Have you ever left up seasonal decorations way too long during the summer because you weren't sure what to replace them with? And I'm not talking about Fourth of July decorations left up through the month of July — I'm talking about bunnies decorated with American flags. Or even worse... replaced with pumpkins. GUILTY.
Fifteen years later, I can finally tell the story of the time my husband and I left a Christmas tree up until March 24th. And the disturbing truth is that Christmas only came down because we had bought a house and had to move. #facepalm.
I'd imagine we've all done something like this — maybe not Christmas in March, but you get my drift. Today, in our busy lives, one of two things tends to happen with summer home decor:
- We're so busy we forget about it (or, let's be honest, temporarily lazy — no judgment, just the truth, specifically about me).
- We aren't really sure what to replace it with.
After Christmas or winter, we know spring and bunnies are coming — easy to grab. But after spring? What do we go with for summer decorating? I mean, I'm a proud American, but red, white, and blue only can be tasteful for so long.
That's why summer home decorating proves to be so difficult for so many of us. We want to overthink it and work too hard at it.
That's why I'm sharing my 4 tips for easy and carefree summer decorating — foolproof ways to update your home easily, without a lot of effort, all while bringing the beauty of summer inside (to the air conditioning, where the rest of us live from June through September).You'll create a home your guests will love and feel welcomed in — and you won't be exhausted. It's time to give those bunnies, and more importantly, YOU, some time to rest.
The Quick Answer: How to Decorate Your Home for Summer in 4 Steps
If you're skimming on your phone (no judgment — same), here's the cheat sheet for easy summer decorating:
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Swap spring florals for faux succulents — group them in different sizes around the house.
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Trade colorful blooms for all-green stems — eucalyptus, lemon leaf, ruscus, nandina.
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Add faux fern fronds in glass vases — soft, organic, summer-y in 30 seconds.
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Anchor your main room with faux hydrangeas — one big bowl does all the work.
That's it. That's the whole summer refresh in under 30 minutes. But stay with me, because the how and where matter — and there are stories.
Tip 1: Faux Succulents Are the "Pumpkins" of Summer Decorating
One of the things my grandparents did that fascinated me as a kid was grow their vegetable garden. It just blew my mind that they planted these tiny little seeds, and tiny little sprouts grew into these huge plants (to a child) AND there was food that came from it. It seemed magical. Unicorns, anyone?
They told me I'd be able to grow my own garden someday. Well... they didn't know it at the time, but that was the only lie my grandparents ever told me.
You see, what they didn't know was that from birth I was cursed with a black thumb. However, I can work magic with faux stems or freshly cut ones (always look for the silver lining). And unfortunately, my inability to keep a plant alive includes succulents.
AND I KNOW — you're sitting there saying, "You can't kill succulents." But believe me. Just call me the Angel of Death for Plants.
Which brings me to my first tip for easy and carefree seasonal summer decorating: faux succulents.
Faux succulents are a great way to add a little color and "life" to a space or shelf without watering a single thing. Did you have a bunny nestled with a picture frame on a bookshelf during spring? Replace it with two potted faux succulents (different sizes), nestled together. Even better, throw some pea gravel around the bottom of the containers to make it look like you just potted them.
We suggest grouping them all over the house. Faux potted succulents are the "pumpkins" of summer. For fall, you can never have enough pumpkins. The same goes for potted succulents during the summer.
Where to Style Faux Succulents Around Your Home
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On a bathroom sink, next to the hand soap
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Grouped on a wooden cutting board in the kitchen
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Tucked into bookshelves between picture frames
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On a coffee table tray beside a candle
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Lined along a sunny windowsill
Because of the magnitude of styles, sizes, and colors, using a wide combination only helps the illusion of them being real. By sprinkling them around your home, it makes you look like the "Plant Mom" we all wished we could be — of course, without the watering weekly. And let's be honest, I'll use any moment to rest when I can!
Tip 2: It IS Easy Being Green (The Best Faux Greenery for Summer)
When it comes to floral arranging, gone are the days of "Dynasty"-style floral arrangements. Am I dating myself? Maybe a more timely description would be "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." And if you don't know what that is, think large, full, tons of flowers, fixed and fussy.
Thank God that style is gone, along with the shoulder pads... but I'd still take Designing Women any day.
Today's desired look and style are more natural arrangements. I call it "clipped from the backyard." My goal is to always look like it was clipped and brought in — think very Martha Stewart.
This leads to my second tip for easy and carefree summer decorating: don't forget the foliage.
Mother Nature is working really hard to bring us all the real flowers and colors outside, and while all of that is beautiful, colors can be limited to use in certain spaces inside the house. Greenery, or foliage, goes with everything.
So focus on the green. If you had a vessel full of cherry blossoms, forsythia, or dogwood stems, switch those stems out with something all green. A vessel full of spilling faux eucalyptus will look great regardless of the colors you use inside. And honestly, the options are endless.
The Best Faux Greenery Stems for Summer Arrangements
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Eucalyptus — soft, silvery, spills beautifully out of a vase
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Lemon leaf — glossy, bright green, classic
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Nandina — adds texture and a hint of red at the tips
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Ruscus — tall, structural, perfect for entryway vases
- Budding Branch — wonderful height, color and texture, without being floral
Greenery stems are always a foolproof option for summer decorating — and they're a great replacement for those spring stems.
Tip 3: Be Fond of the Fronds (Why Faux Ferns Belong in Every Summer Home)
I've always been obsessed with ferns.
I'm not sure if it's from the repetitive outside shot of the Golden Girls' house that I've seen 5 trillion times, or because of the long, graceful branches — but they've always been a favorite of mine. And with my affection for greenery, fern fronds are at the top.
