Summer décor is about bringing the outdoors in. Embrace the season by bringing colours, nature and furniture that evoke the emotions of joy and happiness into your living and garden space. To get you inspired, here are some easy summer decorating ideas from British interior designer Benji Lewis that will brighten up your home and bring summer magic whatever the weather.
- Add a pop of colour:Look at shades of pink for your décor, but concentrate on softness – ballet pink or something with the smallest hint of orange in it. Beauvais Lilac by Little Greene is terribly smart: https://www.littlegreene.com/beauvais-lilac
- Flower power: Explore different ways of using cut flowers through the house – not just in the traditional way with a few stems in a vase, look at putting a summer wreath on your front door too and edit it by swapping out spent blooms for fresh ones as the summer plays out
- Look at geometric patterns: I know summer would suggest an abundance of florals but don’t concede to anything cliched – look instead for mid-century prints in a warm colour palette with a geometric design.
- Swap glassware based on your mood: For a glamorous vibe, concentrate only on using clear glass vases or glass on your tabletop décor be that coffee table, or dining table, alternatively if you’re after something more boho, use glasses in a mix of colours candles, to give that relaxed summer look.
- Be floral fabulous: If you’re going to go floral, then go for a big pattern and don’t just adopt the ‘big pattern must go on big piece of furniture’ like of thinking; used thoughtfully a large floral design will look fantastic on a mid-century lounge chair for example.
- Go Nautical: The freshness of seaside summer is brilliantly encapsulated with a straightforward nautical scheme of white and blue but while it sounds easy peasy to do, it’ll nevertheless take thought to really get right – don’t forget that blue can easily make things feel chilly and white can be stark so plan how you balance the use of both colours carefully.
- Incorporate stripped pine furniture: It’s pretty and has a great holiday house feel to it; if I were going down this route then I’d combine with shades of white, and blend in textures like linen, wool and even some rattan furnishings.
- Compare and contrast: Whether it’s a tablecloth or napkins or both – but look at natural textures if possible, and combine them both texturally and colour-wise – the look and feel of crisp ivory linen napkins against the slightly coarser texture on a hemp tablecloth would be both interesting and chic.
- Amp up your garden chairs: Trail garlands of flowers on the back of your chairs at an outside dinner party, or suspend them with fairy lights twisted into the mix above your table.
- Pile on the pillows: For a summer festival vibe in your garden, add a combination of well sized coloured and patterned floor cushions and blend bolsters and scatter cushions into the mix.
- Embrace the stripes: Stripes are good, notably used on ceramics – not just the old fashioned blue and vanilla horizontal type used on milk jugs and mugs, look out also for contemporary art pieces that have been finished with a stripe or few.
- Mix and match: Whilst nobody’s going to say no to an outdoor dining scheme of smart, mixed whites with crisp linen and crystal, if the budget won’t stretch to it then trawl your second hand stores for alternative ways to create an impression – at the end of the day all anyone wants is a good time.
