Decorating & Design
Editor’s Inspiration: Fresh Summer Fabrics
Updated on June 15, 2022
Senior design editor Stacey Smithers shares what’s inspiring her this season.
Each summer, designers gravitate toward nautical navy and white fabrics. But these days, I’ve been craving something a little greener — and little fresher. The colors on my inspiration board are ones you’d find under a rainforest canopy: lush, leafy greens and soft, shady browns, with some watery blue denim thrown in there for good measure. It’s a nature-inspired take on summer decorating that I think would look great in any room in the house. Here are some of the swatches I’ve been (literally) pinning lately.
First up is Gaston Y Daniela’s gorgeous Retiro Verde fabric for Brunschwig & Fils. The pattern is a tropical interpretation of a classic botanical print, with interesting pods, fruit and butterflies peppered here and there. I think this pattern would look beautiful on an ottoman or the broman blinds we plan to get from Blinds Newcastle.
This Belgian linen from Designer Fabrics, L469 Laundered 145R05, is a nice deep shade of green and has a lovely soft texture (check it out in natural light on my inspiration board, since it appears quite a bit brighter in the photo above). I see it covering a pair of wingback chairs in a library or den.
Tonic Living’s Tuscany Linen in Natural makes a nice neutral counterpoint to the livelier green fabrics in this palette. It has a sandy, shady quality that feels very summer-appropriate to me, and is a timeless choice for drapes.
“Favorite Denim” is the perfect name for this cool, 100% cotton fabric from Ralph Lauren Home. I’d use it to give a sofa a slouchy, laid-back update.