Bring the sunshine in

With the easy, breezy Kiwi summer beckoning, we talked to three leading New Zealand interior designers about the upcoming season’s design cues and tips for freshening up your space for the hottest months.

YVETTE JAY

Interior designer Yvette Jay believes the key themes of this season’s interior design centre around colour, with confident, high-contrast hues leading the charge, alongside neutral tones, such as beige and linen, to balance the richness. Gelato colours are also appearing on the scene – pretty and easy to live with, they are perfectly timed for the start of summer.

Jay says, “Big, bold and confident prints are hot for summer 18/19. Tropical and botanical prints are strong and everywhere – one of my favourites is Dominique Kieffer’s “Foliage”, which has large-scale shaded palms digitally printed on the open weave fabric.

For a cost-effective way to shrug off winter’s layers, Jay recommends decluttering your space and then simplifying, and to concentrate on curating rather than decorating. Focus on a classic palette with textures like raffia and sisal, and add tropical foliage and plants for colour and sculptural interest.

And her top interior design tip for easy summer living? It’s all about the day bed. “Every home needs one of these generously-sized hybrids between a chaise lounge, sofa and bed. They are the perfect place to spend lounging on hot days and warm evenings and evoke a tropical lifestyle. My dream summer day bed is on a terrace with great ocean views and some shelter from the midday heat and prevailing winds,” she says.

FROBISHER

Lucy Wilkie, senior interior architect at Frobisher, says that for her, some key ideas for this season include bringing the outside in with indoor plants, and a focus on natural elements, including textures such as rattan and wood, and fabrics such as cotton and linen.

“Paint is also huge this season, with a real mix of bold blues and greens, plum, pastel pinks and gold. I love exploring colour and unexpected colour combinations,” she says.

To easily add a sense of summer to any space in a quick and easy way, fresh flowers and scented candles add a sense of luxury and relaxation.

There’s no need for a trip to the florist – green, glossy branches picked from shrubs and placed in a simple glass jar can instantly transform a space.

There’s also nothing summerier than linen, Wilkie says. “Use linen tea towels in the kitchen, cushion covers for the sofa or large euro pillows in the bedroom to lighten up and freshen your space.”

Wilkie’s top summer design tips include keeping spaces uncluttered, with any flowers and foliage fresh… and to enjoy the warm weather with a chilled rosé on hand.

BORGES DESIGN

Bright colour comes back into the fore this season according to Luciana Borges, director of Borges Design, along with the use of florals and tropical luxe with a metallic touch. Organic materials are becoming more popular as clients search for comfort, detail and character in their homes rather than a structured, minimalist look.

Borges says, “Rugs, cushions and soft furnishings will be knitted, fluffy and feature fringes with a blend of colours for this upcoming season. Dare I say we are in for a blend of the classical mid-century look, with the shapes and forms of Art Deco and the playful feel of the ‘80s.”  

In terms of outdoor dining, Borges believes we are moving into more elegant, comfortable dining experiences with a greater emphasis on proper tableware, flowers and candles to decorate.

With New Zealand’s strong UV rays, she recommends investing in sunshades, “which not only enhance the textures and aesthetics of your furniture but also provide much-needed shelter from our intense, burning sun.”

What is particularly Kiwi about interior design for the upcoming summer? Borges believes that because of our climate, more earthy and natural tones tend to work well on our shores, in contrast to Europe, where white and bright colours are more predominant. New Zealanders have a focus on understated luxury, with a direct connection to nature and a highly sustainable bent.

Finally, Borges' top tips for summer interior design are to “start with a spring clean, it feels great to free up the old and let the new in. Invest in outdoor lighting to create better ambience for those long summer evening gatherings, and, lastly, invite your outdoors in. When we think summer, we automatically think indoor-outdoor flow, so bringing plants indoors is a healthy, easy way to make that connection that works in any season.”

Words by ArchiPro editor Amelia Melbourne-Hayward.