It seems like much less preparation goes into summer holiday parties and decorating and yet these events can bring more people to your home than winter festivities. The fourth of July is one of the biggest summer events and it’s an excellent opportunity to decorate your house and introduce colors you normally wouldn’t feature.
If you’ve thought ahead you can plant red, white and blue flowers around your home. These are a beautiful accent throughout the season but with a few patriotic ribbons you can really bring a sense of Americana to your yard. Of course bringing some cut flowers inside and continuing the ribbons or flag motif will brighten up your interior and carry your theme indoors.
Whether you plant your own flowers or not, the centerpiece cannot be ignored. Most summer partygoers gather around the food in a more casual manner than other holidays. This means you have an excellent opportunity to use food as your centerpiece. A fruit-kabob centerpiece is not only striking but delicious as well. Or use uniquely shaped containers filled with fresh blue and red berries. Whatever you choose keep it fresh and brightly colored.
Much like Christmas decorating, touches of red and blue can add spice to the interior environment. Better Homes and Gardens gives suggestions for making some throw pillows that express your patriotic sense. If you don’t want to be so specific with flags and stars, how about a couple sets of red white and blue pillows instead. They can be layered together and yet when separated may fit very well in other rooms of your house.
Continue this layering technique throughout your entertaining areas with solid and bold statements. Use alternating colored placemats under solid white plates. Stack brightly colored dishes together with napkins and placemats that feature stars or stripes. Change out hand towels to inexpensive solid red, white and blue colored ones.
Personal touches are always the best part of interior decorating. If you have a family member (or several) that have a military background, remember this is what the 4th of July is all about. Place photos of these family members in patriotic frames throughout the house. If you have other family heirlooms which deal with traditional Americana bring them out of storage and create a display. This will become a conversation piece for your guests and you can even use this opportunity to teach your children about your family history and how important American service men and women are to our country.
If you don’t have a lot of heirlooms to display then reach into your own family past and pull out pictures of 4th of July celebrations in the past and let them decorate your home.
There’s no need to spend a lot of money on decorations for your home at this time of year, save your money for fireworks. Instead use small touches of Americana and family memorabilia to add visual interest and vibrant displays of patriotic colors to draw your guests to centerpieces and floral displays.
 |
