Summer decorating for 2016 is all about reviving your space, trying out something new, and introducing pieces into your home that add a spark of energy! Long gone are the days of monochrome furnishings, strict industrial style, and neutral tones. This season we want to pump up our homes with lively things that lift our spirits. Here’s how:

Bring the Outdoors In

If you already have extra outdoor furniture, you’re in luck! Move your outdoor dining furniture indoors to make your dining space look exotic and summer ready. I personally love to use rattan and bamboo furniture indoors, it adds a unique vintage vibe that feels warm and cozy. Dress it up with cushions and then make it look elegant with a glass top and a chandelier above. I’d call this style: Indoor Garden Glam!

Photo: Lonny Magazine

Reupholster Your Dining Chairs

No need to spurge on a new set of chairs, you can easily add new life to old dining chairs with a lick of paint and new fabric. These fuschia chairs look GORGEOUS in this neutral dining room and are perfect to kick off the summer season! Save this DIY for a sunny day, and you’ll be glad you took the time to transform something old into something new again.

Photo: IBB Design Fine Furnishings

Tropical Wall Murals

Stuck with plain white walls? No worries, we have got a quick fix by slathering on a wall mural. Murals are quick, and easy ways to make a space feel like a whole other world. There are two ways you can go about this: pay someone to custom draw a mural for you (expensive route), try to draw it yourself (risky route), or buy a pre-printed mural and simply apply it to your walls (easiest way). Voila, a whole new look!

Photo: Lonny Magazine

Small Bits of Color

Have a plain-jane kitchen? Not to worry, you can transform your space with the smallest details. Small accessories like a tiny vase, a cake stand, and a few blooms can work wonders for a kitchen with neutral toned walls, flooring, and cabinets. These permanent installments are some things you can’t change, but you can easily switch up the vibe of your kitchen with accessories according to the season or your mood.

Photo: IBB Design Fine Furnishings

Prints and Patterns

We’ve been on a solid diet for too long – bold, patterned fabrics are everywhere this season. From exotic palm leaf prints to geometric and even tribal, there is no stopping designers in using these just about everywhere. From cushions, to upholstering, curtains and even walls – brightly colored patterns are here to stay, for a while!

Photo: Lonny Magazine

Introduce New Tableware

Investing in a few brightly colored pieces of tableware is a fun way to kick off the summer season. Go for bold juicy hues and try not the make them too match-y, this time designers are trying to get out as much color as they can from accessories.

Acrylic Stacking Wine Glasses  – House of Fraser

Do Something Different

Experiment and have fun with your decorating by trying something new for a change. One piece I have always wanted in my home was a canopy bed and this rose pink beauty is exactly what I had in mind. In the medieval times, canopy beds were used to ward off insects and bacteria, today they are used to showcase great design. And great design this is!

Photo: Veranda

]]> https://betterdecoratingbible.com/2016/06/19/7-stunning-summer-decorating-ideas-love/feed/ 0 https://betterdecoratingbible.com/2015/10/20/australia-living-tour-these-10-safari-decor-inspired-spaces/ https://betterdecoratingbible.com/2015/10/20/australia-living-tour-these-10-safari-decor-inspired-spaces/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2015 04:28:12 +0000 http://betterdecoratingbible.com/?p=9894 Decorating trends in Australia get a lot of their inspiration from nature. Who wouldn’t with gorgeous beaches, a magnificent outback, perfect weather, and deep blue sunny skies, year-round! Tour our most favorite safari inspired rooms decorated and located in beloved Australia!

Photo: Space Grace Style

This exotic and simple dining room is the perfect combination of safari minimalism. The teak dining room set, zebra hide rug, and natural decorative accessories make a great decorative mix that is both trendy yet easy to maintain. Teak furniture is definitely coming back into the decorating scene. It can last forever although it’s super pricey but makes a overall smart investment!

Photo: Julia Rafflenbeul Interior Architecture

Wall murals are one of the most effective ways to transform a room into a different world! Keep in mind that Australian decor is widely influenced by surrounding countries. This wall mural has an Indian print of elephants which makes for a exotic nursery. Now how beautiful does that look?

