In summer, I love to romanticize everything! Working in education, I am fortunate enough to have the entire season free to do what I like. With lots of freedom comes responsibility. There can often be pressure to have the best summer ever or to make sure every day is sparkly and fun. That is simply not realistic, even with the luxury of being off from work. Some days just aren’t it. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t at least a little good in every day. There is always something to romanticize, always something to be thankful for.
I’ve found that a wonderful way to enjoy the season is to sprinkle in things that I can enjoy daily. The big things, like beach trips and girls’ nights, are great, but not happening on the daily, let’s be realistic. So what kinds of things can be implemented daily, to romanticize summer? (Or any season really, but it’s summer currently so that’s my focus!)
I’ve thought about routines and habits, but I’ve also thought about intentional seasonal elements I can add to my space in the summer. I spend way more than half of my time in my house or car, so those are the spaces I’d like to add joy to during this summer – I’d like to romanticize those spaces.
What is romanticizing?
Romanticizing something is painting it in a positive and dreamy type of light. It’s about making something that is mundane or simple into something beautiful. My favorite example of romanticizing is with a cup of coffee. You can drink a cup of coffee every morning in a plain mug while getting ready. OR you can romanticize drinking your cup of coffee by choosing your favorite mug, adding a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon on top, and drinking it on your front porch while listening to the birds or a favorite podcast.
It’s all about slowing down, appreciating the moment, and adding beauty wherever possible. Summer is a naturally beautiful season, so to romanticize it is to appreciate it.
How to romanticize your space?
Romanticizing your space doesn’t necessarily mean spending hundreds of dollars to upgrade all of your appliances and switch out your decor for fancy sets from Pottery Barn. It’s about adding whimsy elements that match your mood or the season.
Seasonal romanticizing is one of my favorite things to do! Let’s talk romanticizing your space for summer – how to fill your home (and other spaces) with all of the summer feels! We’re going to romanticize so hard you’ll think you’re living in the beach house from Aquamarine <3
1. Add summer scented candles. Or you could add wallflower plugins. But don’t save the candles for company or for the weekend – your day to day life is worthy of the candles! I love fresh smells for summer like clean laundry or very light florals. Sniff around and see what smells like summer to you. I’m a huge Bath & Body Works girl but you can also find really inexpensive candles at TJMaxx and Marshalls.
Scent is strongly associated with memories and feelings. You may find a smell that reminds you so much of those magical childhood summers or maybe THIS is your magical summer and you’ll always have the scent of the candles to remind you of this time.
…
2. Be sure you always have fresh fruit cut and available for snacking. During your weekly shops, pick up fresh fruit each time. I’m sure you can find something you like: blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, cantelope, watermelon, peaches, etc. Anything seasonal for summer. Once you’re home, wash and cut your fruit right away, so that it’s easy to snack on. During mornings or between meals you could even leave a fruit bowl out to pick from. Fresh fruit in your home tells your taste buds it’s summertime.
…
3. Open your bedroom windows in the evening and early morning. Take advantage of the warmer weather by letting in the fresh air during the cooler hours of the day. Not only will it freshen up your air, but you’ll be able to hear the sounds of outside – the birds, the people strolling by, cars zooming to their next destination. It opens you up to the world and reminds you that life is happening and you’re a part of it.
I’ve always loved the temperature of summer evenings. It’s one of the most perfect feelings, when the outside air temperature seems to match your skin completely; it’s a different kind of comfortable.
…
4. Queue up summertime movies on Netflix. You don’t have to watch them all at once, but add a few summery movies to a watch list. On your nights in, watch them! We watch Christmas movies during Christmas time, so why not celebrate summer by watching summer movies during summer time?!
My suggestions in case you’re at a loss:
- Aquamarine
- Teen Beach Movie
- Mamma Mia
- The Parent Trap
- Cheaper by the Dozen 2
All iconic, all nostalgic!
