HEN the days are long and the air warm, you want to throw open your windows and enjoy the summer days.

HEN the days are long and the air warm, you want to throw open your windows and enjoy the summer days.

Bring the fresh look of summer into your home with some quick and easy additions (or removals) of colour, style and accessories.

Not everyone has the luxury of moving to the lake or mountains to enjoy the "lazy days of summer". But everyone can bring the look of summer into their home.

It's not necessary to change every room or throw out all the old furniture, but there are lots of ways to lighten up and freshen up your home for a wonderful summer seasonal change.

Try some of these simple, easy changes to bring summer into your home.

Restyle

Take out dark accessories such as velvet pillows, wool throws and that dark leather club chair and ottoman. You can bring them back when the weather changes.

Repaint

It won't take long to put a fresh coat of summery paint on a hallway or on a wall of a drab room. Choose a fresh colour scheme of lemon yellow, apple green or sky blue.

Revive

Toss out leggy, brown plants and bring in fresh, flowering ones.

Make

Try sewing a simple slipcover for the back or seat of your kitchen or dining room side chairs. The look will soften an all-wood chair and freshen the look of an upholstered seat.

Redo

Add fresh flowers and plants to your guest room or bedroom. Enjoy colourful, cheery, summery new flowered bed linens.

Add

Nothing brightens up a room like white. Add it wherever you can. How about frothy, light curtains, fresh white trims or a painted chair or table?

Renew

Lighten up drab book shelves. Paint the back wall (and even the side walls) with a bright, summery colour. The books will really "pop out" against the contrasting colour. How about lime green in dark wood shelves or sky blue on yellow.

Choose a colour that complements your rooms' decorating scheme.

Add

Frame some simple botanical prints or landscapes and set them up on a book shelf, bureau or table top. Or hang a series of summery flower pictures down a dark hallway.

Display

Use simple plate holders to hold pretty floral plates. Set them on a table or buffet.

Think

Nothing says summer like "casual."

Use wicker, rush, iron or painted white garden furniture in place of heavy upholstered pieces. Add colourful pillows.

Renew

Remove the dried logs from your fireplace and replace them with an impressive artificial fern or a gurgling fountain.

Replace your brass fire screen with painted, hinged shutters or a piece of rusted, painted iron gate.

Go sheer

Layer sheer, frothy fabrics on tables, over a shower curtain, as a second layer on a bed skirt and even make a sheer pillow cover for a dark pillow Add a touch of whimsey with embroidered sheer fabric.

Find

Shop at flea markets, garage sales and discount outlets for architectural artifacts, garden ornaments, flowery china plates, ironstone pitchers and other accessories to add to your summer decor.

Focus

Choose a summer theme, either fruits, flowers or nautical and decorate around it. The transformation is easier if you have focus. - about.com