9 best updates for your home this summer

Create an outdoor entertaining space

If you live for hosting parties, there’s no better improvement you can make to your home than creating an outdoor entertaining space. A comfortable seating arrangement, an outdoor rug and close access to the kitchen are the basics for tying together an ideal outdoor space. To get the most bang for your buck, opt for weather-resistant materials like vinyl and wicker that will stand up to the elements. To see the rest of this story, check out Outdoor entertaining on a budget.

Install a skylight

Take advantage of sunny summer days by installing a skylight in your home. Whether in the hallway, master bathor kitchen, a skylight is a great way to incorporate natural light into your space. To see the rest of this story, check out Before and after: Peter Fallico's style for less.

Up your curb appeal with new exterior paint

The winter months are tough on your home, including the exterior paint, which seems to chip away every snowy season. The summer is a great opportunity to try a new colour on shutters, the front door and garage. For the rest of this story, check out Exterior makeover: Enhance your curb appeal.

Lighten up your window coverings

Winter often requires heavy draperies to keep the warm air inside and the cold air out, but summer calls for lighter window coverings. Let the sun shine through with lightweight sheers or linen curtains, and if you have the budget, some shutters for the kitchen. For the rest of this story, check out Interior: Comfy guest cottage.

Replace your sliding doors with French doors

Most new houses come with sliding doors, but a home looks much more refined with French doors leading out into the back garden. You can keep the windows bare for the summer months and add some weather stripping and heavy drapes for when the cool weather rolls around. For the rest of this story, check out Garden design: Sophisticated outdoor style.

Build up your front garden

The addition of a garden at the front of your house is the easiest way to amp up your curb appeal. If you lack a green thumb but don’t have the budget to hire a landscape gardener, head to your local nursery and pick up some potted plants for your porch and some low-maintenance shrubs and perennials. For the rest of this story, check out Interior: Home in the Hamptons.

Incorporate mood lighting outdoors

Outdoor entertaining is a big part of summer and patio parties often carry on far past sunset. Create a mood in your backyard with some fabulous outdoor lighting, whether it’s glass hurricane pendants hanging from the covered porch or dimly lit Chinese lanterns strung through the branches of a tree. For the rest of this story, check out Interior: California chic.

Change up your linens

Time to pack away the warm duvet and treat your bed to a thin coverlet or lightweight bed sheetsfor the summer. Keeping a cool bed also means you can keep your air conditioning costs down and open up a window to let a nighttime breeze waft in. For the rest of this story, check out Interior: Home in the Hamptons.

Let the ceiling fans do the work

Air conditioning costs make energy bills skyrocket, so let the fresh air run freely throughout your home this summer by installing ceiling fans. If your wiring doesn’t allow for a full-installation, consider a sleek alternative like the Dyson air blade for rooms that warm up easily, like the kitchenor bedroom. For the rest of this story, check out Interior: Cheerful summer cabin. Find more decorating ideas for the season with our ABCs of summer decorating.