How to prepare your home for summer living

In anticipation of the warmer months ahead, Anya Cooklin-Lofting provides the season’s top living essentials as well as some decorative treats for a delightful home update

Birkin 6R – 6-Seat Dining Set with Ceramic Glass Top Table, £2,745, Moda Furnishings (Paul Michael Hughes Photography)

We’ve become quite quickly accustomed to disappointment. The last year and a half has shown that low expectations are incredibly valuable (think Eurovision, sodden pub gardens, the government etc). We have saved ourselves immeasurable grief by expecting poor outcomes, preparing for the worst and enjoying sheer elation when things turn out a little better than our late-night anxieties portend.

However, it’s time to break the mould. Raise your expectations for the summer, because long-range weather forecasts hint at warmer weather for July and August. In other words, it’s not too late. Ahead of us lies a summer of airy linen shirts, the smell of suncream on the soft breeze and the faint, effervescent sound of the televised tennis heard from the sunniest spot in the garden.

In anticipation of the warmer months ahead, why not have a speculative scroll for some savvy buys? Read on for some of the top summer living essentials as well as some decorative treats for a delightful home update.

Talia Cubo 4 – Dining with 8 x Seats and Parasol, £2,425, Moda Furnishings (Moda Furnishings)

Up first is garden furniture, the must-have furniture category of the last 18 months as we have all come to appreciate the value of our outdoor spaces. Jonny Brierley, CEO of British garden furniture retailer Moda Furnishings says, “It’s not too late to get your garden fully prepped for the summer ahead. With the glorious weather forecast to look forward to, the line-up of sporting events in the calendar, the school holidays ahead and the various travel restrictions still in place, it makes sense to get your garden into shape. Whether you’ll be entertaining at home or enjoying time with your nearest and dearest, making sure you have comfortable seating and dining options outside will give your summer a more effortless, luxurious feel.” The company’s latest launches available now are the Birkin and Talia collections, comprising all-fabric and rattan dining and seating options respectively. The best part is that all of the company’s furniture is all-weather safe with a 7-year guarantee, so there’s no fuss if the weather does turn.

Bontà light and bowl set, from £600, Attila Veress and Davide Oldani for Artemide (Artemide)

Getting the most out of your garden furniture relies on the accessories you choose, such as soft furnishings and lighting. Keeping your garden as liveable as possible will encourage you to get outside and enjoy the weather, so opting for outdoor-appropriate throws and cushions is a must; MissoniHome’s offering is particularly lovely. As darkness descends on a long, summer evening, ensure you have some stylish outside lighting options to extend the time you can spend comfortably outdoors. Artemide, an Italian manufacturer of lighting designed by world-class designers and architects, has recently launched Bontà, a portable, modular light, designed to interact with other tabletop objects and enliven social dining outdoors.

Tencel™ Lyocell Fibre And Cotton Flat Sheet, from £55, Sheridan (Sheridan)

Moving inside, staying cool is paramount, especially for winding down in the evening and getting a good night’s sleep. One of the most testing elements of the warmer weather (we’re never satisfied, are we?) is the lack of sleep caused by an unrelentingly warm bedroom. On top of taking steps to cool your bedroom during the day, such as closing the curtains during the day and ensuring any windows on the sunnier side of the room are closed, make sure you invest in some temperature-regulating bedlinen. Sheridan, the Australian homewares company, suggests opting for its Tencel™ range when choosing your summertime bedding. The super-soft Tencel™ Lyocell Fibre And Cotton Sheet collection has body-heat regulating, antimicrobial and absorbent properties that wick away moisture, leaving you feeling refreshed all through the night.

Specialist pillow and sleep accessories company, Kally Sleep also has a few tricks up its sleeve for keeping cool throughout the night. Its Cooling Pillow is designed to keep your body at an optimal temperature all night to help initiate and maintain sleep. It does this via its inner ‘air vent’ with a layer of hollow fibre filling. The sleep experts at Kally Sleep claim that this pillow will leave you with that ‘cooler side of the pillow’ all night long. Sounds like an uninterrupted dream come true.