Original article featured in Cambridgeshire Agenda July 2010. Photography courtesy of Vanessa Arbuthnott

Whatever the weather, embrace the summer in your home with fresh fabrics, airy colours and cool stylish furnishings. And when the sun comes out to play, take your interior into the garden for the most elegant outdoor living possible. Cate Burren of Angel and Blume Interior Design shows us how.

The summer is a great time to redecorate – homes come into their own in the good weather, the garden provides inspiration, and long sunlit days mean that lots can de done before the light fades – and filling your home with cool, calm summer inspired designs will still work well after the summer fades to winter if you keep your choices classic and elegant. Take inspiration from summer and keep the luxury level high for interiors that move perfectly through the seasons.

Top Tips for Summer Style

This fresh and airy dining space, above, is wonderfully cool room in summer and will translate into a cosy elegant room in winter because of the warm base colours and luxurious curtains and blinds.

Using warm blues in a room means that it looks cool and airy in the summer but will still feel welcoming when the lower winter sun comes into the room.

Beautiful woodland inspired fabrics from Vanessa Arbuthnott, above, make a bold elegant statement when used with antique furniture and would equally at home in a country cottage or a townhouse.

Mixing up colours and patterns works beautifully if you keep to light and airy fabrics – this collection of cushions is perfect for summer and could be replaced with deeper, richer fabrics for autumn and winter.

When it comes to outdoor dining, don’t skimp on your fabrics! Cushions, chair covers, table cloth and napkins all add to the sense of occasion. A Mediterranean inspired outside living area furnished with a simple table and chairs is made luxurious with lots of blue and white cushions.