Al fresco bling
The home section at Penneys is expanding and having launched a colour-saturated bed linen range earlier this year the brand continues riffing on that theme but in softer, sun-bleached hues for high summer. Its lazy summer collection will tempt you to kick off your shoes, feel the sand between your toes, turn off your phone and set up out-of-office notifications. The affordable range include bedspreads are from €16, cushions from €8, tablecloths, €9 and table runners, €5. The chain also sells cool metallic tumblers, €8 each; a rose gold cafetiere, €8 and candles from €3. primark.com
In the jungle
Tropikos from the Italian-based Wallpepper catalogue is a range of vibrant prints to inject your walls with a taste of the tropics. Made of cellulose and fibre, the Touke Touke Jungle print costs €115 per sq m from Dublin-based shop, Minima. Wallpepper.it, Minimia.ie
Palm house
The Botanic is a four-seat sofa that will work really well with this trend in either white or sage-green upholstery. Priced at €1,169 from DFS it comes with four scatter cushions, two in the same colour as the sofa and two larger formats in a palm print that also covers a smaller sofa or love seat, €845, in either jungle green or a charcoal grey. There’s also a chaise longue, €649, a footstool, €348 and botanic-print feather-filled cushions, €49 each. dfs.ie
Oasis of colour
Delos Tropique is a new print from Spanish fabric house Manuel Canovas (manuelcanovas.com). The loud colour-saturated design will look great on an ottoman or occasion chair. Naxos is the print on the cushion and deckchair. Both designs cost €125 per metre and are available to order from Galway-based La Maison Chic. lamaisonchic.ie
Shine a light
The brass table lamp by Dutch company HK Living has been much copied by the chain stores but while cheaper they have none of the proportional elegance of the original – which is a Maison Jensen-inspired piece of tropical maximalism. Standing about 62cm tall it costs about €345, ex delivery, from UK-based Cuckooland. cuckooland.com
Flamingo fiesta
The flamingo shape has been a decorative trope since Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, featuring illustrations by John Tenniel, showed the protagonist playing croquet with the pink feathered bird. Create an exotic ambiance at home with cool flamingo-inspired lighting. This halogen light bulb, €8.95 or 52cm tall Fiesta LED light, €30, both from prezzybox.com, will have you wishing for cocktails with umbrellas immediately.
Sitting pretty
This Hampton chair is a special order from UK-based And So To Bed. The back features a print while the rest of the elbow chair is upholstered in a pink worth of a flamingo. €810, ex delivery, andsotobed.com
Plate up
The New English Ceramics Company is based in the UK’s fine bone china plate-making heartland of Stoke-on-Trent. The brand takes the idea of décor to a whole new level hanging plates as pieces of art on walls, like this installation by Paul Bishop, about €357. thenewenglish.co.uk
Three of a kind
Show your style credentials poolside with an ontrend towel
- H&M’s selection of patterned beach towels tick the value and trend boxes. While this flamingo is now sadly sold out, its Hollywood Regency-inspired range of tropical prints, €14.99 each, will make you feel like a movie star. hm.com
- Hamam towels are the hottest thing in rub-downs. Thomas Fergusons (fergusonsirishlinen.com) sunbed collection, made in Banbridge, Co Down, costs about €49 each. The herringbone weave from Sisters Guild (sistersguild.co.uk) comes in an assortment of pastel colours and sizes with prices starting from €28.50. They pack small, dry fast and cover a multitude
- If you prefer your luxury to look more muted then enjoy the luxurious deep pile feel of Frette towels, now on sale at Bottom Drawer (bottomdrawer.ie). The bath sheet, plenty big for two, is reduced from €150 to €92 during the summer sale.
Trending - Tutti fruiti
It’s time for some fun which is the ethos of Sunnylife, a brand founded on the beaches of Australia, that sells inflatables in the shape of cacti, watermelon slices and even a lobster. The company also sells inflatable drinks holders, big enough to hold four cups and in the shape of a toucan, flamingo and a pineapple – all designed to keep liquids cool pool-side. They cost about €18 each through UK-based Amara Home (ie.amara.com). If you fancy some fresh fruit snacks to accompany the cocktails then serve in Next Direct (next.ie) nesting bowls, €15.50 for a set of three that look like a watermelon, orange and lemon.
