Summertime blues… and pinks and greys
Want to vamp up your rooms for summer? Gabrielle Fagan reveals the super buys to snap up now
FThink colour – zingy shades will lift your mood – and lots of greenery, plus on-trend home accessories for a serving of sizzling home style.
Remember, the dazzle is in the detail and luckily the high street is spoiling us with designer-look finishing touches this season.
Check out these easy updates and super buys, that will transform your home without busting the budget...
Easy living
Design-led shapes and a grey and pale green colour palette combines to create a relaxed vibe in this contemporary scheme. A stylist trick is to choose slim-leg furniture which allows you to see the floor, as this creates an illusion of space, while accessories arranged at different heights add depth and interest.
Check out the Loft Living collection at Sainsbury’s Home, in selected stores for style steals: Loft Living table lamp, £35; pouffe, £35; and plants and pots from £5 each. Room star: Every room needs a stand-out piece that shrieks ‘look at me’, and this curvy chair will make guests sit and swoon. If you are confident with colour, go bold with a Retro Accent Chair in pink, £279 (was £299), from DFS. Summer treats: Refresh your fave chill-out area with some new kit in one of the most calming and still fashionable shades on the palette: grey. Avoid being too matchy-matchy, mixing prints is more modern. Trend tip: Introducing bold brights is one of the easiest ways to turn up the style dial. From lipstick pinks to golden yellows, there’s something about saturated hues that make a space pop, as well as adding a hit of summer heat.
Divine dining
More and more of us are embracing casual entertaining and stylish eat-in kitchens, rather than formal dining rooms. The social hub of the home should feel light, airy and inviting. Contemporary country – a chic update on rustic – can be dressed up or down. For special occasions, add beautiful tablecloths and seat cushions for a touch of glam, or leave it pared-back for a kick-off-yourshoes impromptu supper. Trend tip: With wooden furniture, opt for pale, lightly washed or matt finishes, where the grain is the star attraction. A sisal, jute or knotted wool rug under a table will help to define the space and bring a layer of comfort and warmth, which works well in an open-plan setting. Room star: It’s crucial to create an atmosphere around a table, so that when you have people seated around it, the rest of the room recedes.
Low-level lighting – a pedant, chandelier, or even a row of pendants – will zone the area and make it feel intimate at night. (Ideally, the bottom of the light fixture should fall around 36-inches/91.44cm above the table). Summer treats: Dress to impress is the order of the day for tables. Interior designers rather grandly describe this as creating a ‘tablescape’ – but really it’s just about making sure your tabletop is visual feast, so that it adds to the pleasure of the occasion.
Go as elegant or simple as you wish, but let your style credentials shine. Authentic crafted pieces and quirky touches (be inspired by the fruit bowl for summer motifs) will turn it into a talking point.
Sensual sanctuary
Layered textiles and light materials in pinks and white create a soothing atmosphere for summer nights when the temperature rises. A plain neutral palette for floor and walls lets the textures and detail in this room shine (choose breathable fabrics like linen and cotton for bedding).
Trend tip: If you’re not gifted with green fingers, fake it. Nothing says summer like beautiful blooms and lush foliage. Room star: Clutter is the enemy of tranquillity but equally a room dominated with bulky storage can feel overcrowded and oppressive. Imaginative storage solutions such as pretty trunks, ottomans and under-bed drawers could be a perfect hide-away answer. Summer treats: Spoil yourself in your private sanctuary, with homeware that adds dollops of personality. This is also an easy way to pick up on one of this year’s hottest decor trends: tropical.
Pamper zone
We’ve fallen for this special pampering area to really spoil yourself as you get ready. Wow-factor deep green on a wall is guaranteed to make this piece a focal point, framed by plant stands and foliage. Get the look with an Argos Home Wilderness Dressing Table & Stool, £160. Trend tip: A mellow mix of green and pink is one of this year’s best colour combos. Paint woodwork, skirtings and doors to match the walls to maximise a sense of space. Instead of a white ceiling, consider soft pink. This pulls the scheme together and gives the impression of a warm glow. Room star: This is where you stand and preen, so make it a stand-out feature. We love this dressing table, with five drawers and a mirror. Summer treats: Decorative accessories could really give this area a luxe feel. An elegant mirror will work wonders by reflecting light. Use metallic bowls for plants, and pots for storing all those essentials.