By Lily Annis: Columnist
Summer living this year is all about bringing the outdoors in. We’re not talking about grabbing a plank of wood or a rustic log from outside though. This trend requires careful thought and a hefty wallet, as incorporating natural materials into your home is often more expensive than you might expect.
Merging the indoors with the outdoors has clearly branched off of the Boho trend and evolved into an interior of its own. Plant lovers will be pleased to hear we’re still embracing leafy fan palms and trailing strings of pearls. If you’re despairing over your dying plants and struggling to keep them alive, try a Spider plant, which is the easiest plant to care for.
To maintain it, the plant requires watering every 1-2 weeks or when the top two inches of the soil is dry. A spider plant does require some tending to, which involves pruning, suitable soil, and indirect light. However, they are relatively easy to look after and are a lovely addition to any room.
Alternatively, try fake plants. There are some extremely lifelike plants, some of which are almost exact replicas. If you’re not naturally green-fingered, take a look at Oka’s artificial potted plants and trees…
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Oka
Go to Oka’s stems section if you’re looking for individual flowers like roses or cosmos. If you adore lilies but worry about their poisonous flowers being too tempting for your pooch, faux lilies are a perfect alternative. Plus, they come in deep purple and pink and in different varieties like the stargazer lily. Prices for individual stem flowers range from £10-30, and there are so many to choose from you’ll be sure to find a favourite (or two!).
But of course, your new purchases or thriving plants need somewhere to perch.
Cox & Cox
Enter natural materials. A perfect example of what will be popular this summer is this gorgeous lounge set from Cox & Cox.
The Calabria set is just one of many chic and luxurious outdoor furnishings that this company offers, but we’ve picked it out for its ingenious woven rope back. Not only is this set stylishly neutral with an acacia wood frame, but this is also the first time we’ve seen natural woven rope incorporated into a sofa, and it’s something we’ll see a lot more this summer.
Our Calabria Lounge Set offers the unique and attractive tones of hardwood acacia paired the authentic looking blended tones and texture of faux rope, a durable, waterproof and UV resistant option created specifically for long lasting luxury outdoor furniture. Metals are a wonderfully sustainable and natural interior design material.
- Danielle LeVaillant, Head of Photography & Film, Cox & Cox
For accessories, we are in love with the Dune table lamp from Neptune, which features an intricate shell pattern. The word ‘Dune’ has us envisioning rolling golden sands and sunny palms, and it is right on trend with the outdoors-in theme.
The lamp would be the perfect complimentary piece to any room, bringing an airy, nautical feel to even the smallest apartment. Pricing for the small lamp is £195, but why not make a statement with the chunkier base of the larger version: £275. Other companies are also discovering these beach tones; a style we can expect to see for a good while yet.
Graham & Green
If you’re bored of neutrals, try embracing this summer trend: mixing and matching patterns and prints! Mixing, matching, and varying patterns to create interest is going to be hot this summer; however, this must be done delicately, as too many patterns and bold colours can clash with each other and become an eye sore. Instead, add pops of colour and patterns with fun, bright throws and quirky cushions.
A stellar example is the seat pad set from Graham and Green. Each seat pad is beautifully unique, featuring funky illustrations and vibrant colours.
Your guests will be sure to ask where you got them and proceed to start a lengthy debate over the best design (the Inseparables seat pad gets our vote).
Each cushion is different but similar enough so that the cushions aren’t overwhelming. This set is, therefore, a great find because there’s no need to deliberate over other cushions when mixing and matching patterns! A win-win situation!
These cushions are perfect for adding style and comfort to a hard stone bench or outdoor wooden seating. Any piece of furniture (even the tackiest chair you’re about to throw out) will be elevated to another level with these cushions — absolutely!
Additionally, if the summer fashion trends are your inspiration and you seek furniture to match that outfit, go for metallic. Need a reminder of the right trends ?
Visit our Summer Fashion Article for tips this summer. See you back here in a moment! Here's some more excellent options below from Graham & Green.
Starfish Gold Knob, Graham & Green, £3.95
“Add a touch of coastal elegance to your home with our Star Fish Gold Door Knob, perfect for bringing a bit of the seaside indoors.”
Metallic Glass Flower Knob Graham & Green, £4.50
“Transform your furniture with the shimmering charm of the Metallic Glass Flower Knob, a delicate and stylish detail for any room.”
If you’re looking for a statement piece, try the arch gold console table by Cox & Cox. This table is more than just a pop of metallic, featuring an impressive art deco front panel and a mirrored glass top.
This table does most of the talking, but Cox and Cox take the plunge and adorn the table with more metallic gold pieces. Gold on gold, in this instance, works well and creates a fantastic centre-piece. This is the perfect console table for a room that needs a bit of ‘wow!’
The Art Deco decadence of our Slim Arch Console Table offers the seductive glow of golden-hued metal and the additional uplifting reflective properties of mirrored glass.
- Danielle LeVaillant, Head of Photography & Film, Cox & Cox
If making a statement with metallics feels a bit overwhelming, try adding flashes of gold or silver through accessories.
Their interesting wavy bowl sparks interest (and a conversation about where you got it from!) without being too overpowering.
This Wavy Metal Bowl has fanned edges that catch the light and add brightening depth for a high luxe appeal. - Danielle LeVaillant
Want metallic on an even smaller scale? Go micro-scale with metallic glass flower doorknobs, or if you’re really enjoying the beach theme, try some gorgeous, and rather stunning, starfish doorknobs. A set of four metallic glass flower doorknobs start at £18, ranging up to £33 a piece, choose wisely!
The doorknobs can be used on dressers, drawers, and wardrobes. Most companies stop before they get to custom doorknobs, but Graham and Green go the extra mile when it comes to personalisation. They offer a wide range of doorknobs, which can add a quirky or sleek finish to your dressers, depending on your preference of course.
With a range of options from which to choose, this summer’s interior trends give a little bit of everything. From beachy naturals to vibrant splashes of colour, you’re guaranteed to find something to elevate your house’s interior this summer. Oh, and p.s. the £33 doorknob is a ceramic Zebra.
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