The summer is typically a time for relaxation, fun and spending time outdoors. As the weather (hopefully) gets warmer and the days brighter, it can trigger us to see our window dressings differently. In our blog this month we wanted to share some of the up-and-coming window dressing styles and trends to look out for this summer, as well as share some of our favourite fabrics to inspire your next project. We thought we would take this opportunity to talk to our Head Designer, Sarah, to see what is trending at the moment and what kind of fabrics she is working with. Here are Sarah’s top five trends to look out for:
1. Bring on the Colour
The use of bright colours is always part of the conversation when we think about summer. One of our favourite fabrics and popular client choices at the moment is this beautiful red patterned Linwood fabric, “Helter Skelter” colourway 18 Etna, which works perfectly alongside the blue patterned “Ashfield II” by Linwood in colourway Waterfall, Romo’s Linara in colourways Mineral and Oyster.
We are working with a client at the moment to refresh their kitchen and breakfast room using this combination and it is striking. However, with some slightly different secondary fabrics, this red patterned fabric would also work well in a dining room scheme.
2. An Environmental Focus
There is most definitely an increased awareness amongst our clients of the environment, and we are being asked more and more about our sustainable approach. Not only is this awareness coming across in ways of working, but clients are proactively choosing eco-friendly materials such as cotton or recycled materials in their window dressing design projects. We are also seeing more and more clients wanting to use green and reflect nature in their designs.
An example is this beautiful William Morris & Co “Rosehip” in colourway Forest patterned fabric. This fabric is the hero of the sitting room project we are working on, combined with the wooden curtain poles and plain green Linara in colourways Thyme and Oyster fabrics, helping to create an inviting, relaxing and calm living space.
3. Mixing and Matching Patterns
Another popular interior design trend this summer is the mixing and matching of patterns. If you are looking for an alternative to a more traditional hero pattern with plain colours scheme, try adding some patterned pillows, rugs or throws. It could change the dynamic of the room. Be careful though, not to go overboard, as too many patterns can be overwhelming, making the room feel busy or the space smaller.
We are using this beautiful fabric combination for a client’s lounge re-design. A perfect combination of Fermoie’s “Savernake” colourway green, GP&J Baker “Grantly” colourway aqua and GP&J Baker “Tilly” colourway aqua. This beautiful combination is creating a relaxing but exciting mix across the scheme.
4. Take the Inside Out
Another common discussion we are having with our clients this month, is how we continue the design of our interiors into the garden space. With many fabric houses now offering lightly waterproof fabrics and better, more environmentally conscious padding it can be a great way to extend your colour scheme.
The floral material here with the blue accents is another beautiful example from William Morris & Co “Little Chintz” in colourway Nettle/ Wood. Paired with the plain Linara by Romo in Neutral and Catkin colourways, they offer a lovely calm scheme for a sitting room, conservatory or lounge. Although not all fabrics are suitable for outdoor use, William Morris offer an extensive range of fabrics which are suitable.
5. Spotlight on Green
Whilst in 2024 the Pantone colour of the year is “Fuzzy Peach” we are not necessarily seeing this colour reflected in our window dressing designs as a feature colour. What we are seeing is a lovely deep green. Depending upon the colour scheme the tone will vary but certainly, it is forming a large part of many of our projects at the moment. The green could come across in accent colours or in the fabric patterns itself, as illustrated below.
Here is a combination we are using in another client’s sitting room project. This lovely green pattern fabric from William Morris & Co “Lily Leaf”, colourway Forest is the fabric we are using for the curtains and the supporting green fabric is a Linara from Romo, colourway Emerald. The plain green fabric compliments the lovely print perfectly and is being used in some of the soft furnishings.
In Summary
Summer is a great time to replace window dressings. If you would like to freshen up your home and outdoor space in readiness for the summer months and outdoor entertaining, please get in touch to see how we can help. We have a range of exciting new fabrics that have just arrived from Romo, Sanderson, William Morris. Villa Nova and Fermoie that we would love to share with you.
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