Designer Summer Do's

"Change the bedding, both the weight and the colors. Brighter colors lighten the mood. I change the carpets, too. Flatter weaves and bright colors instantly make a home feel like a summer house." —Sara Bengur

"I cover accent tables with ivory linen tablecloths and put blue hydrangeas in white porcelain vases in the center of each table. I like the clean aromatic scent of garden tomatoes in the kitchen. I pick a portion of the vine and place it in a simple white bowl on the kitchen counter. The deep cardinal red of the tomato against the fern green vines adds an amazing contrast in the white bowl. It not only smells fragrant but looks divine — and then you can eat it!" —Christina Sullivan

"I pull out the many vintage fans I've bought over the years. They have metal blades, so they can be enormously dangerous, but they look and work great. They also make a lot of noise, but it's very rhythmic, which I find soothing." —John Danzer

"I plant fragrant things near my doors — lavender, gardenias, jasmine — so the scent comes in the open doors and windows. First, of course, I clean and repair all the screens." —Sharone Einhorn

"I have a mini changing-of-the-guard. I don't redecorate, but I always have more flowers, bring out different linens for entertaining, and stock the wine fridge with my favorite white wines and rosé champagnes. Even the music I play has a little more pep in its step. Summer is a playful season, and it's fun for a home to reflect that spirit." — Jay Jeffers

"I buy plants and fill my window boxes. I plant two with especially fragrant herbs. When the breeze blows over them, the house is filled with scent. I also load up bowls on my kitchen counter with fresh produce from the farmers' market, so I can just grab something fresh to eat — it looks wonderful, too." —Clodagh

"I take all the rugs out of the house and just have the bare polished concrete floors." —Jenny Armit