Summer is well and truly under way, and if you haven’t changed up your bedroom to get it feeling breezy and cool, then what are you waiting for? You don’t have to completely redecorate every time the seasons change, but with these ideas, you can tweak your bedroom to keep it feeling fresh in the hot weather.
From swapping out your bed linen for lighter fabrics to adding in houseplants for their cooling properties, there's loads you can do!
change up your bed
Photo credit: @mommytotommy | Products: Hebden Mélange Stripe 100% Cotton Duvet Cover Set Natural, Orson Beige Tufted Cushion, Jasper Herringbone Throw Feather
The main event of your bedroom (the bed) definitely needs a change up for the hotter weather. Gone are those faux furs, the knitted throws and the snuggly duvet. Instead, you need natural fabrics to increase airflow and lighter colours to help your room feel like the height of summer.
First, check the tog on your duvet. The higher the tog number, the warmer it will be. If you’ve been sleeping with a 15 tog duvet, now’s the time to swap it for a lighter one – sleeping will be so much easier.
When it comes to your bed linen, cotton bedding is the perfect summer material. It's made from plant fibres, which means that it's breathable and cool to the touch. You can find a wide range of patterns, colours and textures with cotton too, so there's no compromise on style for a cooler bed.
Want to get rid of the duvet altogether? Try a cotton throw – it’ll provide you with some cover but without any of the heaviness of a proper duvet.
Don’t forget about your accent cushions either! Even though you don’t need it to be as cosy, it can still be the perfect styling opportunity. Choose animal and leaf print cushions for a tropical feel, or go for floral for something more feminine.
Read our bedding buying guide.
block out the light
Products: Barbados Shell Made to Measure Curtains, Vintage Chinoiserie Teal Floral Made to Measure Curtains
Blackout blinds and blackout curtains work two fold when it comes to summer sleeping. When you keep them drawn during the day, they’ll help to stop the light from supercharging the room and keep it on the cooler side. On top of this, you’ll be able to sleep longer when the sun comes up in the early hours, bonus!
Our blackout curtains and blinds come in a wide range of different colours and styles, so you’ll never have to compromise on style. Whether you're looking for florals, tropical prints or textured sumptuousness, you'll find the perfect window dressing with us.
Read our curtain buying guide.
introduce summery colours
photo credit: @halfpaintedhouse | Products: Claybourne Mélange 100% Cotton Duvet Cover Set Blush, Cosmo Velvet Cushion Blue, Leveque Velvet Jacquard Cushion Ochre/Blush, Boho Cotton Tufted Throw Ochre, Jewel Herringbone Throw Ochre
If you fancy more of an overhaul, or you already have a light colour scheme, consider introducing a summer-inspired colour palette. It’ll give your room a new lease of life for the summer time.
A white bedroom can easily take on a number of summery themes, from blue accents, soft stripes and coastal motifs for a beach theme, to terracotta, Moroccan art and rustic finishes for a Mediterranean-inspired space.
Bold florals are an excellent way to evoke the freshness of summer, and they work particularly well in a bedroom. You can use them in your bed linen, your cushions and even your artwork. Pair with houseplants and fresh cut flowers and it’ll feel like summer every day of the year.
Yellow, the colour of sunshine and lemons, is the epitome of summer. A symbol of happiness, optimism and energy, it’s a colour associated with the sun, making it an ideal colour to celebrate summer. Paint the walls yellow if you want to go all in, or add it in as an accent colour to your bed cushions.
Read our cushion buying guide.
use natural materials
Photo credit: @louisa_no37 | @lucys_hillside_house | Products: Hebden Mélange Stripe 100% Cotton Duvet Cover Set Natural, Ezra Embroidered Cushion Grey, Jasper Herringbone Throw Feather, Sundown Woven Tufted Stripe Throw Natural, Otto Cushion Black/Natural
Natural fibres, like wood, wicker and linen, feel infinitely more summery, so if you have the opportunity to add them in or swap them out for heavier materials, then do! It could be in the form of a jute rug, a cotton throw or set of wooden bedside tables.
You could even swap out your curtains from tartan wool ones or traditional jacquard to lighter ones – both in colour and in fabric. Yellow floral curtains or duck egg blue striped in cotton are perfect for summer.
swap out your artwork
Photo credit: @sevenpalmtreehouse | Products: Haze Tufted Pillow Sham Peach, Holbury Mélange Stripe 100% Cotton Duvet Cover Set Ochre, Blume Cushions
If you want to bring summer into your bedroom, then a quick way to instantly transform your space is to change your wall art. Think beach scenes, summery colours and florals – even vintage travel prints! You could get your holiday snaps out too to get in the mood.
add house plants
Photo credit: @homewithhelenandco | Products: Bali Palm Botanical Duvet Cover Set Green,
Did you know plants can help to keep a room cool? Their natural processes include ‘transpiration’ which is where some of the water that they draw up through their roots evaporates from their leaves, cooling the air.
Indoor plants are more popular than ever, so your bedroom will be kept cool and be on-trend. They have mental and physical health benefits as well, such as reducing stress and boosting creativity. Snake plants, rubber plants and weeping figs are all easy to look after, will lower the temperature in the room and can even improve air quality too.
keep it cool
Photo credit: @missbethany | Products: Boho Cotton Tufted Throw Ochre, Ashram Eye Cushion Monochrome, Ecuador Cushion Emerald/Natural, Ecuador Cushion Natural/Emerald
Once your bedroom is summer ready, it’s time to lower the temperature so sleeping is easier. There are loads of hacks for getting your bedroom (and your body) cool, but these three are our favourite.
- Pop your bedding in the freezer – just pop your bedding into a zip-lock bag and pop it in the freezer for an hour before you go to sleep. Your bed will be the coolest place to be.
- Use a fan with ice in front of it – a bucket of ice placed in front of your fan will create a cold breeze, helping to lower the temperature.
- Cool your pulse points with cold flannels – if you can’t cool the room, cool yourself. Soaking a flannel with cold water and popping it on your wrists and neck will help lower your body temperature.
Header image credit: @raineysresidence
