Summer Refresh: Easy Bathroom Update Ideas

In this post: Brighten your bathroom decor with pretty summer colors, effortlessly adding a burst of freshness to your space.⇒ 

Is this you?

You want to refresh your house but you don’t have the time or money to spend on a full update. 

That’s what ‘easy-breezy’ decorating is all about. There is so much you can do in a home with very little time or money. Taking advantage of these small creative bursts of inspiration gives you tons of bang for your buck.

A newly styled vignette. Some fresh pillows on the sofa. Or simply a lovely floral arrangement added in a prominent location. These simple updates breath new life into a room and give you a re-energized perspective.

Bathroom Decor Summer Refresh

In this post, I’m bringing a touch of summer into my neutral white bathroom.

The key to this kind of decorating is picking a theme and then shopping your own home, to create simple vignettes and mini-focal points that can work together to create a new mood.

I was inspired by lilacs for early summer and you’ll see that reflected here in color, scent and florals. With the range of purples selected as my theme, I moved on to shopping my home.

As with most of my rooms, I decided to incorporate pretty vintage pieces to play off our newly remodeled master bathroom. The contrast of aged silver and chippy cast iron against the crisp white marble was my goal. So I foraged around my house to find the items that would best provide the foundation for the color that would be added later.

If you’d like to see the renovation of this bathroom with before and after, you can find it here: Master Bathroom Reveal

When refreshing your rooms, once color and theme are sorted out, and you have an idea of what you’d like to display, the next step is to analyze your space for areas that can play host to your decorative decor. In the bathroom, with it’s limited surfaces and lack of proper furniture, you need to get creative in this arena.

If you have a tub surround, that’s a natural area to decorate. The more real estate around your tub, the more opportunity you have to showcase your chosen style. Yet with many recent bath renovations, people have moved toward free standing tubs. If this is you, try to create other areas around the tub for both convenient storage, as well as a place to display pretty things. A small table, stool or chair will provide options for those without tub surrounds. Baskets can be placed on the floor, and don’t ignore shelves that can be hung on the walls.

In addition to the tub, the vanity offers the next best option for presenting accent pieces. With a double sink typically the area between sinks is perfect for styling a vignette.

On my vanity, above, the antique dressing table pieces are always on my counter, but for summer I added a flash of color with fresh irises and a scented lilac soap.

Summer is not only about bright color. In fact, one of my favorite things to play off silver is charming white linen, which says summer to me more than anything else. I used several vintage hand towels in this space, in damask and tonal embroidery. 

I tend to choose limited color palettes, especially when using brights, so the crisp white of the linen is optimal next to both the vintage pieces, as well as the vibrant purples.

Another jolt of color is added with the drapey lilac throw. Candles are great in the bath, along with other luxurious creams and oils.

Once the stage for my vignettes is set, I begin filling the containers with lush flowers. I use a mix of fresh, dried and faux and for summer, I love including dried lavender. Seeds packets add the final touch.

How to refresh for your bathroom for summer

• Pick a summer color story or theme.
• Find vintage or decorative pieces around your home to create vignettes that will support your theme.
• Add color with a healthy dose of flowers in fresh, dried or faux.
• Sprinkle in white linens for a crisp and breezy look.
• Add pretty scents with soaps, candles and flowers.
• Punctuate with pillows or throws.

The most fun part of this refresh is shopping my home for pieces that can be co-opted to work together. It takes no time to decorate with what you already own, and rearranging the pieces in a new way and adding flowers in a particular color story is what makes all the difference.

Bonus points if you can cut the flowers from your own garden!

More Ideas for Adding Summer to the Bath

• Fresh Flowers: Place a vase of colorful blooms on the vanity counter. Or use white flowers in a colorful chinoiserie vase or urn.
• Vibrant Shower Curtain: Swap your neutral shower curtain for one with a bright, upbeat print.
• Beach-Themed Towels: Use towels with coastal patterns or in shades of blue and white. Beach stripes would be perfect.
• Citrus Scents: Add a citrus-scented candle or diffuser for a refreshing aroma.
• Seashell Accents: Decorate with a bowl of collected seashells or a seashell soap dish.
• Wicker Baskets: Use wicker baskets for storage to give a light, airy feel. Roll up your towels and place in a basket on the floor.
• Seagrass Rugs: Lay down a seagrass or jute rug for a natural touch.
• Summer-Themed Art: Hang artwork featuring beach scenes, shells, starfish, or marine life.
• Aqua Accessories: When selecting your color theme, consider accessories in aqua or turquoise hues. Alternatively try pops of yellow or lime green.
• Leafy Plants: Add potted plants like ferns or palms to bring in greenery.
• Lightweight Curtains: Use sheer or lightweight window treatments to let in more light.
• Summer Soap Scents: Choose soaps with summer scents like coconut, mango, or pineapple.
• Starfish Hooks: Replace standard hooks with decorative starfish or anchor hooks. These look particularly good on bead board walls.
• Outdoor-Inspired Lighting: Use lantern-style light fixtures for a coastal feel.
• Coral Accents: Decorate with coral figurines or coral-patterned accessories.
• Beachy Bath Salts: Display bath salts in clear jars, evoking the look of beach sand.
• Colorful Shower Caddy: Opt for a bright, cheerful shower caddy to organize your essentials.

Please enjoy some of my friends’ posts below:

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