When was the last time you really had a relaxing summer? You know, the kind where you actually sleep in and ignore the early morning light. The kind where the sound of a neighbour’s weed hacker lulls you into an afternoon nap, or the kind where you doze off at the beach under the shade of a grass umbrella and the sound of waves lapping on the shore? Well, if you’re anything like me, reminiscing about these events is probably the closest you’ve been in a while! Summer breeze- makes me feel fine, and I’m planning on sharing some trends that will help bring you back to those lazy days and peaceful nights… Here’s what you need to know!
The first summer trend you need to know is that it all starts with the swing chair or swing bed – do you remember those from way back? As with a number of design trends, things that were popular 10-20 years ago will often have a resurgence in a different demographic. When I was a kid, the cool kids were the ones that had those canopy-covered hanging swings, often rusty and definitely squeaky! They were usually in some bright turquoise or hedonistic orange! Anyway, these days, various forms of swings have made their way back into our homes and gardens. The options are endless depending on your style and also your budget. I wanted to highlight the garden variety and the more sophisticated and uber sexy variety! Check these out!
This black hexagon hanging chair is from Sunbrella. Plenty of fabric and colour choices with this unique piece. This swing would work on any covered porch or purpose-built pergola.
What I like about this swing- is the simplicity of design! It is fresh and clean and would work as shown in an open area, but also on a covered back porch with a minimalist vibe.
Here is a beautiful organic form that would suit the deck by your pool. Oh pool boy…
Alright- moving on! The second summer trend that will have you swaying softly is the fresh air shower! No longer an extravagance, the outdoor shower has become an extension of the home with folks creating garden nooks and lush private spaces so you can attach the garden hose straight onto the spigot in your backyard! The outdoor shower is here to stay and you certainly don’t need to live in a hot climate to have one!
This structural shower with gorgeous slatted feature wall is set beautifully against the grey colour of the home and mirrors the architectural detail in the ceiling lines- warm and modern!
This bright and open shower would suit a coastal or cottage vibe with these painted concrete blocks and encaustic cement tile as a shower base – nice wood decking keeps the space grounded.
These grey stones with wood slats on top help create a spa-like environment and keep the area functional and modern.
The last summer trend that will have you relaxing all night long is the addition of outdoor lighting- in particular string lights Whether you choose to hang lights from trees or under canopy, or whether you have a pergola or stationery structure, the ambience and light of string lights is definitely a winner. Personally, I like to string mine across wide open spaces and plop on soft-padded chairs to read a book or sip on a nice glass of Prosecco! Perhaps you have a covered deck and outdoor movie screen option? Maybe you even have a built-in fireplace or pizza oven that you can congregate around? Oh…well we’ll have to save that for another story!
Twinkle, Twinkle- relax and mingle! These lights are perfect strung across this open and inviting space adding just the right amount of sparkle and shine!
What could be more magical than lights swinging from a tree and reflecting in the still waters of a pool? Oh- so relaxing and can’t you just hear the chinking of glasses in the background?
This last one I’ve added because these string lights are used here to delineate the outdoor space. You can see that there is a large yard – the small rocks and the string lights are enclosing the space and really creating an intimate area that is specific to lounging by this fireplace. Great idea!
I hope I’ve given you some fresh ideas for how you can follow along on a few of the latest summer trends for the backyard! Wishing you warm days swinging in your swing chair, refreshing showers in your fresh and funky outdoor shower and chillaxing vibes hanging in your yard, string lights twinkling softly and the murmur of voices in the background! Happy July!
