The days are getting longer. The smell of fresh-cut grass and a hint of honeysuckle lingers. Summer 2025 is inviting us to slow down and ease into the season.
Whether you’ll mostly spend your time in a sunny kitchen sipping your favorite iced beverage or lounging on the porch in your favorite chair or hammock, this summer’s design trends have something for you. You’ll find rich, vibrant colors, loads of nature, and the only real “rule” is to make your space your own.
Time to check in with some experts to find design inspiration for the laidback ease of porch life’s golden season. Let’s say hello to summer, shall we?
Outdoor Spaces…
Inside Out
Bringing the comforts of your inside vibe outside has never been easier. As DecorMatters’ Rose Morrison shares, “Outdoor furniture has grown more stylish in recent years, making it easier to create full living room setups in your backyard.”
Classic rattan and wicker outdoor pieces remain, but curved and scalloped shapes that are so popular indoors are joining in. As A-List designer Celerie Kemble tells Elle Decor, “…my clients expect their outdoor furniture to have character and to be as comfortable as their indoor furniture. No more hard flat teak or soggy thin cushions and simple right angles.”
Same for colors and patterns as Mackenzie Collier Interior’s Chloe Judge told The Spruce, “Colorful patios are taking over in 2025, replacing neutral tones with bold, vibrant designs. The goal is to create an inviting, vacation-like atmosphere right at home.”
And Morrison recommends something yummy too, “…outdoor kitchens can have stoves, brick ovens, sinks, and countertops for food prep. These setups transform your yard into a cozy gathering and alfresco dining space for your family and friends.”
Welcoming Wellness
Cultivating wellness through your outdoor space continues to trend. Horticulturist Kyle Cahil told The Edge, “The connection between outdoor spaces and mental health is well-documented, and more clients are requesting designs that encourage relaxation and mindfulness. Elements like meditation gardens, soft lighting, and soothing water features are increasingly popular.”
In AD Pro, architect Grant Kirkpatrick says, “Wellness, in general, is more effectively achieved with a close connection to natural light, gardens, and ventilation.” And landscape architect Nick Fobes, in conversation with Veranda, agrees, “Everyone wants a sanctuary. A great outdoor space should feel like an escape from the world, a place to recharge and connect. People want spaces that feel effortless, not overdone.”
It comes together outdoors thanks to nature itself. And the power of upholstery gives you a comfy front row seat to it all. Nice.
Offering Oasis
Whether you’re lounging poolside or on a small patio or porch, landscape expert Colin Boggon tells Livingetc, creating a sustainable, usable oasis is within reach, “It’s all about layers and flexibility, finding smart ways to zone a garden without sacrificing flow, beauty, or atmosphere. A dining area can double as a workspace; a corner seat can become a morning coffee nook or an evening storytelling spot for kids. It’s functional, but also deeply personal.”
A favorite theme or vacation-vibe is a great place to look for inspiration.
Like the expansive vibes of the Mediterranean. Talking with The Irish Sun, Valspar Paint interiors expert Lucy Steele says, “The Mediterranean style is all about laid-back charm, sun-soaked colour palettes, rustic textures, and a mix of old-world elegance with natural elements. Don’t overthink it! Focus on comfort, simplicity, and a connection to nature. Think creamy whites, burnt oranges, sandy yellows, vibrant greens, and blues.”
Inside Spaces…
Outside Inside
Textures, colors, and natural features help blur the line between your outside and inside design vibe — aka, Biophilic design. Designer Kelly Collins reminds us in Swyft Home’s blog that those colors and textures change with the seasons, too. “The best thing about spring and summer is how much time we all spend outside. Biophilic design is about bringing that feeling of the outdoors in.”
Homes & Gardens is loving how this year’s hottest colors conjure up those natural feels, um, naturally. Like designer Victoria Ymar’s reveling in the way pistachio green “brings in a soft, organic feel without overwhelming the space, and reflects natural light beautifully, making it perfect for a fresh look.” And designer Kathy Kuo is eating up how earthy chocolate brown is “great for adding depth and sophistication to a space, and it can easily act as a perfect contrast with lighter neutrals like beige, sand, and cream.”
Bottom line: Whether you’re reupholstering or just switching out curtains, throw pillows, or duvet covers, use natural elements and tones to bring the outside inside through colors, patterns, and textures.
Summer Sanctuary
Bringing wellness vibes inside is hot, and color offers an easy win here, too. Like Dulux’s color of the year, “True Joy.”
Laura Ashley’s head of design, Helen Ashmore, describes the buttery yellow benefits to Woman&Home, “Capturing the optimism of spring and the energy of summer…butter yellow shades have a gentle luminosity that reflects natural light beautifully, helping to make spaces feel sunnier, lighter and more spacious.” Lena Gierasinks of Barker and Stonehouse adds “It’s a wonderful choice for areas where you want to inspire a sense of ease and connection, without overwhelming the senses.”
How about a bedroom sanctuary this summer?
In Better Homes & Gardens, Yelp’s Tara Lewis has a budget-friendly hack for doing just that, “…tons of Yelpers are seeking help remodeling their bedroom in ways that put sleep front and center…If you don’t have the means for a complete makeover, budget-friendly options include adding blackout curtains and plugging in an air purifier.”
(We’ve got you covered for that — or at least your windows covered. *wink*)
Maximum Personality
Designing around your personality often means layers of treasured items like photos, art, and more. And experts are playing with pattern and color drenching — drenching a room floor through the ceiling.
In House Beautiful (HB), designer Isabel Ladd offers a twist, “…the fresh take on this trend is drenching the room in a kaleidoscope of varying patterns.” HB adds “…juxtaposition is key, so you’ll want to choose a grounding pattern to coexist with your main one.”
Truss Interiors’ Julee Wray loves color drenching, “Going big with the maximalist approach of color on ceilings, walls, and trim can be a commitment, but one totally worth the risk,” with HB adding, “find a hue you love and stick with it, but be sure to break up the empty space with other pieces of decor where you can.”
Whatever degree of boldness you desire, designing with intentionality alone creates magic.
For Exclusively to Design, that means simplicity, “neutrals aren’t boring—they’re elevated. Designers are embracing texture as a storytelling element: pairing materials like bouclé, linen, reclaimed wood, marble, travertine, and glass in ways that create tactile richness.” In short, there’s “an opportunity to align form with feeling, luxury with lifestyle, and beauty with meaning.”
Here Comes The Sun
Whether the summer finds you inside or out, we hope our experts today have added a splash of inspiration for bringing home a bit more relaxation, connection, and blissful release. And we’re here to help you with all your fabric needs along the way.
Links:
DecorMatters
Elle Decor
The Spruce
The Edge
AD Pro
Veranda
upholstery
Livingetc
The Irish Sun
Biophilic
Swyft Home’s
Homes & Gardens
True Joy
Woman&Home
Better Homes & Gardens
windows
House Beautiful
Exclusively to Design
linen
help
fabric