Getting Your Living Room On Trend for Summer

Getting your living room on trend for summer might not be the first thing that springs to mind. But as the cost-of-living soars, creating a more welcoming and inspiring atmosphere at home could be the answer to expensive holidays. And as we can never rely on the British weather, it’s always worth investing some time into sprucing up your sitting room, so you can enjoy your home come rain or shine!

So, how can you create the perfect summer look for your living room this year without spending a fortune? Little inexpensive touches can go a long way. From biophilic design to “barkitecture”, we look at the latest interior décor trends to find ways you can refresh your living room on a budget this summer.

Create a relaxing space

As this year had a bumpy start, many people are using the term “pandemic hangover” to describe the general mood and feeling. So, the interior theme for 2022 is “self-care”. Your living room needs to be a welcoming, practical and relaxing space for you to unwind after a busy day. The room has to work for you, so think about how the room is used and easy ways to upscale simple elements, like furnishings, furniture, objects and houseplants.

Broken plan living

Continuing with the self-care theme, the current trend is zoning off areas to create spaces dedicated to wellbeing and physical health. As many of us have been living together in close proximity for the past two years, a new design concept has been born - “broken plan living”. Look at the functionality of your living room in terms of eating, working, relaxing, and so on. Split the room into zones using a shelving unit, freestanding screen, plants or a comfy sofa.

Calming, soothing colours

When it comes to your living room, think about ways you can boost relaxation with calming, neutral and natural tones, which will reflect the summer sunlight. Natural greens are the on-trend colour palette for 2022, so offset pale furnishings with sage, mint or olive walls. Or use a green shade to anchor in design elements, cushions or a designer-inspired accent chair. Create a layered effect with a limited spectrum of colours, linking your living room together.

Connect a space to nature
Biophilic design has been trending for the past year and this is set to continue. Connect your garden to your living room with a large, strategically placed plant in your living room or a hanging plant display. If you’ve divided a space up with a shelving unit, drape trailing plants along the top to bring a sense of nature into your home. Use plants to create a cosy, peaceful nook where you can sit back in your favourite reclining armchair and read a book.

Inspire with natural beauty

This year, there’s been a resurgence of people incorporating wooden elements into their interior design. Rustic textures, flooring and furniture create a sense of character and warmth when you need a cosy space on a rainy summer’s day. Mirrors will reflect outside elements, helping to bring nature into your space. Add an international vibe with boho-style weaves, throws and rugs influenced by patterns from India, Africa and the Americas.

Florals and country patterns

Country maximalism might be an unfamiliar term, but this year it’s all about the florals! Continuing with the nature theme, wildflowers such as poppies, foxgloves and buttercups are appearing on floral patterns for furnishings. Pretty meadow-style prints can give a room a real countryside feel, even if you’re living in a busy urban setting. If you live in an apartment, fill a window box or balcony planters with wildflowers to help dwindling bee populations.

Luxury spaces for pets

Heard of “barkitecture”? One of the biggest trends this year is designing luxury spaces for your pets. We’re not talking about pet-proofed areas, this is all about incorporating your pet’s needs into your interior scheme. For utility areas, people are installing built-in dog showers to wash muddy post-walk paws. For your living room, think cat scratching posts that blend in with your décor scheme or dog-friendly corners with matching beds and play accessories.

While summer isn’t traditionally a time most people invest in their home interiors, things have changed since the pandemic. We appreciate and spend more time in our homes than ever before. And we deserve to live in a healthier, more enjoyable environment that works for us.

Spending a little on your home interiors can give you a big reward. When you factor in all the time you use your living room, splashing out on some inspiring décor is a great investment.

Make your living room the perfect place to relax this summer with the latest items from our collection of recliners, accent chairs and sofas. If you need advice, contact our friendly, expert customer service team – use our online web chat tool.