Everything seems so much more positive when summer arrives - the sun brightens our days, people's spirits lift and you spend more time outdoors just enjoying life. Light flows into our home and we throw open windows and bathe in its uplifting rays. So here are our suggestions for making the most of the season and how to style for summer.
Humans are predisposed to having specific reactions to certain colours - for example red urges caution and awareness for potential danger in everything around us, from traffic signs to warning labels. But we also have learned responses to things, and that can include colour and is often tied to memory. So sometimes it's worth throwing out the rule book and just going with what feels right for you. So if sunshine yellow just seems too gaudy for you then keep it in the garden and choose colours that resonate with you instead.
There's a colour for everyone in summer, gardens are a riot of colour and if you're a lover of fresh flowers then you're spoilt for choice when it comes to utilising them to pull a colour scheme together. Sunshine yellow is popular; think a deeper hue than springtime daffodil but not as dark as autumn mustard, more like sunflower. Rich greens and vibrant raspberry are also popular, but don't think it's just about bold colours. Think gauzy but warm - pinks, purples, blues, or colours that help bring warmth to cooler colours, like these Harlequin shutters in Brazilian Rosewood that are fresh without being too deep, adding a little heat to the grey sofa. Whichever road you take, there's a summer shade for every colour.
Pretty much anything goes when it comes to colour in summer, from bright and bold to summer pastels so the world's your oyster really. You might take inspiration from the outdoors, especially where you have a garden view and use colours you can see outside - this merges the boundary between inside and out, creating a real sense of space and airiness that works so well in summer.
Floral patterns can definitely bloom big and bold in summer and you can also be brave with larger geometric patterns you would normally think might be too overpowering for a room, especially when it comes to Roman blinds – the longer and lighter days means you cover the windows far later in summer so the impact is lessened. Again, don’t confine yourself to what you may think of as traditional colours – this striking fabric in Scandi Forest Indigo has a real freshness to it that can help cool a room down in the height of summer.
