Sweet dreams are made of this: six looks for summer bedrooms

Get your bedroom summer ready with these easy updates

The warmer weather's here at last (yay) so while the sundresses go on and the cardigans come off, chances are your bedroom could do with a summery makeover too.

bedroom with shutter windows and wooden vanity

(Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain)

1. Let the light in
It's no fun trying to get to sleep in a hot and stuffy bedroom, so ditch those dark and heavy winter curtains for something more light and airy. Sheer window treatments made out of natural cottons or linens are a great way of letting more light into a room while keeping out the heat and breathable materials like these will let air circulate more freely too. If you like total darkness when you sleep, try wooden shutters so you can adjust the light levels or a thermal blackout blind that will reflect heat out of the room on sticky summer evenings.

bedroom with wooden furniture and linen bedding

(Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain)

2. Lighten the mood
Warmer weather means you can pack away heavy blankets, winter duvets and cosy flannel sheets and swap them for breathable, cotton bedlinen and lighter-weight low-tog duvets that will keep you cooler at night. Store out-of-season bedding away in the top of a wardrobe or keep blankets closer to hand in a storage trunk at the foot of the bed for nights when the temperature dips.

bedroom with white walls blue and white bedding and wooden floorboard

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Tim Young)

3. Refresh the room
Nothing says summer quite like a coastal scheme, so if your bedroom's looking dark and gloomy, why not consider a nautical refresher. Lots of bright white and coastal blue is key to this look, so try whitewashed walls or panelling with bare wooden floorboards, accessorised with ticking stripes, chambray and nautical prints. Put up a picture rail to display favourite artwork, seaside postcards and beachcombed finds.

bedroom with white bed cushions and wooden flooring

(Image credit: Future PLC/ David Brittain)

4. Simplify your space
Clear away clutter that's piled up over the winter months - too much stuff can weigh down a room visually and make the bedroom less restful to sleep in. Remove any items that don't belong in the bedroom, clear surfaces, de-clutter floor space and put away out-of-season clothes and bedding. Roll up heavy winter rugs and leave floors bare over the summer, there's nothing more cooling than padding around barefoot on sticky evenings.

bedroom with bright colours white wall and vanity unit

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore)

5. Bring in bright colours
Wake up happy every day by giving your bedroom a colourful facelift. Bright, upbeat colours like this make the perfect pick-me-up and you can go as bold (or as subtly) as you dare. Start with a new set of bedlinen in a colourful floral print as the focalpoint of your scheme then bring in more accent brights around the room, from a bold rug or piece of wall art to cushions, throws, lighting or even a boldly-coloured headboard.

bedroom with white walls and wooden flooring

(Image credit: TBC)

6. Bring the outside in
A touch of greenery will do wonders at freshening up a scheme. Vibrant leafy greens look fabulous against pure white and will instantly make the space feel cool and fresh. Keep your scheme simple and stylised so you don't over-complicate the effect - choose unfussy furniture with clean lines and streamlined shapes, teamed with graphic prints, crisp patterns and vibrant shades of green.

Liked this? Take a look at these all-white room schemes.

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Lisa Fazzani
Deputy Editor

Lisa is Deputy Editor of Style at Home magazine and regularly contributes to sister title Ideal Home. She has written about interiors for more than 25 years and about pretty much every area of the home, from shopping and decorating, crafts and DIY to real home transformations and kitchen and bathroom makeovers. Homes and interiors have always been a passion and she never tires of nosying around gorgeous homes, whether on TV, online, in print or in person.