Photo: Space Grace Style

Photo: Margaret Scholley

Ocean, tribal, and African inspired decorative accessories make this home feel well traveled and mysterious! Sprinkled finds from various travels are great conversation starters and give off an exotic and whimsical vibe.

Photo: Annie Kelly

Photo: Mark Williams

If you ever do visit Australia, dining alfresco is part of Australia’s relaxed and carefree lifestyle. With the warm weather to enjoy, Aussies take time to really appreciate the sun life, and of course food which is important when it comes to outdoor eating. Patio’s have really come a long way from the regular patio set, heavy rustic wooden tables, lamps, comfortable seating, and fine dinnerware make eating outdoors a unforgettable experience!

Photo: Linda Hoffman

Director’s chairs are a big decorating staple when it comes to the outback, and safari-style. Amping these up with leather and studs turned them into glamorous dining chairs!

Photo: Margaret Scholley

With a warm, tropical climate, enjoying outdoor living is something Aussies do year-round! This tiki-style patio in Byron Bay, Australia looks like a dream to lounge in! The outdoor decorating is put together very sleek and simple. The reasoning? With tropical surroundings like that, there is little decor needed to make this patio look absolutely breathtaking!

Photo: Margaret Scholley

Photo: Margaret Scholley

Using natural fibers like jute, sisal, and seagrass are one of the best ways to get a safari-styled home. These rugs are easy to care for, super affordable, and eco-friendly! I love this Australian dining room, so natural, cozy, and comfortable! High rise ceilings make way for the hot air to rise, making the sizzling temperatures much more bearable.

Moroccan décor is both timeless, exotic, and most importantly comfortable décor filled with energetic rich colors and metallic accents. It’s filled with gorgeous ornate furniture and warm colors which all seem to work together in harmony to create a unique, one-of-a-kind decorating style.

Since it’s the season of traveling and exploring new countries and cultures, why not bring a little bit of Moroccan global décor straight into your home? The Moroccan trend is booming right now, and all you need is to add a little hint here and there to jump straight onto the bandwagon. We promise, it’s super easy and it’s definitely a style you’re going to want to keep.

Get the Moroccan Trend in 7 Easy Steps:

1. Focus on Furniture

Elaborately carved furniture in deep colored wood is the perfect backdrop for intense patterns and luxurious fabrics. The furniture is usually low to the ground, and roomy which makes it super comfortable.

2. Accessorize Right

Metal lanterns are a staple in Moroccan décor and you can use both hanging as chandeliers and freestanding ones in a wide variety of punchy colors. Pop in a few candles at night to set off a romantic, intimate ambience.

3. Decorate with Moroccan Patterns

Get your patterns right and use quatrefoil, tile, and modified trellis patterns for you pillows, chairs, rugs, and throws. Get these patterns right and you’ll set off the Moroccan trend in a snap.

4. Use Poufs

You really can’t do this trend without a pouf! These are so fun to decorate with and come in so many colors – my fave is gold, deep purple, and silver! You can use them as coffee tables, chairs, or as a convenient footrest!

5. Tiles and Mosaics

Section off an area of your floor or even a wall and add a tiled mosaic for an instant Moroccan style focal point. It’s hard finding Moroccan tiles, so you may want to order them online like from my fave supplier, Habibi Interiors. You’ll be surprised at what a dramatic statement this will make as well as a stunning work of art.

6. Use the Right Colors 

Strong colors are the focal point of Moroccan decorating. You want to focus on drawing inspiration from the landscapes and nature found in Africa. Look for intense blue and green from the Atlantic and Mediterranean as well as shimmering gold from the Sahara sand. Also rich reds and orange found in the African sunsets are a must.

7. Choose Spicy Scents

To wrap up your new Moroccan home make is smell beautiful with the right fragrance. Candles, incense and diffusers that draw you straight to the African bazaars in scents rich with spices like cinnamon, saffron, and nutmeg make the perfect finishing touch.