How to Refresh Your Dining Room Decor for Summer Gatherings

Switching up key elements of your dining room decor is easy to do and also gives you the opportunity to express the different colors and textures of every season. For Laura, a design expert from the InspirationForMoms blog, giving her dining room decor a summery upgrade is one of the easiest tasks on her pre-party checklist: “Giving your home a new seasonal look doesn’t have to require hours of shopping and lots of money.” In fact, when it comes to giving her dining room a summer season revamp, all it takes is a little rearranging and inspiration from the great outdoors. From the interior design pros at Fashion Furniture Rental, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite design ideas for a summer refresh of your dining room: 

Bring in the Greenery

With nature at its peak, summertime brings a verdant hue to the landscape, making indoor greenery a lush and refreshing addition to your dining room design. Modern style planters, such as all white ceramic with textured patterns, can be used as a simple and elegant centerpiece for kitchen counters, the dining room table, and the bar seating area on a kitchen island. The best plants for summertime decor should include favorites of the season such as a shamrock, a hardy variety that grows easily indoors. For an overall theme inspired by nature, we recommend placing flowering tree branches or fern trimmings in large glass vases, which can be arranged on kitchen countertops.

Add Yellow Accents

Interior designer Allison Deyette likes to use yellow to bring in the lively colors of summer. “A sunny-hued sofa, pillows, or even a simple vase can go a long way to brighten up any neutral space.” Yellow accents can be easily incorporated into your dining room decor. Try placing a bowl of bright yellow lemons on the kitchen counter or on the dining table as a beautiful centerpiece. Another simple idea is the addition of a vase filled with yellow-colored flowers such as black-eyed susans or sunflowers. To balance out the brightness of the yellow hue, you can also add baby’s breath or eucalyptus to the bouquet. 

Go Nautical 

Need some Vitamin ‘Sea’? This summer, try cooling off your dining room with nautical accents inspired by the ocean. The home decor experts at Better Homes & Gardens suggest incorporating a natural seashore vibe into your summer dining room with a few key design elements: “Navy blue and white stripes should do the trick, or pick up a boat-shaped relic from the flea market.” For example, you could place a navy blue and white patterned rug underneath the dining table, which can be paired with matching chair cushions to give it a cohesive look. Another way to add a touch of beach house chic is by mixing up your everyday dinnerware set with plates in different shades of blue colors and patterns.

Swap Out Artwork

You can easily update your interior design for the summer season by bringing the cool and breezy vibes of the beach into your dining room. As interior designer Allison Deyette points out, “Be it an ocean landscape painting or beach photographs, adding art that’s evocative of the season will create a relaxed vocal point that eases up a space and expands the view in a room.” You can also decorate your dining room with a wall of framed travel photos from your summer vacation, which will remind you of summertime fun with friends and family.

Outdoor Summer Decorations for Get-Togethers 

Outdoor decorations for summertime gatherings can be just as simple and understated as your dining room decor. Try adding a splash of green by placing extra planters on the porch with white flowers, tropical ferns, and other types of seasonal plants. For an outdoor dining area, an elegant and stylish option is to arrange low tables with floor pillows, which will provide comfortable seating for guests as they nibble on tapas or eat barbeque. The best color combos for outdoor summer decorations are bright, eye-catching shades like turquoise, red, and white, which will also create a festive vibe. Adding to the party-like atmosphere, you can also string paper lanterns around an outdoor patio or front porch, which will add a warm and magical light to evening parties.

Set a Colorful Table

Whatever the season, get-togethers are typically centered around an epic feast, which makes the table setting one of the main focal points of the dining area. Give your dining room decor a splash of summertime whimsy with bright-colored accent dishes, napkins, and placemats. Try mixing up different themes such as bold, bright florals, tropical patterns, and nautical designs. 

For a simple yet striking dining table centerpiece, you could also fill a decorative bowl with seasonal fruit like oranges and other types of citrus. Another summer-inspired centerpiece idea is a large shell used as a planter for a variety of beautiful succulents. As the interior design pros at Better Homes & Gardens explains, “Its natural elements also add texture and character to a chic end-table display.” 

Scents of the Summer 

Now that summer is here, it’s time to trade in the gingerbread and evergreen for summer-fresh scents like ocean breeze or cucumber melon. Look for these summery scents in candles or an oil diffuser, which also looks elegant as part of your summer decor.

For the perfect backdrop to summertime gatherings, try these 7 simple updates on your dining room decor. 

Look out for more interior design tips from the Fashion Furniture blog, your source for the latest trends in interior design. For all your interior design needs, contact the experts at Fashion Furniture today!