Patriotic Summer Living Room Decor

Happy Belated 4th of July! It’s hard to believe we’ve already come so far into the summer. Typically by the 4th of July, I start to feel a little depressed because I know we’re on the “fast downward slope” to the end of our vacation and before you know it, we’ll be back to school in August. The department stores around here are even putting school supplies out on the shelves in preparation for the new school year ahead! Aaaccck!

But for now, I’m just gonna take a deep cleansing breath and try to soak up all the sunshine I can, enjoying every last bit of our summer break. And even though we’re now past the 4th, I thought I’d still share with you some of the changes I made to our family room for the summer months.

You all know how much I like to change it up in this space. I went with a vintage-inspired patriotic theme. I like it because it’s not too “over-the-top” on the patriotic side, so I can still keep it up over the rest of the summer.

This old tattered vintage flag that I found at an estate sale a few years ago served as my inspiration. It may be yellowed and worn, but to me it represents a nation rich in history. I’m proud to be an American and I’m thankful for the land of the free because of the brave.

The old vintage army green fan was also a found treasure, given to me by my mom. I wouldn’t dare plug the thing in, for fear it would chop off a finger! So many of these old metal fans are scccaaaaarrry to even think they were so dangerous and still used in a common home.

I have quite the collection of vintage books that I like to acquire from various rummage and estate sales. Sometimes I turn them into book journals, but mostly I used them as decorations around the house. I love the vibrant colors that many of their jackets & covers had back in the day.

A recent find was this vintage Boy Scout Handbook from 1965. It is so awesome!

I literally sat and read it from front to back and found myself in awe of the photographs and detailed descriptions of learning how to survive in the wilderness.

Since I am a nature buff, I think it is very cool, so of course, it needed a home here on the mantle next to the flag.

My mother also found a really awesome old quilt in her attic storage that she let me have. It’s actually from my great-grandmother’s quilting days and my mom thinks that the ladies of her church congregation all contributed to its pretty blue and white pattern, then each took a turn hand-stitching their names onto the squares.

If you look really closely you can make out some of the names. I think it’s also amazing and I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have such a unique keepsake given to me.