With the start of summer right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to give your home a refresh! As soon as it’s warm enough to be outside you can typically find me at my local Ace Garden Center. I love to spend my early mornings and evenings outdoors, either planting flowers or trimming my ivy and plants. So today I’m sharing three things that you can do to welcome summer in your home!

Plant Your Window Boxes or Planters. Every season I plant new flowers in my window boxes on my back patio. I love to change the color palettes to make the area pop! It’s a great weekend activity to get you in the mood for summer. Before I purchase the flowers, I search #WindowBoxWednesday for inspiration.

Display Colorful Vases and Fill with Fresh Flowers. I try to buy fresh flowers or cut blooms in my yard at least once or twice a month. I love to showcase colorful flowers in my front entry to create a warm welcome. Just by adding a colorful vase filled with fresh flowers, it can totally transform the atmosphere in your home. My go-to for vases is Birch Lane! I typically group vases of varying heights for a full look.

Create an Outdoor Retreat. Last year, I decided to transform my back patio into an outdoor dining area. It was the best decision because we use this space almost daily (except in August because it’s too hot in Georgia!) My advice would be to find an outdoor area, large or small, and create a little oasis. You can add a bistro table with a few chairs or create a sitting area with wicker furniture. It’s the perfect place to enjoy wine and cheese in the summer evenings.

Photography by Tamara Gibson Exclusively for Lavin Label