Styling for the summer

Summer is here! Oddly so, there’s a low pressure area near Mindanao and it is raining as I write this. But that’s a weather bump that doesn’t stop the onslaught of the hot season.

The days of summer come with many associations, one of which is the idea of rest and recreation. Family holidays, beaches and halo-halo figure greatly in our summer imaginings, and with that, mountaintop cabañas, seaside dwellings and outdoor living.

For most, summer days are experienced under the roofs of our very own homes and workplaces—save for the few who can work from anywhere and can take time off for an extended period for the summer holidays. Hence, when we can’t head out to our vacation spots, we can instead recreate the relaxing and leisurely vacation setting at home.

Here are a few ways to bring in that sun-kissed summer vibe:

Accessorize with natural materials as they connect us to nature. Decor like stone, wood and other organic materials like abaca and seagrass bring us closer to the outdoors. Functional accessories like placemats, candelabra, storage baskets, wooden trays or platters, pebbles, and stone slabs, not only allow us to experience nature visually, but also provide a closer, more direct and tactile encounter with them.

Bring in the greenery and be a little extra when taking plants indoors. Plants with variegated colors and patterns, and especially those with large leaves simulate tropical vegetation. While I like potted plants, I very much enjoy leaf cuttings as they allow me to introduce greenery to areas that will not accommodate large and heavy pots.

Moreover, cuttings allow you to use sizable leaves and fronds, making it easy to saturate your spaces with an overwhelmingly tropical atmosphere. Wall covers with leaf patterns can also do the job of recreating the outdoors inside. Use them especially for areas with limited views of the outdoors.

Change your window treatments. Or supplement them with another layer using sheer material like translucent voile or a thin gauzy fabric. Sheer materials filter the stark summer sunlight and soften these into diffused light.

Because of their lightness, these fabrics move with the shifting breeze, allowing you to experience the season’s air movement both visually and kinesthetically. Another more permanent approach is to introduce plantation shutters. They do the same filtering and softening although not as diffused as fabric, and not as easy to procure, fabricate and install.

Use fabrics from natural fibers for upholstery. Natural fibers have a cooling effect, and that’s largely because they are more porous and breathable than synthetic fibers. Fabrics made from linen, jute and cotton are also usually woven in simpler, hence more casual, weaves and patterns.

For existing pieces of furniture that you would like to restyle without going through an expensive reupholstery, utilize these fabrics on throw pillows, as bed runners and as slipcovers, fringes draping onto the floor for a more slackened feel.

Change the temperature of your daytime lighting. While yellow lights work wonderfully for the rainy season when you want more warmth and coziness, they may feel a bit too hot and toasty during the summer months.

Bright and cool lighting or a hot white environment work best for the summer months. Tone down the yellows by using more neutral toned lighting in the color temperature range of 3500 to 4000 kelvin, with the higher of the range for workspaces and task areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Keep your warmer lighting for small lighting appliances like table lamps and bedside lamps.

Use cooler colors from the pastel blue and green spectrum. These simulate the color of the sky and the sea. They remind us of other bodies of water and of ice, and thus have a cooling effect visually. Moreover, they balance off the harsher yellows of the strong summer sunlight.

For the most cooling of their hues, apply them in their light and icy pastel tones and use them in their variation of color gradients, as this will create a less formal and more relaxed atmosphere.

Until the cool rainy months truly set in, enjoy the colors and textures of summer!

Ar. Isabel Berenguer Asuncion is a practicing architect and one of the two Principal Architects at Asuncion-Berenguer Inc., an architectural design and interior architectural design practice. @isabelbasuncion

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