As summer approaches, we may be graced with some sunshine — rare as it is in Britain — and along with the welcomed heat comes the exciting chance to change things up in your home for the season.
When things heat up, our décor isn’t just about decoration, but can help to keep us cool at the same time. Here are our top styling themes that are on trend this summer, to keep things light and airy, but also create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Theme #1: Coastal and sea style
This theme is all about bringing the seaside inside, as what better way to decorate for summer than envisioning a relaxation beach. Think sandy beiges, pebble grey and crisp white for the colour palette of your walls, whilst your furnishings and fabrics tie in a deep navy blue.
A coastal theme is nothing without stripes — whether its red and white, or blue and white, a striped throw, cushion or table cloth in your living or dining room will complete the look ever so nicely. You can also encapsulate the seaside through your decorative accents, and a collection of shells and starfish can work effortlessly as art on the walls, or as a statement piece on a bedside table.
Theme #2: Indian summer inspired
Sweet, spice and all things nice! Another trend you’ll see this summer is guaranteed to get you hot under the colour. A décor theme inspired by an Indian summer epitomises the sultry sun that meanders through our windows on a long summer’s night. It includes subtle earthy tones of rich browns and burnt oranges, paired with splashes of colour from hot fuchsia and indulgent yellows. The pattern is key for this type of home styling, and you should consider detailed shapes, stripes or florals in a dedicant fabric to emphasise the richness, warmth and spiciness of the room.
When decorating a living space, it’s all about warmth radiating from a homely feel, so add plenty of informal seating, layers of throws and floor cushions. The best way to incorporate an Indian summer and rich texture into your bedroom is to invest in luxurious bedlinen that is made from an exquisite fabric, and delivers on pattern and colour.
Theme #3: Florals and citrus
The next theme for styling your home this summer aims to keeps thing fresh and exuberant, through inspiration taken from a beautiful, blooming garden. Imagine a colour palette of pastel colours ranging from lemon yellows and mint green, to lavender, mauves and rose pinks.
This décor also doesn’t have to be completely feminine, as any blush colours marry perfectly with a charcoal grey, to balance the strength of the colours and bring warmth to otherwise cold and moody colours. For the bedroom, inject these floral shades through your bedlinen, matched with a flowery pattern which works perfectly in a cotton or linen fabric. You can then add accents of dark colours through throws and cushions.
Of course, the easiest way to achieve the delicacy of a summer garden is to bring a bouquet of beautiful flowers into the room. Simply pick some from your own garden, or if you don’t fancy the fuss some fake blooms can be just as effective. Plus, you can experiment with a contrasting or complimentary vase. Even a simple bowl of decorative citrus fruit can brighter up the room with a pop of vibrant, summery shades.
