Celebrating Summer with a Mini Home Tour

Hello Friends, Welcome to Celebrating Summer, 

a Blog Hop hosted by our sweet friend

  Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home. 

As Summer winds down through the month of August, there's still time to enjoy the warm weather, family time, and a few delicious alfresco dinners. Last year this time, we were just starting to pack for a big move and readying ourselves for a year of home renovations. I really hadn't been able to enjoy last Summer at all, so this year I've been thankful for having a home and outside spaces that have been fun to decorate with flowers and plantings, to relax in, and basically get back to "living life".

If you've come from visiting Christy and her wonderful Lemon Meringue Pie at Our Southern Home, Im so glad you're here. Be sure and follow the Hop with the Linkup at the end of this post!

It's been a few years since I put together a Summer Home Tour so I thought this would be the perfect time to do that here, as I've celebrated a wonderful Summer season.

We moved to a "new to us" older home this last late February. The style is commonly known as a Mid-Century Rancher, but we've been busy dragging it out of it's time warp here to the 21st. century. The kitchen and bathrooms had been updated within the last 5 years, but the outside was still dated and dreary. The first thing we did was update the front porch by removing scrolly iron railings and giving it a more " English Cottage" look with painted cedar posts and supports. That totally changed the look and feel of our home. I've really enjoyed the front porch this Summer by being able to plant containers of Impatiens and ferns in my vintage urns and to decorate my Antique Depot Bench.

We're still working on projects here and tearing out the old landscaping is next on our list. It's tired and dated and way overgrown. I'll really Celebrate when this big project is started. Hopefully by next Summer we'll have that at least mostly finished. 

For those of you that are readers here you know that we repainted ALL the walls and updated with wood flooring and carpet, but the one thing I wanted to keep was the wonderful subtle taupe stripe wallpaper in the Entry Hall and Dining Room. I'm enjoying creating a more traditional space here to decorate. 

We also kept the sconces and white tile floors, but updated the overhead lighting. I love to keep things seasonally updated so I use vintage prints on the console to bring in color and theme.

Many of you know about the angst I had over the previous "in your face" orange front door. As part of the front porch makeover I found a wonderful deeper, spicier, Bittersweet color that still gives a pop of color without being obnoxious.

The Formal Living Room came together easily using our existing pieces and a new recliner for Hubby from La-Z-Boy. New Hickory Wood planked floors replaced 30 year old carpet. I've used my light colored Toile pillows for Summer that compliment the colors of the walls, rugs, and upholstered furniture.

I love using Sunflowers in late Summer, so the Dining Room metal basket is filled with faux Hydrangeas and Sunflowers and vintage botanical prints are on the buffet.

I'm loving this wonderful Kitchen Renovation that basically has a "Farmhouse" feel, but in decorating, I tend to lean more to a "Cottage" vibe.

The Kitchen Renovation also included taking out the wall 

between the Kitchen and Family Room to create a large open concept space.

This is my Late Summer color scheme and decor, 

which includes new Earth-tone Kilim Pillows and my meager collection of Majolica.

Before we moved I ordered a slipcovered sofa, chair and ottoman set from Sam's Club manufactured by Klaussner. I've really enjoyed having a neutral sofa set to use seasonal decorative pillows, quilts and throws. An antique armoire keeps my TV out of sight.

The sunroom which I've christened the "Garden Room" has a space for our white farmhouse table, chairs and china cupboard at the opposite end a seating area with wicker and antiques.

Sunflowers again are used here on the table in a vintage ice cream bucket, 

sitting on a ticking tablerunner. Ticking and Sunflowers say "Summer" to me.

I had this area decorated for July 4th, 

and I'm really looking forward to decorating this space for Fall.

I love changing things up with seasonal colors and vintage decor.

 A vintage watering can and old fruit crate are filled 

with Summer accessories and vintage cooking utensils.

I've been able to put together my Potting Bench on the back porch

with shelving and a wicker seating area.

This has been a wonderful first Summer living here,

and we're hoping for many more to come.

Thanks so much for coming by and visiting here with my Summer Home Tour. Please continue to "Hop" by clicking County Road 407 and seeing Cindy's Summer Bedroom Refresh.

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