Country picnic

Take a fresh look at heritage style with an uplifting colour palette and timeless prints

If your summer dream is to settle under the dappled shade of a tree after collecting a bunch of wildflowers, this is the look for you. The huge popularity of cottagecore means that it’s easy to find romantic florals, gingham and basketry in our favourite high-street shops. Embrace quirksfl Older rural homes often have low and angled ceilings and asymmetrical rooms, rather than the linear structure of a new build. Focus on making these anomalies a feature to be celebrated and use heritage paper to cover peculiar boxed-in plumbing and continue on the surrounding walls to create a seamless effect. These idiosyncrasies all add to the unique personality of a space. Made do and mend your own furniture to give an authentic homespun quality to your scheme. A lick of chalk or satin paint will transform items you’ve grown out of. Try buttercup yellow and soft apple greens.

‘Filtering across from the fashion sphere, gingham is the homeware print of the moment. Try a statement bedlinen or opt for a simple vase for a subtle approach’ Anna Cross, Buying Manager, Habitat

Sunflower cushion, £16; scallop planters, from £8; Otto shade, £95; Pasenda table, £65; table lamp, £65; scallop rug, £65; throw, £26; spotted jug, £12.50; candlestick, £8, all Habitat 1 2 3 Gingham frill cushion cover, £7, Primark 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 1 Beatrix Potter botanicals tea towel, £10, V&A Shop 2 Plastic wicker trunks, £34, Next 3 Churchgate Peckleton pendant fitting, £65, Dunelm 4 Scallop tray in Orange, from £20, Accessorize 5 Caselio Charmes wallpaper in Vert Opaline, £46.62 per roll, Jane Clayton 6 Edulis wallpaper in Sage, £65 per roll, Graham & Brown 7 Wildflower Sprigs wallpaper, £40 per roll, John Lewis & Partners 8 Patterned duvet cover set, from £17.99, H&M Home 9 Regal Select matt paint in Pale Moon, £27 per 0.94L, Benjamin Moore 10 Matt paint in Friendly Peach, £21.50 per 1L, YesColours 11 Simply Refresh one coat paint in Willow Tree, £43.19 per 2.5L, Dulux 12 Coral gingham mug, £13, Quince & Cook 8 12

Aviary wallpaper, £42; Montpellier bed frame, from £825; Harvest bed linen, from £50; cushion, £63; Callaghan wall light, £50; Breeden leaf table lamp base, £55; Hemsley lampshade, from £40; Eleanor drawers, £595, all Laura Ashley