As summer swings into full gear, we’ve got fresh, seasonal design on the mind and are walking you through our top five tips for refreshing your home for the sunniest season.
Dive into summer design to have your space kick-back ready for entertaining and relaxing with your family and friends.
Tip #1: Summer florals
Florals are our number one way to add a seasonal touch to spaces throughout the year. For summer, we love working with greens and herbs to fashion organic, slightly wild arrangements that convey the effortless attitude of the season. Whether you add them to your home for a pop of fresh color, or to your tabletop for dinner al fresco, you can’t go wrong blooms and greenery like eucalyptus, rosemary, catmint, delphinium, and of course, peonies.
To master the perfect ‘un-done’ arrangement we have a few simple tricks:
Coated chicken wire makes a great fundamental architecture for achieving a professional look. Roll the wire into a ball and fit it snugly into your vessel. This will create a scaffolding into which your flowers can be nestled - offering more control as you arrange. Second, try working in herbaceous greenery like lavender, eucalyptus, and ferns - not only do they look beautiful and provide that wild aesthetic we love, they also smell amazing. Finally, don’t be afraid of asymmetry, have fun and let your local flowers and greenery guide your hand.
Tip #2: Foreign Accent
Accent chairs are a great way to refresh your space quickly and easily. While many tend towards a more traditional, matchy-matchy look for accent furniture in their living spaces, we love the idea of adding a fresh splash of color into your home through these smaller pieces. Kelly Rinzema of Lilypad Cottage mastered this look by pairing her Sullivan sectional in Oyster Performance Linen with a pair of gorgeous Leroy chairs in Denim Performance Tweed. The contrast of the chairs provides a modern twist on her classic Michigan lake house.
Tip #3: Pop of Personality
One of the easiest ways to refresh your space is through gorgeous new accents like throws, accessories, and pillows. The best part about these smaller items is that they create a layered, personal look, and offer an opportunity to experiment with color, pattern, and texture throughout your space.
While there are tons of great sources for beautiful accent pieces, we love St. Frank, whose stunning pieces are all sourced from local artisans around the world. Their eclectic look adds the perfect bohemian touch to summer decor. Best of all? A portion of their proceeds go to support the very communities from which their unique designs and craftsmanship are sourced.
We’ve curated a few of our favorites below - inspired by the coastal, beachside vibes that embody summer.
Tip #4: Fresh Perspective
We love the idea of revitalising your space using only the pieces that you already have - simply reimagining them in a new, fresh layout that exudes summer style. Since the summer is all about using your space to relax, unwind, and spend time with your family, we love arranging furniture to reflect that more effortless vibe.
You can peruse new layouts for your space in our ultimate guide to living room layouts, but we also have a few tips:
First, focus your layout on maximizing entertaining space. One way to do this is by shifting your sofas from the Face-Off position to the Ninety, which will facilitate more casual conversation. Second, experiment with swapping out different pieces from different spaces. Have a more relaxed pair of chairs in your master bedroom? Try bringing them into your living room to inject a sense of casual relaxation. Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment! There are always new ways to imagine the layout of your space, and with an afternoon’s creativity (and a little bit of muscle) you can give your space an instant facelift.
Tip #5: Year-round Performance
Choosing a performance fabric for your home is never as important as the summer when dripping popsicles, frozen margaritas, and sandy swimsuits will all find their way onto your furniture. We’ve hand selected our premium assortment of materials to not only look and feel gorgeous, but also stand up to your lifestyle. By partnering with the best mills in the industry, from Sunbrella to Crypton Home, we’ve been able to curate a gorgeous assortment of fabrics that will take you from Memorial Day to Labor Day and beyond.
Want to take a look at some of our materials in the comfort of your home? Order free swatches today to feel the quality of our materials - and test their superior performance. If you’re looking for a few more tips to refresh your space this summer, contact your Design Advisor for advice, guidance, and all the inspiration you could ask for.
