Sheer Madness This Summer

With summer well and truly on its way, it’s time to start thinking about liberating your home from unnecessary clutter, dark colours and heavy fabrics. Enter voiles.

Voiles (or sheers, as we sometimes call them) are really thin, light fabrics that are used for window dressings. Often, you’re able to see right through them.

In the summer months, people start to think less about keeping their windows insulated with chunky, luxurious curtains and more about making a statement of simplicity with pale shades and flowing fabrics to welcome in the summer breeze.

As you can see from the picture below, sheers simply help to highlight your windows, rather than cover them. They create a calming, serene atmosphere in rooms such as the lounge whereas for the bedroom, they can add a touch of romance to your surroundings.

Luckily for you, The Loom and Last are offering the opportunity to get your hands on some semi-sheer and striped sheer fabric, curtains and panels at a discount price – for the rest of this summer. Check the main website for details by clicking here.

Of course, if you’re going for a summer theme for your windows, you’re going to want the rest of the house to match. Here are a few crunch-busting tips to re-vamp your home for less:

De-clutter!
Why limit your spring clean to only once a year? Get rid of as much as possible, sell it at a car-boot sale (they’re much easier to get up for when the mornings get lighter!), and you’re already making a little extra cash to invest in the summer touch-ups for your home.

Give it a lick of paint
A few coats of a neutral colour can work wonders for a previously dark and dingy room. Try pastels and creams to help reflect the light and don’t be afraid to use a slightly darker accent colour on one wall, if you simply crave vibrant colours. Remember, you can always paint over it.

Lighten up the accessories
If you’ve got lots of dark paintings, shelves or ornaments around your home, try replacing them with lighter ones. Trade in pictures and paintings for mirrors, cover shelves with sheer fabrics and replace dark ornaments with candles and natural-looking room accessories.

Clean your windows
The secret to achieving a room fit for summer is lots and lots of light. Give your windows a thorough clean to allow the maximum amount of light through. Give any mirrors, glass shelves and coffee tables etc. a good scrubbing too to help reflect that sunshine we love so dearly.

Cover dark furniture
When the purse strings are a little tight, buying big, expensive items of furniture aren’t usually top-priority. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to cover your sofa with a throw, and your dining table with a sheer tablecloth. Natural fabrics tend to look superior to cheap synthetic ones, and help to achieve the neutral look.

Switch your lampshades
By simply switching your lampshades to something neutral, bright or floral, you can completely change the dynamic of a room. Because you’re going for simplicity – the cost shouldn’t be too high either.

Brighten any room with a touch of nature
If you’ve got a fireplace, clear it out for the summer and fill it with dried flowers, candles or green plants. You call also save a bit of money by growing a herb garden on your windowsill. Bring fresh flowers into as many rooms as possible, whether it’s a giant bunch from a secret admirer, or a single stem from your garden – flowers always make a great summer statement.

Bring in the breeze
Fans can do a world of good when it comes to keeping you cool in summer. Ceiling fans however, can be a bit pricey. As for oscillating fans, (the ones that stand up on their own and turn around), if you’ve ever owned one and had it on full power – you’ll know how irritating the noise can be. The solution? Get two smaller fans, set them to half power and place them at either end of the room. Now you’ll have a cool room with the illusion of a natural breeze.

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