bright ideas and light touches that will help summerise your home…
HAPPY PLACES
The psychological process of summerising your home is linked to the optimism we feel as the days brighten and lengthen and we seek more time in the rooms that link with the outdoors. Just a few minor adjustments can have a positive effect on our wellbeing. Happy triggers can be simple: a colour, smell, or texture. As Lou Petersen, Head of Design Innovation at DFS says, “Our homes are intrinsically linked to our mental health – and that makes them worth investing in. We want to help customers make styling choices that not only look good but feel good too.”
Country Living Kirkton armchair in Sage velvet, €969; Kirkton four-seater sofa in Rust velvet, €1,429; Kirkton large button-top footstool in Antique Gold velvet, €369; all at DFS.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Stylist Pippa Jameson, author of The Sensory Home, says: “To create a feel good home, consider the impact on your five senses. Try layering lighting to set the mood for different occasions; scents can be particularly powerful in transporting you to somewhere new or simply helping you to relax, whilst good acoustics can block out noise pollution.”
Anne Marie Boylan, sleep expert and founder of The Sleep Care Company is a certified sleep science coach and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P). A onetime insomnia sufferer, her holistic programmes and expertise in thyroid and hormone health are just part of the good sleep equation: “Where you lay your head and start your day shouldn’t be forgotten. If you’re keen to create a space that feels rejuvenating and restorative to set you up for the day ahead, consider warm sunrise shades that uplift and invigorate.”
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux, recommends paint shades such as Almond White, Copper Blush and Coral Charm to encourage a morning mood of optimism.
Honeysuckle diffuser, €10, at Newbridge Silverware, Athgarvan Road, Newbridge, Co Kildare.
SET THE TONE
Establish a lighter interior scheme by switching accessories like rugs and cushions for summery versions, taking down heavy curtains (dry clean and store until autumn), swapping in brighter lampshades and reducing the amount of stuff you have on display. Pippa Jameson says: “Clutter sends our senses into overdrive.” She explains: “Having a neurodiverse child, I have learned how to set up a sensory home and understand how it can enhance quality of life and wellbeing.”
Green and pink Evelyn throw, Klippan, €89; www.arket.com.
PRETTY PERCHES
Colourful ceramic and glazed stoneware stools are having their moment in the sun – indoors and out. Designers are using them as pretty accent pieces in bathrooms, where they happily withstand moisture.
Red stripe ceramic stool, €116.40; www.orianab.com.
Green ceramic stool, €205; www.laredoute.com.
BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE
Let the fresh air in. A supersoft cube big enough for adult and child – or dog! – positioned near windows or French doors, allows a close connection to nature. Image; Billow Cube footstools, both €499, at DFS.
SALAD DAYS
Wooden salad bowls, made popular by Terence Conran in the early days of Habitat, have been consigned to the back of the cupboard for years. They’re back! Image; Oak salad bowl, €138; www.conranshop.co.uk.
TURN THE TABLE
Italian fashion house Marni has partnered with Serax to launch an elegant collection of porcelain tableware with spriggy summery motifs.
A LIFE IN STRIPES
Toothpaste stripes are trending – there is no quicker way to freshen your interior. Go wide with striped bedlinen. Image; Geen Watercolour Lines cotton-blend bedlinen, from €30, at Marks & Spencer.
Orange stripe candles, €6.99 for two; www.hm.com.
