The old adage, “heaven is a little closer in a home by the sea,” is the perfect inspiration for giving your dwelling a seasonal makeover. Whether you live by the beach, tucked away in the countryside, or on the 16^th floor of an urban high rise, simple touches can have a big impact. Here are are lovely and affordable design tips from the pros.

 A Secret garden

Create a vertical garden by  installing a collection of eclectic pots and vessels anchored to your balcony’s wall, on a backyard shed, or directly onto an exterior wall of your house. The secret to your success is to fill the pots with low-maintenance seasonal flowers or plants that withstand the sun and heat. An easy alternative is to opt for hanging plants to enhance your outdoor space.

Bring the outdoors inside

According to interior-designer Shelly Lynch-Sparks of Homepolish , “[The home] should be a place to relax and shut the world out.” You can move plants inside, such as low maintenance succulents, or Lynch-Sparks advises add nature-inspired patterns and prints to your decorating scheme. Floral motifs add the perfect pop of organic shape and color to brighten up any space.

Seaside dining

Better Homes and Gardens suggests choosing place settings, silverware, glassware, and accessories such as linens, vases, and candles that reflect colors and textures of the seashore.The dining area will be transformed to the heart of your home and a breezy and romantic setting to be appreciated at every mealtime.

Sunrise and sunset color palette

Nature provides the best inspiration for creating a color palette that suits the warmer weather. Accentuate your living spaces with bursts of color that reflect a the blues and greens of the seaside, a vibrant garden, or a fiery sunset. Inexpensive additions include cloth napkins, throw pillows or new bedding. “I like all colors — soft, light, shimmery, deep,” designer Ruthie Sommers says. “If you’re ever stuck, lighten your lights and darken your darks to create contrast.”

Light and airy

A quick swap of heavier drapes to lighter white window curtains or shades (simple white sheers can do the trick) creates an atmosphere that is peaceful, inviting, and radiant as the shifting daylight seeps into your home. HGTV advises, “Create a bedroom that feels soft and serene with a subtle, monochromatic window treatment.”

You may just feel like heaven got that much closer now that you’ve created a personalized summer paradise right in your own home.