Comin' in Hot - Design Tricks For Hot Weather
By Max Birkin for House of Henley
Extremes of weather send us spinning into crisis here in England; freakish snow blizzards shut down all forms of transport and inspire us to vainly throw Himalayan rock salt over the drive (“it must do something”) whilst heatwaves leave us soaked in sweat and wishing for rain. Similarly, our homes are not equipped to deal with blistering heat and so many an August night is spent laying wide awake on top of the sheets, cursing whoever invented double-glazing and effective insulation. Of course, the only fool proof solution to beating the heat lays not in design, but in doing absolutely nothing all day and drinking ice cold G&Ts. Nonetheless, there are some design tips that can help to alleviate the pain of an English summer, all of which can be retrospectively added to your home both easily and relatively cheaply.
Start with the windows
Picture Credit: At Home with Hostmaker
Leafing through the summer issue of any interior magazine is always rather painful – nobody wants to look at pretty Puglian trullos or expansive Andalucian stud farms whilst slowly melting in a three-bedroom terraced house in Clapham. However, what we can learn from the owner-occupiers of any purpose-built sun-shrine is the importance of window dressings. It is not enough to just throw open a window and draw a heavy velvet curtain across the aperture to ‘block out the light’- what you really need are white shutters. These will moderate airflow, restrict sunlight and give you added privacy when you’ve been forced to strip down to essential clothing only. To really add to the Mamma Mia fantasy, hang flowing curtains in a thin and lightweight fabric, like linen or cotton. These will filter out the worst of the sunlight but also allow the breeze to blow into your room and lower the temperature. The added benefit is that they will billow prettily, adding some dynamism to the room and imitating the romantic drama of, say, a balcony in Verona where two star-cross’d lovers might gaze upon each other…just try to ignore the traffic noise.
Bedding & PJ’s
Picture Credit: Imperfect Interiors
Heat makes sleep impossible, especially since we, as a nation, enthusiastically adopted the European tradition of the duvet some years ago and never looked back. It is almost certain that Brexit will require a return to starched sheets, hospital corners and woollen blankets, which (blankets aside) is the perfect way the prepare for bedtime in tropical heat. Choose sheets only in natural materials; cotton is ideal, linen a close second. Look at The White Company* for top quality sheets in the only acceptable colour for bed linen (that’s white, in case you hadn’t guessed) or if you fancy something a little more luxurious but just as elegant and cooling, take a look at Gayle Warwick’s beautiful range. As for what to wear to bed, look for loose fitting pyjamas in silk or very thin cotton - avoid flannelette unless Mary Poppins is putting you to bed. Olivia von Halle has always led the charge here, and her pyjamas are so stunning and so well fitted you’ll end up wearing them to the shop and will receive nothing but compliments. However, the best solution, especially after spending so much money on totally natural bedsheets made from 100% (sustainably produced) cotton, is simply to make like Marilyn Monroe and go to bed wearing only Chanel No.5*.
The American dream
Picture Credit: House & Garden
The Americans may not be getting terribly much right at the moment, but with their time-honoured tradition of summering in the Hamptons they certainly set an envy-inducing example for the rest of us. The English equivalent is probably packing up the car and shelling out for a cottage in Cornwall for two weeks, only for it to pour with rain for 90% of your stay. Instead, consider taking direct inspiration from the laidback ease of Sagaponack and Eastport, and bring a little (tasteful) Americana into your own home. Whitewash your walls, sand down your floorboards, chuck out unnecessary clutter and free up sightlines to windows and the outdoors. Try to make your garden or balcony as comfortable and inviting as the rest of your home – the Americans are very good at using the Great Outdoors as an extension of their living space. In the garden, you could start with pots of overflowing hydrangeas in white or blue, before sprucing up your seating area with chair cushions and tablecloths in faded red, white or blue fabrics (ticking and gingham are ideal). Sunbrella do the best outdoor fabrics in a range of cheering colours and designs; an orange and white striped parasol from them will take your garden from Southampton, England, to Southampton, New York.
Hopefully these tips might put paid to the wonderful British tradition of whining about the sun when it comes out and mourning its loss when it starts to rain again. A final word of caution, however; remember that we are blessed only with a few weeks of glorious weather. In no time at all you'll be pulling on wellies and brushing mud off coats, wondering if you’ve got enough firewood in and whether your store of baked beans will sustain you if the Ocado delivery is cancelled due to inclement weather. Do not, therefore, open up all of your exterior walls to the elements, rip out fireplaces or install air conditioning - you live in Ipswich, not Ibiza.
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