With summer lurking around the corner, it's time to think about keeping cool. However, we're not just talking in the physical sense; summer offers a fantastic natural palette to transform your home into a sanctuary from the sun. However, this doesn't mean you've got to give up the Great Outdoors. The current trend is to bring the outside indoors, so you can enjoy all the ambiance of sitting outside without getting burnt to a crisp. If your home needs a little refreshing and you're stuck for ideas, check out our suggestions for living room pieces to brighten up your home this summer.

See the light

Despite the rise in temperature, your living room is where you go to relax. Unlike the kitchen and dining room, there's no need for hustle and bustle. The first piece of furniture that guests and visitors will notice is your sofa. Its style helps set the tone for the rest of the home, so if you're looking to make people feel welcome and comfortable during the giddy heat of summer, think about lighter colors and fabrics. Natural tones, soft greys, and ivories offer a breezy feel to your living room instead of the heavy depth of colors offered by leather and darker fabrics.

Keeping things cool 

Similarly, a contemporary approach can help to add a touch of freshness to your living room. While natural wood has a timeless beauty, choosing more minimalist furniture helps to suggest a room that's cooler than what's going on outside. Modern furniture benefits from a cleaner, simpler design, which isn't necessarily designed with warmth in mind. Instead, they offer an uncluttered backdrop against which your guests can cool off and chill out. However, modern sofas don’t have to be completely basic. Check out the Crate and Barrel range of sectional sofas to see how you can adapt your living room furniture to create a fresh and soothing space that everyone will want to enjoy.

Wood or wood not?

However, while we're at it, choosing a sofa with clean lines gives you a chance to experiment with other aspects of your living room. With the couch taking center stage, you can afford a little more license with other pieces of furniture, such as coffee and accent tables. If your living room feels a little too spartan, beef it up with wooden furniture. Wood's enduring appeal is welcome on even the warmest days - as long as it's not overwhelming. Our range of coffee and accent tables offers just the right amount of balance between fabric and wood to allow you to create a space that's as aesthetic as it is practical. Have a look at dynamic pieces, such as our Dillon Spalted Primavera Round Wood Coffee Table or, if your living room is on the smaller side, statement furniture, such as our Baja Console Table Natural. Depending on your lifestyle choices, either will add some weight to your living room without detracting from the overall feel of bringing the outdoors indoors.
With a vast choice of living room furniture made by established and up-and-coming designers, you can stay on-trend without sacrificing your personal style.