Enrich Your Spring/Summer Styling with Neale Whitaker

As the sun starts to shine brighter and the temperatures rise, I’ve started to put the heavy layers away and break out the lighter weight and airier pieces. One of the versatile attributes of my range is that the pieces are all very trans-seasonal, and it only takes a few small tweaks to flip them from one season to another.

I always love a new season, as I introduce some new pieces to reenergise and complement the existing range. Each piece in the ongoing collection is reinvigorated as it has new design friends to hang out with.

Defining My Style

So how do I describe my style? It’s a good question, and the short answer is my style is all about mixing styles. I’m equally modern as I am classic, and I find it hard to go past vintage pieces. My one constant is quality. That doesn’t mean expensive. You can deliver extraordinary design on a budget. I’ve always liked colour and eccentricity. I embrace the challenge of mixing and matching pieces to create a style that feels completely my own but also welcoming and easy to live in.

Creating a Beautiful Space

My recent farm stay accommodation build on our property, Taylors of Berry (please feel free to book online anytime), was a fantastic dive into creating a beautiful space. I loved the process of collecting pieces, choosing hardware, and creating a home away from home that was inviting and luxuriously relaxed.

Tips for Designing Your Home

But how does one actually do it? How can you design a home that feels eclectic and unique but still elevated and not a jumble of odd bits and pieces? Here are my 4 top tips:

1.      Start with a Vision

Start with a vision of the space in your head. Yes, it will take a detour, but having a vision to start the process is very beneficial. Also helpful is to pick a hero colour and some shades that complement it. Remember that all spaces need dimension with light and shade. Determine where that colour will go – on the walls or in the furnishings. It helps to create a mood board and plot on a page the scale of the room and what’s going where. Buying aimlessly will only create frustration and costly mistakes.

2.      Buy the Basics First

When you start with a space, there are various essential pieces that you need right off the bat. A sofa, a table, and a bed, to name a few. These provide the foundational canvas to start creating the rest of the room. Stick to the colours in your palette and pick one wow factor initially per room. Yes, you can layer in more as you go, but start there. Once these elements are in, you will get a real feel of the space and what else is needed. This summer, I’m preparing to rework the bedrooms in my own cottage and in the holiday rental. I have two new quilt covers that will work perfectly and add classic but modern charm. The Otto Quilt Cover Set in an oversized yarn-dye check in clay and granite that is sophisticated and classic with a touch of playfulness. The pattern isn’t overwhelming but adds enough interest to create a layered look. It also boasts a smaller check reverse pattern for extra versatility. Similarly, the Tallowa Quilt Cover Set, which includes a cover and two pillowcases in a rich ochre new weave cotton with braided seam detailing in a thicker weave premium cotton, gives a bold statement colour burst. The simple addition of changing up the bed linen will change the whole feel of the room.

3.      Mix in Vintage

Now that you have your essentials, it’s time to mix in a few eclectic pieces with loads of personality. Some vintage lighting, beautiful art, and modern pieces mixed with vintage tell a style story. Even if the products are not literally older, I tend to lean into products that have a vintage vibe. They are a nod to another design era or have a lived-in quality. My Porto Cushions with their beautiful stitch detailing embody this quality. They are in a linen and cotton blend, providing a beautiful hand feel, with a reverse of 100% cotton muslin. Available in three amazing colours with contrasting thread – Dark Olive, Mocha, and Natural Olive. The relaxed fringe edge has the patina of being used and loved for a long time.

4.      Add the Finishing Touches

How does one make a space feel cozy and lived in? I have learned that the key here is three things: art, plants, and beautiful textiles. In the textile area, you can’t go wrong with my new long line Oscar Lumbar Cushions. Such a versatile size, featuring a textured ticking stitch cotton blend, with a muslin cotton reverse, and fringe detailing. Great for the couch or on the bed, it coordinates with the bed linen, other cushions, throws, coverlets, and Euros in the range. Actually, I’m going to add books – so that’s four things. Put one of each of these in any room, and you have a winning formula.

Don’t Forget the Utility Spaces

It’s easy to forget the bathroom, but adding some beautiful but practical pieces elevates the space and makes you enjoy the space so much more. I’m delighted to launch two new colour options to my popular Textured Stripe Towel Collection available from October. There are generous bath sheets, bath towels, hand towels, and bathmats in this unique knit weave double-ply combed cotton collection expertly made by artisan weavers in India. I’m predicting they will be a huge hit this summer.

Trends and Personal Preferences

Trends come and go, and while I love and embrace them, I ultimately decorate the way I want. I think it’s good advice for everyone.

I also think as style evolves, spaces evolve to reflect how you are using that space and what the season is. There are no rights or wrongs – you evolve too, so do what feels right and what works for you.

I hope this helps elevate your summer home styling and provides inspiration for creating spaces that are uniquely yours!

Explore more from the Neale Whitaker range today.