…
5. Curate a Spotify playlist that feels like summer. Creating a summer playlist is like branding your summer! You could add songs that remind you of summertime or you could create a playlist for whatever you want to embody this summer. Maybe you want extra beachy vibes or maybe more of a party mix. Either way, make sure it’s something you like because I highly encourage you to put on your playlist daily while you’re making breakfast, doing chores, or just hanging around the house.
…
6. Hang up a bulletin board and add polaroids from your summer as it goes on. Keeping photos from your summer time is a super cute way to romanticize the space. Polaroids especially are so aesthetic to hang up!
You can get a Fujifilm Instax Mini to take with you on your summer adventures! It’s small enough to fit into your bag and the photos will print out right away for you.
…
7. Swap out your bedding for a light quilt. We have a big comfy duvet which is soooo cozy, but to change up the space in summer, a light quilt is super refreshing. It’s crisp feeling and gives definite beach house vibes. It’s also a 1000x easier to wash and to remake the bed.
…
8. Stock up on summer reads – keep them visible on your nightstand or bookshelf. I believe it would be criminal to go through the whole summer without at least one beach read. Stock up on summer books from your local bookstore or the library so you always have something summery to read. Keep them visible and accessible.
…
9. Buy flowers or a houseplant. I always advocate for buying yourself flowers, but especially in the summer. Nothing will romanticize your space faster than bringing real life into it, whether it be a bouquet of flowers or a new houseplant.
Vibrantly colored flowers are great to have in the summertime. If you’re looking for something that lasts longer, a houseplant like a snake plant or zz plant are some that are really easy to look after.
…
10. Add beachy magazines to your coffee table. The coffee table is an often overlooked piece of furniture that can be subtly decorated if you have the means to do so. In the summer, all it really takes is a beachy themed magazine. Of course you can elevate with a hardcover book, but magazines are so vintage and really are way more fun to thumb through than a typical coffee table book.
…
11. Ditch your footwear (or get light house shoes). I’m not a huge fan of being barefoot, even indoors, but during summer, I do love the feel of the bare floor on my feet. When it’s winter, or even a little bit chilly out, socks and slippers are a MUST. But going barefoot is like a gentle signal from your body to your mind that it’s a warmer, freer time of year.
If you hate your bare feet on the floor, try a pair of house shoes that’s lighter than a typical pair of slippers or clogs. I love these open toed slip-on house shoes in the light green color. So airy for summer!
…
12. Add in lighter colored throw blankets and pillow covers for a summery vibe. Like I said earlier, you don’t need to change up your entire furniture set or interior design to romanticize your space for the season. But there are a few simple touches you could add in or swap out. Blankets and pillows are a super easy swap. Indulge yourself in some fun summer pillows or throw blankets.
As a pro tip: get plain white pillows (pillow inserts) that you can put pillow covers on. Covers are super easy to store and you can switch them out seasonally.
…
13. Dim or turn off the overhead lights during golden hour. Golden hour hits different in summer and I would argue it’s one of the most romantic times of the day. Lean fully into golden hour by dimming your overhead lights or turning them off completely and letting the golden light wash over your space.
…
14. Add in seashell decor. Seashell decor is whimsical and really easy to add to your home! You could add your own shells that you found at the beach or shells that you purchased specifically as a piece of decor.
The best part of seashells is you can place them pretty much everywhere and they work. Add a shell to your nightstand, to your coffee table, to your work desk, or to the vanity in your bathroom, and it just adds a cute, whimsy element to the space. So summer!!
…
Bonus: Reset your space once a week to keep it feeling fresh all summer long. And while you’re resetting the space, put on one of those summer movies you saved, or your playlist! And a candle, of course.
Your space is about to be so summer coded! By adding or adjusting even the littlest things, your space will feel more like summer and you’ll have taken some great steps toward romanticizing the season <3
Thanks so much for reading, and have a magical summer!
