just change out one pillow that will make a bold statement and capture the look that you are after. All you need is one seasonal pillow and you’ll be set to change up your living room throughout the year.
Throws
Since purchasing our white slipcover sofa, I’m all about throws. We drape them on our couches to protect them from any stains. I’ll bring out my throws that match the different seasons and colors. It is an easy way to add color to any space, drape it over your sofa, in a basket, or over a chair. Of course, a beautiful white or cream one will brighten your room for the summer months. I adore this cozy and extremely soft sweater knit cream throw from Boll and Branch.
Drapes
I bought some pretty inexpensive drapes from Target for our dining room, and I enjoy how they echo the yellow in our adjoining kitchen. I decided to brighten up the room, and so I found some lovely white drapes which when I exchanged them with our old ones, I instantly felt like a ray of sunshine was streaming in through the windows. So, for a mere $16 a panel you can transform any room into a big statement. I have a few different inexpensive drapes that I can exchange throughout the year, and I guess you could think of it as changing your purse with the seasons.
Flowers
As some of you know I have a few hardware store plastic buckets that hold my ever growing collection of silk flowers, and I love to have them on hand to accent our home for the seasons. I also, like picking fresh, fragrant flowers from our garden, there is nothing that compares to them! On occasion, I’ll splurge and buy flowers from our local grocery store, but I do try and find the cheapest deal. These yellow roses were on sale at Costco, and they were two dozen for $13. These little beauties will brighten your home and instantly fill your home with their splendid floral fragrance.
Knick Knacks
Don’t you just love that term, knick knacks? I tend to use funny words, and my husband is always laughing at my old fashion way of speaking. Anywhoo, back to my knick, knacks, I try and lighten our home with glass since it is light and reflects light too. Also, placing a few colorful pieces adds that little accent that makes a room fresh, summery and light. Bring in seasonal pieces like candlesticks, antique bottles, table runners, table cloths and candle votives.
Thanks for the visit and spending part of your day with me. Happy collecting and decorating your home and let me know how you brighten your home for summer. I would love for you to visit my friend, Jennifer at The Grace House Interiors. Jennifer’s home is so gorgeous, and I’m certain you will be inspired with all her great ideas.
Cheers,
Please visit my other friends’ blogs for more lovely home pictures and great tips!
SheLeavesALittleSparkle.com
LindsayHillInteriors.com
LifeIsBetterAtHome.com
TheGraceHouseInteriors.com
CCandMike.com
FadedCharmLiving.com
GratefullyVintage.com
Studio7InteriorDesign.com
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Kellie
Janine, I always love visiting your blog! Your photography is stunning! I love all of your tips to brighten a room. They are so spot on!! That pillow is so pretty & I use throws on my white slip covered couch too, for the same reasons 😉 I hope you are enjoying your summer!!
happyhappynester
Kellie,
Thanks so much for your sweet comment about my photography! I just got my new DSLR camera and I have not a clue how to work it. I should really enroll in a photography class one of these days. I hope you are enjoying your summer too!
kathleen Field
I have always loved your beautiful, bright, happy home, Janine! And these tips for brightening things up are just perfect! That sweater throw and beautiful pillow are so perfect!
xox
Kathleen
happyhappynester
Thanks Kathleen! You are so thoughtful to visit and leave a sweet comment!
Summer
Oh goodness, Janine! You always make me wish I lived closer so I could hop on over and sit and visit! Your home is soon gorgeous and inviting! It always seems so bright and light. I know what you mean, being from Sacramento and visiting the PNW a lot….there can be a lot of cloudy days. Especially in the bay area ;-p But never a cloudy day in your home, that’s for sure!
You always have the BEST pillows!!! I die every time! It really inspires me to change mine out more often. I do once a year, maybe twice, but I think I’m going shopping this week 🙂 I love all the glass bottle accessories and knick-knacks you shared…definitely an important tip we often forget about! Brilliant, my friend! I’m so glad you shared with us! Have a BLAST in Disneyland and thanks so much for participating in this.
xoxo….
ps – i love how you and your hubby met! Y’all are the cutest!
happyhappynester
Summer,
Oh my goodness you are the sweetest and thank you for thinking of me on this blog hop! Let’s definitely keep this up, since I love the friendship we have. And yes, you need to shop for some pillows or I can send you some! 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed my post, I need to hop on over to yours now! Thanks so much!
Martha
Loved reading this, everything is gorgeous!
happyhappynester
Thanks, Martha! You are so kind to visit and leave a comment!
Carissa Miller
Love your home. Love your tour. Love your tips. But especially love that story about how you met your husband!
happyhappynester
Ah, ha! Your name is Carissa! Thanks for your sweet comment! I remember that day and the moment when I first met him, it is such a vivid memory for both of us! Thanks again for visit!
Kathleen Beyer
Beautiful and cheery home you have, Janine! Hope you had a great trip:-)
happyhappynester
Thanks so much, Kathleen! We did have a lovely trip and I would love to go on another one! I hope you are enjoying your summer too!
Coco in the Kitchen
I love knick-knacks or as my hubs calls them tchachkis. They drive him nuts, but I think they add personality to any space, especially if they’re treasure from a trip overseas.
happyhappynester
Wow, is that an Austrailian term? It sounds Russian. I do love my knick-knacks! It was awesome to see your beautiful home in person!
Coco in the Kitchen
You’re welcome back any time. It was such a treat to have quality time w you. xoxo
Jennifer
I love this post so much, Janine! The photos are so bright and happy and downright lovely! I totally agree about the Pottery Barn pillows covers, and we do the same thing with throws in our house. They’re pretty, but they’re really there to protect the sofas. Lol! Wonderful tips, and I agree with each one! Beautiful post, friend!
happyhappynester
Jennifer,
Oh my goodness, I’m so happy to have connected with you! I have enjoyed making this post and I’m happy you liked it!
Alicia
Hi friend,
I love how cheerie your home always look…just the perfect yellow throughout. And how you met you hubby, that’s so cute….you go decorater girl!????????
And I love your pillows ????
happyhappynester
Alicia,
You are too sweet to visit the blog! Thanks so much for your wonderful encouragement!
Judy
Janine as I live in the Vancouver, Canada area, I can relate to those grey days! Your style is so beautiful and love all of your pretty pillows, throws and knick knacks 🙂 And you can never go wrong with fresh blooms. Loved reading about how you met your husband too. So glad to be a part of this tour with you xx
happyhappynester
Judy,
So, happy to connect with you on this tour! Oh my goodness, we almost moved to Vancouver, Canada… Canada’s banana belt! Thanks so much for your lovely comment and visit!