Simple Summer Living Room Decor

Use these simple summer living room decor ideas to refresh your everyday spaces. Natural elements & updated soft furnishings make all the difference!

One of my favorite things about adding summer décor to any space is that it takes hardly any effort at all. Your home can be refreshed for summer by simply adding fresh flowers, shopping your house for some new accessories, and perhaps investing in a new set of pillow covers.

Simple Summer Living Room Decor Ideas

Fresh flowers are a must!

That’s what I did to perk up our living room for the summer months. The first thing on the list was to buy a few bunches of fresh flowers. I gathered my favorite ironstone pitchers together and divided the flowers into three arrangements. The first pitcher of flowers landed on our coffee table. I used the rule of three to make a simple summer vignette, using items I already had.

The second pitcher of flowers was placed on the chest at the end of the room. I also pulled out some summer gardening books to add more color, and tie in the pink shades from the flowers. Gardening books are a constant source of inspiration, so not only are they beautiful, they’re functional as well.

Shop your house for “new” accessories.

The third pitcher of flowers ended up being smaller than the other two, so it was added to the bookshelves that house all my ironstone pitchers that aren’t currently being used. I use the term “ironstone” loosely, because although some of the pieces are vintage ironstone, others are inexpensive porcelain pitchers picked up at discount and craft stores. The soup tureen pictured on the bottom shelf was a Goodwill find and set me back a whopping $3.00! There are no markings on it, so I know it’s not worth any money…but it’s one of my favorite pieces.

Updated Pillow Covers

Now let’s talk about the pillows. There is a decor trend that’s going strong…and it involves pillows. The trend consists of asymmetrical pillow placements on sofas or sectionals, with coordinating (but not matching) fabrics. I’m a very symmetrical person, so this sort of look wouldn’t normally speak to me, but I really think it’s a beautiful and unexpected look.

These “not matched” pillow sets are available from Pottery Barn and Linen + Cloth, but they’re pricey, so I shopped on Etsy to recreate the look, but for much less money. The secret is finding pillow covers in one or two colors that coordinate, but don’t match. I purchased a few different pillow covers from That Dutch Girl Home on Etsy, and although not exactly like the Pottery Barn and L + C sets, I was able to achieve the look I was going for. I used neutral linen pillow covers that I already had, and added a set of smaller striped pillows, along with one navy plaid pillow. They mix and match, and can be used inside and out.

Tip: when creating an asymmetrical pillow arrangement, make sure to end up with an odd number. Five pillows on a sofa, and seven pillows on a sectional.

Getting “the look for less” takes some time, and rarely can you find an exact match to your inspiration source. But with a little patience, you can come very close. When you fall in love with something that is beyond your reach financially, don’t give up. Take the idea, and recreate it using less expensive items. Not only will it truly reflect your personal style, the end result will be a custom look that no one else has!

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Simple Summer Living Room Decor Sources

Summer Pillow Cover Sources

• blue & ivory plaid (Abbot Navy)
• blue tweed
• blue & ivory stripe (Miles)
• linen beige (from H&M)

Summer Decor Sources

• long dough bowl on shelf
• eucalyptus garland
• ivory tufted chairs
• round coffee table & end tables
• similar sofa
• living room rug (beige/ivory)
• blue lamp on dresser (similar)
• basket tray on coffee table lower shelf
• utility basket on end table lower shelf