How to switch up your living space for summer
Summer is finally on the horizon, and with it lighter, brighter days and longer, warmer nights. For us, it’s a chance to throw open the doors to relax in the garden or take shelter inside when the temperature soars. Luckily, you don’t need to completely redecorate to ready your home for the season ahead, as these simple refreshes show. From a burst of sunshine-yellow in an accent chair to clever furniture that creates resort-style living and a bubbly sofa that evokes the deep blue sea, our effortless ideas will help you recreate all the splendour of a holiday from the comfort of home – while carving out a cooling sanctuary that will last way beyond the summer.
Here comes the sun
‘Butter yellow’ is having a serious moment – as seen in Drew Barrymore Yellow launched as an official shade by Pantone and the vibrant suit worn to the Oscars by Timothée Chalamet – so adding a ray of sunshine into your living space couldn’t be more timely. If you don’t have the confidence to go all-out and paint your walls in the colour, then why not add a splash as an accent here and there? A pair of canary-yellow table lamps on a pared-back console, for example, or perhaps a couple of scatter cushions in buttercup, ochre or lemon on your sofa? Otherwise, I rather love a good serving of mustard in the form of the Keswick 4 Seater Chaise.
While there’s no denying the shade screams ‘summer’, the sumptuous velvet upholstery adds tactility and warmth for the winter months, so it’s the perfect year-round combination. Style with cooler, softer tones elsewhere, from a wooden floor layered with a neutral jute rug to walls painted in blue or green pastels complemented by similarly-coloured curtains or window dressings. Remember, you can also lean into the season with accessories, too – cosy cushions in bouclé and velvet for the depths of winter and a lightweight linen throw for cool summer nights. Versatility is key.
Into the blue
From the azure waters of the Greek islands to the turquoise seas of the Caribbean, blues and greens always recall far-flung shores and picture-postcard summer holidays. Luckily, both colours are timeless choices as we continue to tap into the biophilic trend – bringing the outside in to strengthen our connection to nature – while they can be used in a number of ways to achieve wildly different looks. For something that works across seasons, I suggest investing in a statement sofa in a relaxed style and bold shade such as the Venezia 2 Seater.
It’s upholstered in a denim-blue fabric that recalls lazy, hazy days beside the sea, while the modern Chesterfield design features curves in all the right places for a seriously relaxed aesthetic – it’s so laid-back, in fact, you might just want to enjoy a sundowner inside on the sofa rather than in the garden! Offset the design against walls in crisp white, flooring and furniture in warm woods and pastel-coloured accessories (pinks, greens, yellows) for an easy, breezy Californian vibe that transports you to balmier climes.
During winter, warm things up by adding jewel-toned textiles such as turquoise, emerald and burgundy in equally rich fabrics like velvet. Swapping out a woven rug for something plusher underfoot with pattern, colour and detail will also dial up the temperature of the room. But for summer, keep things clean, unfussy and – most importantly – carefree.
Hotel vibes at home
When I think of summer holidays, one of the first things that comes to mind are relaxed, open-plan spaces that seamlessly blend indoors and outside for relaxing, dining or anything in-between. Whatever layout you have, you can still benefit from the fluidity that resort-style living can afford this summer by tapping into the trend for ‘broken-plan’ – the buzzword on everyone’s lips in the interiors world. Sitting somewhere between open- and closed-plan, it uses things like different lighting, architectural details and clever furniture to designate zones within a single space for different moments during the day (or night).
To get the look, choose a generously-proportioned sofa with a high back and arms – the Mayfair 2 Seater should do the trick – and position it between your living and dining spaces. You'll define an invisible boundary with the back of the sofa facing the dining table, and choosing a style in a bold shade, such as chenille ocean blue layered with colourful scatter cushions, will contrast with a neutral dining set and create further distinction.
During winter, you accentuate the separate zones even more with lighting, from lowly-lit table lamps in the living area to flattering pendants and atmospheric candles in the dining space. For cohesion, walls in the same colour or pattern for the whole space works a treat. Five-star hotel from the comfort of home? We’ve got you covered.