Summer decor updates that won’t break the bank

Want to vamp up your rooms? Gabrielle Fagan reveals the super buys

Fed up with the same four walls? Maybe it’s time to give your space a summer refresh, so that it looks the part on sunny days and cheers you up when the weather doesn’t co-operate.

Think colour – zingy shades will lift your mood – and lots of greenery, plus on-trend home accessories for a serving of sizzling home style.

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.

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.

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 decorative seat cushions for a touch of glamour, or leave it pared-back and simple for a kick-off-your-shoes impromptu supper.

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).

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.

Feel free to go as elegant or as simple as you wish, but don’t neglect this opportunity to 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.

Layered textiles and light materials in shades of pink and white create a calming, relaxing atmosphere that’s soothing for summer nights when the temperature rises.

A plain neutral palette for the floor and walls allows the textures and detail in this room to shine. (Remember to choose breathable fabrics like linen and cotton for bedding).

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.

PAMPER ZONE

We’ve fallen for this special pampering area where you can really spoil yourself when you’re getting ready. This is an area where you can truly indulge and create a look and feel that’s all your own.

A wow-factor deep green on a wall is guaranteed to make this piece a focal point, framed by the plants’ stands and foliage for extra impact. Get the look with an Argos Home Wilderness Dressing Table & Stool, £160.

This is where you stand and preen, so make it a stand-out feature that suits your needs. We love this dressing table, with five drawers and a mirror.