Five Steps to creating a romantic summer slumber

My niece has graduated High School. She has certainly grew up on us very fast. And as I was thinking about our not-so-long-ago days of Fairy Fests and summer slumber parties, I stumbled upon this picture of her when we turned our sun room into an indoor tent for her. The dreamiest of summer sleeping arrangements.

Since I once wrote about the nostalgia of summer in your home, and how to infuse a lightening bugs in jars aesthetic.

And I once covered the art of creating a dreamy owner’s suites by sharing photos of refreshing color schemes on decorative pillow topped beds…

And I already gave tips on how to lean into the other fun summer look of beach vibes…

I decided that I would do a little share of a few ideas to make your bedroom suite feel a little more special this summer. A little more charming. Ideas to try out for a few months like the changing of the seasons.

So here are my best ideas for creating a sweet romantic summer slumber.

Step One: Imagine where you would most want to be

Some of the best romantic movies haves settings that are as iconic as the characters themselves. This display at an antique store is the epitome of a romantic bedroom and had layers of ideas to be borrowed. Lattice work, wood columns and a weathered iron headboard has the effect of an outdoor veranda. There is something innately romantic about a southern style wraparound porch in summer and that’s what this evokes for me. Crickets chirping, a light breeze stirring the heavy air, the creak of wood boards as you lean in for a kiss after being escorted to your front door…

Step Two: Light your vision

LED candles that actually flicker, tiny corner lamps, sparkly fairy lights, there are more ways than ever to create an inviting glow. This room at a victorian farm Bed and Breakfast had all the sweet details: ruffled curtains, a soft green wall, antique furniture and this great willow branch bed. The rustic canopy and twinkling lights draw you further into the bed, making the room appear even more cozy.

Step Three: Get lost in a scene

In a word moving forward at a far too rapid pace, sometimes the most romantic thing you can do is unplug and return to nature. This minimalist sleeping space in a tiny cabin relies entirely on the view over any interior adornment. Whether stargazing from the covers or waking up to the sunrise, the window makes you feel like you are sleeping right out under the trees. It had a carefree- “detached from the world” element to it.

Step Four: If you don’t have the view, create one

If your bedroom doesn’t happen to align with a giant plate glass window and established pine tree forest you can do the next best thing- add a wallpaper mural that transports you to the surroundings of your preferred romantic retreat. The key is the scale and quality of the image. This mural had rich greens and a soft photo resolution. It isn’t meant to look like a painting but rather a dreamy portrait of a landscape.

Step Five: Follow your heart (not your gut)

Don’t worry about the ultimate design. Don’t try to match the rest of your house. Just do it. If only for one summer to live inside your perfect romantic getaway. Even if you don’t think it’s “you” the other 9 months out of the year. Embrace your every frilly whim. Recapture the wonder of new adventures and a summer when you are up for anything. And who doesn’t think of a canopy bed with gauzy curtains as the ultimate in romantic retreats? This display at the Green Lake store Johnson & Black was featured once before on the blog but it still caught my eye on a recent trip there.

I had a set of these curtains and I loved they way they blew into the room when we were remodeling and took up sleeping on the first floor next to the patio doors. They later resurfaced as decor during fairy festival.

Which brings us back to where we began. With the whimsy of remembering the festivals of summers not so long ago.

Of a little girl growing up and a chance to recapture our wonder of being taken by the fantasy of new adventure, first loves and epic stories.

And remember that sometimes the romantic part is simply how you view the magic and possibilities in the world around you.

So try to slow those summer nights with a little evening ritual. A moment to take in the shadows cast by the full moon or hear the breeze like waves on the beach. Don’t rush- count every star in the sky as if it might be the last chance to see them.

And when you dim the gentle glow from your bedside lantern and fluff the pillows, let your mind create beautiful dreams of carefree times to seduce you while you sleep.

And bask in your own romantic summer slumber.