Summertime is here – and so is our summer home tour.
Now that school is out, we love having my son home during the day. He loved kindergarten, but there’s nothing like sweet summertime. And in between the zoo and museum and splash pad and camp, we are spending lots of time around the house.
Which means it’s also a great time to refresh our home for the summer season. Nothing major – but making small and simple tweaks are a great way to fall in love with home again.
I’m thrilled to be part of the Seasonal Simplicity Summer Home Tours with The Happy Housie. If you are visiting from Jennifer at Town and Country Living, welcome to our farmhouse in rural Illinois! I’m excited to be sharing our main living area in our home today – which I tweaked with lots of red, white and blue as well as some florals and greenery.
There’s something about summer decorating that just feels right in our home. I’m smitten with red all year – and the patriotic touches that we add to our living space help pull everything together.
And during the spring and summer, the views just outside our windows truly shine. The greenery and wildflowers this time of year are incredible.
I’ll be sharing the back porch next week – but there’s a peek through the kitchen. We use this space ALL THE TIME, and it really is an extension of our main living space. And those views – I’ll never tire of them. There’s been a sweet baby deer prancing around for the past week and we can’t get enough.
But back to the kitchen. This little area around our stove got a few summer changes. The wreath is a new DIY that we made last week at Craft Night. It has just a few simple sprigs of faux lambs ears, lavender and yellow buttons.
The mug rack got some red, white and blue touches – including a favorite piece of string art from My2HeartStrings and some tiny DIY pennants. I often get questions about the metal sign above the mug rack – it was a housewarming gift from my aunt and uncle and was found at an auction. It’s one of my favorite pieces in our home. You can’t fake that vintage.
On the other side of the kitchen, we have a large space of cabinetry and open shelving that I like to swap out for the seasons.
I actually keep a lot of same pieces in these shelves most of the year – like the wooden boxes, vases and frames. But it’s easy to make it feel summery with the addition of a few flags, greenery and pennants.
Our dining room also got a few red, white and blue touches. It’s all open to the kitchen and living room, so I think it feels pretty cohesive.
I love a beautifully set table but I’ll be honest with you. At this season of our lives, we use the heck out of this table. So a table runner and simple “centerpiece” is about all I can handle. And since it gets about 14 wipe-downs every day, it’s gotta be easy and usable.
But the corner hutch allows me to infuse a dose of my favorite color.
Our new open shelves are also getting a little summer infusion. Just a little greenery and a patriotic sign. (And no red anywhere. Gasp!)
I found some faux seeded eucalyptus at Hobby Lobby and it fills this hanging basket beautifully. I have yet to find any live eucalyptus around me, but this fills the void for now.
Finally, a look at our living room in the front of the house – including the patriotic mantel I shared last week. As you can see, the entire space is pretty open. No secrets here.
Our galvanized wall star also got a little patriotic punch.
And on the sofa, I added a few patriotic pillows and a handmade afghan (purchased a few years ago from an Instagram friend). We pulled the coffee table out of the room for more crawling space, and we’ve never looked back.
Our home is truly loved and lived-in, nothing too precious here. And during the summer, we love all the simple seasonal touches.
I hope you enjoyed our little summer tour. And I hope you’ll stop by all the other tours. There are so many beautiful ideas you’ll love.
Speaking of … next up on the home tours – don’t miss the gorgeous home tour by Crafterberry Bush. And check them all out below.
The Seasonal Simplicity Home Tour series is back; and this time we’re all about simple summer decor touches! All week long, my talented blogging friends and I are sharing part of our homes. I can’t wait to take in all the gorgeous inspiration…
Sharing with me today…
Tuesday
Sincerely Marie Designs // House by Hoff // Rambling Renovators
Town and Country Living // Newly Woodwards
Craftberry Bush // On Sutton Place // Designthusiasm // Zevy Joy
Sharing the rest of the week…
Monday
The Happy Housie // Maison de Pax // Shabbyfufu // Just a Girl and Her Blog
Inspiration for Moms // Clean & Scentsible // House of Wood // Summer Adams
Wednesday
Bless’er House // Finding Silver Pennies // Rooms for Rent // Amber Tysl
Deeply Southern Home // Two Twenty One // A Burst of Beautiful // Making it in the Mountains
Thursday
The DIY Mommy // The Turquoise Home // Nina Hendrick // Home Made Lovely
So Much Better with Age // Maison de Cinq // Paint Me Pink
Southern State of Mind // Jenna Kate at Home
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Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says
Gorgeous! I love all the patriotic touches for summer! And I’m with you on the simple centerpiece, especially since my toddler has reached the “grabby” stage.
Jamie says
Your home is so beautifully decorated for summer! So pretty!
Hugs, Jamie
Ellen from Ask Away Blog says
I LOVE the red white and blue everywhere!
cassie bustamante says
you re so good at decorating seasonally… i have done nothing for summer!
Krista says
Very welcoming and cheery for summer, Kim! Thanks for joining in on this tour!
Lory | Designthusaism says
What wonderful farmhouse details you have in the kitchen!!
Jennifer @ Town and Country Living says
Love the faux seeded eucalyptus in the hanging basket on your door. I always have a hard time finding seeded eucalyptus – it seems to sell out quickly. I didn’t realize you’re in rural Illinois. I live about 45 miles straight west of Chicago – at the end of the ‘burbs and the beginning of the country!
Kim Woodward says
What a small world! We are the in western Illinois!
Jen @ Rambling Renovators says
Love the red, white and blue sprinkled throughout your home. The flags in your open shelving are a cute idea!
Pamela says
Everything looks cozy and homey, My grandson also graduated from kindergarten. He lives in Utah. And I live in Ohio so hubby and I only see him about every 4 month.
Enjoy the summer.
Emily says
Everything looks beautiful! If you’re on the hunt for eucalyptus (I have been lately too!) – Trader Joe’s usually has some beautiful live branches, if you’ve got one nearby, and if not, Williams and Sonoma will mail you some!
Kim Woodward says
Booooo hooooo I wish I had a Trader Joe’s