Cool decorating for summer

With the summer’s heat upon us it’s a good time to think about cool decorating tips.

We asked Vern Yip, host of HGTV’s “Deserving Design” and a judge on the network’s “Design Star” reality show, for some of his best tips for summer decorating. We caught up with him for a phone interview in Atlanta during a break in taping “Deserving Design.”

For summer, think bright colors, comfortable style and easy entertaining. That backyard patio is an area where plenty of outdoor entertaining will take place this summer. So get it in shape for the season.

“The one thing that’s really changed is a lot of retailers and manufacturers are now making products that are designed for the outdoors that could be used indoors,” Yip says. “The outdoors should be thought about as another room for your house. Now we have rugs that are meant to be outdoors year-round and really comfortable lounge furniture and even accessories. Even those not specifically meant for the outdoors can often be left out year-round.”

Your patio or deck is an extension of your living space. “There are wonderful fabrics and accessories and drapes and rugs that really are now another way for us to enjoy the outdoors more,” Yip says.

When the party goes from daytime to evening, make sure you have the right lighting to keep conversation flowing. “Candlelight is always one of the best ways to create an incredible atmosphere and relax and converse and have a drink,” he says. “Everybody looks great by candlelight. Don’t limit it to little votive candles. Try hanging beautiful chandeliers from a tree or hanging them above your main seating area from the apex of an outdoor tent or cover or from a pergola.”

Dress home for summer

Moving indoors, there are easy things to do to give a summer feel. Yip says, “Summer is really about renewal. A lot of people have kids on vacation, the weather is generally nice and bright, and it’s an opportunity for you to really inject some great color in your space, and you can easily do that through drapes, throw pillows, through artwork, even a coat of paint.

“People are now dressing their rooms for the seasons. They have neutral-colored sofas and carpet or hardwood floors, and they change things out for the season.”

Easy colors to use inside include green and orange. Those colors are popular year-round, Yip says, but in the summertime, opt for shades of green and orange with bright yellow undertones.

“Color is really, really big this season,” he says. “It’s surprising because usually when the economy is bad, the colors go dour, but not this year, even though we’re facing higher gas prices and higher bills. Maybe it’s a way to cheer up.”

Pops of color

Every room in the house can use its own burst of summer color. “I always keep bowls of apples around the house because they stay fresh for four to five weeks in a bowl and add that organic element,” Yip says. “I don’t like plastic fruit and flowers because I feel like they sap the life out of a room, but … Granny Smith apples or Red Delicious are $1.99 a bag, and they stay there for weeks.”

The key thing to remember is “summer is about embracing the season. It’s as simple as introducing a bright vase with flowers.”