Designing the Cool Haven

There is something I never expected to think about when I started Handmade Luxury Home: how will our interiors change if Northern Europe keeps getting warmer? We usually think about climate change and our homes in terms of insulation, windows, roofs, air conditioning and other technical solutions. That is an important subject, and we will talk about the building side of things in another blog. But what about the inside of our homes? How will we decorate, furnish and use our homes when a typical Northern European summer is no longer quite so typical?

This summer made me think about it much more than before. For me, the heat is not simply uncomfortable. As someone with a heart condition, very warm days can be difficult. And Paula does not cope well with extreme heat either. There were days when going outside simply did not feel like an option.

While other people were sitting on terraces, going to the beach or enjoying a summer afternoon outside, we sometimes felt more like vampires hiding from the sun. And perhaps that is not even such a strange feeling anymore. I sometimes wonder how many people who look as if they are enjoying the summer are actually thinking, "It is really too hot today."

From cosy winter homes to cool summer homes

Northern European interiors have traditionally been designed around keeping us warm.

We love thick curtains, soft blankets, cushions, carpets, upholstered furniture and cosy rooms. We decorate our homes to make winter feel pleasant. And I absolutely understand that. I love a cosy interior myself.

But perhaps we will have to think about the opposite as well. Maybe, in the future, our homes will have a "summer setting" and a "winter setting".

Instead of putting away the winter blankets and simply opening all the windows, we may start changing our interiors more deliberately when summer arrives. And this does not have to mean turning our homes into cold, minimalist spaces. Natural materials may actually become even more important.

Linen could become one of our best summer friends

Linen is already one of my favourite materials.

It feels natural, looks beautiful and has that slightly relaxed appearance that makes a room feel comfortable without looking untidy.

I can imagine linen becoming even more popular in warmer Northern European homes. Linen cushions could replace heavier winter fabrics during the summer months. Lightweight linen and cotton throws could be used instead of thick wool blankets. And a beautiful natural fabric can make a room feel cool and fresh without making it feel empty. Perhaps we will even start choosing different cushions and throws for different seasons in the same way that we already change our bedding.

A warm woollen throw for January. A light cotton or linen throw for July.

It is a very old-fashioned idea in a way. People have always adapted their homes to the seasons. Perhaps we simply need to rediscover that habit.

A summer cover for the sofa?

This is something I have been thinking about quite a lot. Leather sofas and heavy upholstered chairs can become surprisingly unpleasant on very hot days. The solution does not necessarily have to be replacing them.

What about a beautiful, loose linen or cotton cover that can be placed over a sofa or chair during the hottest months? It would protect the furniture, feel much nicer against the skin and could be washed easily. It could even become part of the interior rather than something that looks like a practical cover. I rather like that idea. A beautiful natural fabric, casually draped over a chair, can look much more inviting than a perfectly styled sofa that nobody wants to sit on because it is too hot.

Curtains may have a new job

We usually think of curtains as decoration, privacy or a way to keep winter drafts out.

Perhaps summer curtains will become just as important. I can imagine using an additional lightweight curtain between rooms, particularly in rooms that receive a lot of sunlight. Not necessarily a heavy blackout curtain. A beautiful linen or cotton curtain could create a softer barrier between a sunny room and a cooler part of the house. It could also create a lovely Mediterranean feeling.

And perhaps that is another change we will see: Northern European interiors borrowing more ideas from countries that have lived with hot summers for centuries. Shutters, light curtains, natural fabrics, pale colours, tiled floors, shaded sitting areas and rooms designed for afternoon rest are not new ideas at all. They are traditional ways of dealing with heat. Perhaps we simply forgot how useful they can be.

The return of the afternoon siesta?

This may sound a little romantic, but I wonder if our daily rhythm will change too.

For centuries, people in warmer countries have understood that the hottest part of the day is not necessarily the best time to be busy. Perhaps Northern Europe will slowly learn the same lesson. Instead of sitting outside in the hottest part of the afternoon, we may retreat indoors for a few hours. And if we do, our interiors need to make that pleasant.

• A comfortable chair.
• A lightweight cotton throw.
• A linen cushion.
• A good book.
• Soft light.

And perhaps a beautiful piece of art to look at.

Which brings me to another idea I rather like.

Bringing nature indoors

When it is too hot to spend much time outside, I think we naturally start looking for a connection with nature indoors.

At Handmade Luxury Home, we love drawings and artwork inspired by nature. I think these could become even more meaningful in the future. A botanical drawing, a delicate illustration of wild flowers, leaves, birds or a woodland scene can bring something of the outside world into a room. It does not replace being outside, of course.

But on a day when the sun is too strong and you are much happier staying indoors, a beautiful natural image can make a room feel alive. It is a small thing, but interiors are often about small things.

Even our drinks may influence our interiors

Here is a much smaller example, but one that makes me smile.

Iced drinks are becoming a part of everyday life for many of us. Iced coffee, iced tea and, of course, iced matcha. And if you have ever tried to enjoy an iced drink on a very warm day, you know that condensation can become a little annoying. This is where something as simple as a handmade cup warmer can suddenly make sense. Not to keep your drink warm, of course!

It protects your hands, helps deal with condensation and makes a cold drink more comfortable to hold. It is a tiny example of something I think we will see more often: adapting familiar household objects to warmer weather rather than completely changing the way we live.

Bedrooms may become much more important

I also think we may start paying more attention to our bedrooms during summer.

Heavy duvets and synthetic bedding can feel horrible when the temperature rises. Natural cotton and linen sheets are much more appealing. Perhaps summer bedding will become as normal as winter bedding, with different layers and fabrics depending on the season. A light cotton sheet. A linen cover. A thin blanket for cooler nights. And nothing more when the night is warm.

Again, there is nothing particularly modern about this. Our grandparents often understood seasonal bedding much better than we do.

Perhaps we will create "cool rooms"

Another possibility is that we will stop expecting every room in the house to have exactly the same function.

In summer, one room might become the preferred cool room. A room with less direct sunlight, light curtains, natural fabrics and comfortable seating. It might be where we read, work, sew, have lunch or simply sit during the hottest hours.

Instead of fighting the heat everywhere, we could adapt one part of the home and make it particularly pleasant. I rather like this idea because it does not require us to throw everything away and start again. It is about using our homes differently.