I guess you can say I am FOND OF FRONDS, lol.
And while potted ferns are beautiful, my focus always tends to go toward fronds in a glass vase. There's just something warm, organic, and graceful about them. Unfortunately, my experience has been that cut fern fronds dry out very quickly, even in a watered vase. And let's be honest, I just don't have time to clip new ones every day.
So, of course, I turn to beautiful faux ferns. Think of them like little bud vases with flowers — they're great to sprinkle around and add color.
Where to Place Faux Fern Fronds in Your Home
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Kitchen counter, next to a wooden bowl of fruit
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Guest bathroom vanity
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Nightstand or dresser
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Side table beside a stack of summer-read books
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Entryway console with a tray and candle
Faux fern fronds can do the same job as faux potted succulents but as a taller alternative — without the fullness or volume that greenery in a vase takes up. Being fond of the fronds adds a warm feel and life to a space that just screams, "Welcome, summer."
Tip 4: Hydrangea Loving (The Easiest "Wow Moment" for Summer Decor)
Have you ever had this feeling of being home just by thinking of a location, even though you've never been there? For me, it's the Hamptons. Bougie... I know. But hey, there are worse places to feel like home — especially when Ina Garten could be cooking dinner for us anytime.
When I think of the Hamptons, I think of homes surrounded by beautiful, full hydrangea bushes. And that just feels like home to me.
So it's only natural that I want to bring those beautiful hydrangeas inside. BUT, I have the hardest time cutting our hydrangea bushes outside. We won't go into the backstory of why... but let's just say it took a lot of years, work, and tears to get the hydrangeas full and blooming.
So I turn to our faux hydrangeas and faux snowball hydrangea stems to bring the magic all summer long.
Faux hydrangeas are a great way to add a large summer impact, without a ton of money or effort. Fill a large bowl or vase with them, and let them speak on their own. They do all of the work and will look classic all summer long — without the weekly work of cutting and changing out the water.
How to Display Faux Hydrangeas Around Your Home
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A footed bowl as the dining room centerpiece
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A tall vase on the console behind the sofa
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A pitcher on the kitchen island
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A simple grouping in a powder room
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A single blue hydrangea bloom in a bud vase on a desk
Looking for the easiest "wow moment" piece for summer decorating that doesn't look fake? Faux hydrangeas are the one our customers reorder year after year.
Your Easy Summer Decorating Checklist
Pin this. Save it. Screenshot it. Whatever works.
- Pack away spring florals (bunnies included — they've earned a rest)
- Place 5–7 faux succulents around your home in varied sizes
- Swap colorful spring stems for all-green foliage stems
- Add 2–3 faux fern fronds in clear glass vases
- Anchor your main room with one large faux hydrangea arrangement
- Pour an icy beverage and admire your work
The whole house. In about 20 minutes. That's it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Summer Decorating
When should I switch from spring decor to summer decor?
Most home decorators transition from spring to summer decor between late May and early June — typically right after Memorial Day. If you live in a warmer climate or your spring florals are already looking tired, it's perfectly fine to switch earlier. The goal is to refresh the space the moment it stops feeling current — whenever that hits for you.
What are the best faux flowers for summer decorating?
The best faux flowers for summer decorating are hydrangeas, magnolias, peonies, and sunflowers, paired with greenery like eucalyptus, lemon leaf, ferns, and ruscus. Faux succulents also work beautifully across the entire summer season because they read as fresh and "alive" without any color clash.
How do I make faux succulents look real?
Three tricks make faux succulents look real: vary the sizes (never use a matched set), use real-looking pots (terracotta, stone, or aged ceramic — not glossy plastic), and add pea gravel or moss at the base of each pot. The texture and unevenness is what sells the realism.
How long can summer decor stay up?
Summer decor typically looks fresh from late May through early September — roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day. Once Labor Day hits (or the back-to-school energy kicks in for your household), it's time to start transitioning to fall. Greenery-heavy summer decor often stretches longer because green reads as seasonless.
Are faux hydrangeas worth it?
Yes. For most homeowners, faux hydrangeas are worth it because they hold their shape and color for years, never wilt, and don't require the cutting, conditioning, or water changes that real hydrangeas demand. One full faux hydrangea arrangement can replace 4–6 fresh bouquets across a single summer — paying for itself the moment you skip your second floral purchase.
What's the easiest summer decorating idea for someone short on time?
The single highest-impact move is to swap one large spring arrangement for one large faux hydrangea or eucalyptus arrangement in your most-seen room — the kitchen, entryway, or living room. Total time: 5 minutes. Total impact: massive.
Can I mix faux flowers with real flowers for summer?
Absolutely. Many designers (myself included) anchor a room with faux greenery and faux hydrangeas — the workhorses — and add a small jar of fresh-cut flowers from the grocery store or garden as the weekly accent. You get the look without the labor.
Do I need different decor for early summer versus late summer?
Not really. The beauty of these four tips is that faux succulents, greenery, ferns, and hydrangeas read fresh from June through September. If you want a small mid-summer refresh, swap one hydrangea color (white to blue, or blue to soft pink) — that's it.
The Best Part of Summer Decorating? You Don't Have to Work Hard
And there you have it. You've learned my 4 tips for easy and carefree summer decorating — perfect and timeless all summer long.
The best part of summer decorating is that it should be done easily and without a ton of effort — just like we all would like our summers to be. So sit back, have an icy beverage, and enjoy your family and friends.
The bunnies will be back next year. (Promise.)
Ready to refresh your home for summer?