Bright, breezy, and baby-wipe approved - summer style for real-life moms.  

By a mom who's mopped melted ice cream off every surface imaginable  

Let’s set the scene: It’s late May. School drop-off has morphed into snack dispensing on loop. The sticky season has begun. My home? A battlefield of sunscreen fingerprints, rogue sidewalk chalk, and mystery goo (possibly yogurt, definitely dried). So naturally, it’s the perfect time for a summer decor refresh. And because I refuse to choose between style and sanity, I’ve cracked the code on summer color palettes that look chic, feel light—and cleverly camouflage the chaos. Yes, we are talking design meets motherhood. Let’s dive in, sticky fingers and all.  

🍦 Popsicle Brights (But Make It Muted)

Think coral, sorbet orange, dusty aqua, and a soft fuchsia—not quite neon, not quite pastel. These colors channel that poolside energy but with a little sophistication. I call this palette “The Bomb Pop After Bedtime.” 

Why it works for moms: It hides the crayon scribble my toddler left on the hallway wall (matching fuchsia, thank you very much) and makes any Dollar Tree art project look intentional. Plus, when your kid’s rainbow slime inevitably explodes? It blends. 

👉 Try: Coral throw pillows, teal placemats, or a watermelon-toned rug that says, “I could have bought it at Anthropologie, but it was actually Target and on clearance.”  

🏖️ Sand & Sea Neutrals

A calm palette of creamy white, tan, driftwood brown, and ocean blue. This is for the mom who dreams of sipping iced coffee in a sun-drenched coastal cottage... while her toddler uses her white curtains to play ghost. 

Why it works: It’s peaceful, timeless, and surprisingly mess-friendly. Light neutrals don’t always look forgiving, but pair them with textured fabrics (think: woven, linen, jute) and the everyday smudges become patina. 

Funny story: My son once “washed” his hands with hummus and wiped them on our couch. The beige-on-beige result? Untraceable. It's now called “tahini chic.” 

👉 Try: Off-white slipcovers (yes, really- bleach-safe), woven baskets, and beachy blue accents like glass vases or shams.  

🌴 Tropical Earth Tones

Olive green, terracotta, mustard, and blush. This palette is like a vacation in the form of throw pillows, but with the practicality of hiding peanut butter smears. Why moms love it: Dirt-colored rugs. Need I say more? These tones blend beautifully with the real-life mess and feel grounded and earthy—aka perfect for a home where someone is always barefoot. I call this my “boho-but-I-still-own-baby-gates” aesthetic. 

👉 Try: Mustard curtains, blush-toned wall art, and a large, forgiving patterned rug that hides 95% of life’s accidents (and 100% of Goldfish crumbs).  

🌻 Sunflower and Sky

Golden yellow + robin’s egg blue = instant cheer. This combo is basically summer vacation energy in color form. Why it works: Yellow hides spaghetti sauce better than white, and blue hides juice spills better than anything. Plus, it just makes your home feel happy, even when the kids are melting down because you cut their toast into squares instead of triangles. True story: My daughter once drew a “sunshine” on our dining room wall with a yellow crayon. Reader, I did not scrub it off. I painted a frame around it and called it “Summer No. 5.” 

👉 Try: A yellow accent wall, blue kitchenware, and kid artwork in complementary frames.  

💡 Tips for Keeping It Cute and Kid-Proof:

• Stick to washable everything. Pillow covers, rugs, even curtains—if it can’t survive the washing machine, it doesn’t survive here. 
• Patterns are your secret weapon. Stripes, florals, and even abstract prints confuse the eye—and hide yogurt explosions with style. 
• Let the kids contribute. My daughter painted rocks for our centerpiece. Are they weirdly lumpy? Yes. But they match our coral and seafoam palette perfectly. 

You don’t have to sacrifice style just because your house is also a snack station, art studio, and chaos hub. You deserve a home that feels like summer—warm, bright, and forgiving. Just like you. So here’s to color palettes that make our lives feel a little more breezy, even if someone is yelling “MOMMMM” from the bathroom as we speak.

xoxo