Soak up summer vibes all year long

Celebrate the mood and colors of summer each day at your beautiful new home.

People from cooler climates — or even coastal Southern California, where they’re used to May Gray and June Gloom — may say that we in the Bay Area shouldn’t be frustrated by this year’s delay in the onset of summer weather. They’re not wrong.

Few places have the kind of climate that doesn’t require checking the forecast at night to know if the next day would be good for the amusement park, pool or water park. There’s less than zero chance of a Nor’easter hitting the Bay Area this summer.

But all this longing for real summerlike weather begs a question: How can a new-home buyer infuse summer into their home year-round?

Builders here have already addressed that question. And unless these builders have added meteorological AI to their design and construction prowess, they did so without knowing the year would be soggier and grayer than usual.

Start by touring new-home communities at times that ordinarily might have featured pool parties or coastal trips to beat the heat. Keep an eye on how builders incorporate nature into their homes and what their landscape designers plant.

Plant your summer color

Whether at a single-family detached home or at a condominium or townhome, warm up a front porch, deck, balcony or large windows with colorful plants or flowers.

Hang it: Maximize sun exposure from all angles when hanging flowerpots in large windows, from the roof of a balcony or on either side of exterior doors. Some flowering plants survive and thrive most of the year in our temperate climate, especially if positioned in protected spots.

Plant it: Take advantage of the fact that our soil has been well soaked so far this year and likely will be again next year. Climbing vines are particularly easy to manage.

At the base of a fence or even up against the side of the home, position a trellis or series of trellises several feet apart. Add nutrient-rich soil to the clay soil and plant a series of colorful or fragrant vines such as wisteria and jasmine.

Weave them through the trellis as they start to grow. Before long, these fast-growing blooms will liven up your outdoor space. Next year they’ll be hardy enough to bloom by April. You’ll be happy you planted them this year if May Gray and June Gloom return to the Bay Area.

Bright inside and outside

Also helpful is to plant bright-colored indoor plants in colorful pots. African violets and orchids, for instance, thrive in warm rooms with indirect sunlight and offer beautiful living color indoors. Potted palms add a tropical effect to the inside.

Learn from builders, too. Builders and their new-home design teams incorporate indoor-outdoor living into their floor plans and the interior design of their model homes. Look around at how builders design homes that bring the outside in.

While visiting communities, consider asking about the following:

Do any plans in the new-home community include a California Room? Learn what features are incorporated in a California Room.

In addition to seamless floors between inside and out, an open-air fourth wall and high ceilings, a California Room from some builders may come with upgraded lighting, ceiling fans or wiring for surround sound. If not provided with the home’s standard plans, ask about the timing for deciding to add these as an option.

Consider installing a gas fire pit at the outer edge of the California Room. If El Niño arrives as suggested, you’ll be able to enjoy the outdoors next winter and spring with much-needed warmth in a covered area.

Does the builder offer sliding or stacking patio doors from the house and the option of covered outdoor living areas? Ask if screens are included and if they can be installed as retractable.

Flexible decorating

Flex space is all the rage in new-home floor plans. What about flexible decor?

If you’re craving color because of the gray spring, keep the home’s base colors neutral. This may sound counterintuitive, but neutral base colors on walls, floors, cabinets and counters allow the homeowner to swap out flexible, colorful decor that won’t clash with the base elements.

This summer might warrant tabletop decor or accent pieces in yellow paired with lavender or magenta paired with light greens or turquoise. Those displays can be transitioned to autumn colors when the time comes.

Or, if you’ve had enough of delayed summer weather, just stick with year-round summer decor and fill a fruit bowl with the colorful produce of each season.