Sometimes the smallest, most ordinary things spark a decorating idea. In my case it was a yellow file box. More on that in a moment.
Here, summer doesn’t truly feel like it’s arrived until late July, so expecting summer vibes at the end of May feels a little premature. Still, we get bursts of sunshine now and then in June, and I like to be ready for them.
To keep a hopeful, summery mindset, I spent a weekend doing a little casual decorating. My new favorite accessory is a set of decorative blocks—I picked them up at DaySpring and they’ve been a fun, simple way to change the room’s mood.
It wasn’t blazing sunshine when I was puttering around, so I had to imagine that summer was on its way. That explains the slightly subdued light in these photos.
I’ve been loving a cheerful Target file box lately. It was sitting on the sofa while I checked the mail, and when I opened it to sort through bills I had an epiphany: I need yellow pillows that echo that pattern.
Yellow has been a favorite color for me for about a year, so it was only natural to look for pillows to complement the box. I set the bills aside and went out shopping—fortunately I had a gift card to justify the detour.
I didn’t find a pillow that matched the file box exactly, but I did find a lovely yellow floral pillow at Cost Plus that coordinates beautifully.
For now the floral pillow pairs well with the box’s geometric pattern; the mix of graphic and floral is exactly the contrast I like. The pillow also has a slight satin sheen, which adds a fresh texture to the room and picks up the other yellow accents like map prints and a lantern.
That single purchase set off a small summer refresh across the room. I pulled in sea-glass–colored bottles and mason jars to create an informal mantel vignette. I also rearranged some of the colorful books I used in my spring mantel, keeping their hues to contrast with the glass pieces and to inspire summer reading.
So that’s the true tale: a pretty file box bought for organizing paperwork distracted me from bill paying and nudged me into shopping and redecorating instead. Story of my life.