June is a riot of color. Summer is in full swing; the days are long and light, and color has arrived in the natural world like a carnival. If, like me, your home is brimming with cut roses from the garden, windows thrown open both day and night, and the balmy weather is feeling like a much-needed tonic, then you may also feel like it’s an opportune moment to refresh your living spaces, and bring the energy and lushness of the outdoors, in.
The colors to decorate with in June are, of course, so much inspired by nature, this month reminds us to embrace the verdant energy of the season and dare to be a little more experimental with our color choices.
We asked designers and color experts what color trends are in this month, and these six summer-inspired shades have made the list. Some perennial favorites and some unexpected and adventurous hues, all worth considering bringing into your home in June.
1. Turquoise
(Image credit: John Ellis)
If you had to create the perfect recipe for a mood-boosting room, one to be sure to set people smiling, everyone‘s stipulations would vary wildly. However, if we look to color psychology, certain energizing mood boosting color schemes are particularly skilled at making a room feel like a happier place to be.
Turquoise is an unmistakable Cerulean greenish-blue that evokes images of warm tropical waters, fresh forests, and equatorial natural landscapes. Few other colors feel quite as summery as this intense Azure blue, and whilst I am inclined to love it, some may find it too intense, but at the very least, it doesn’t inspire indifference.
If you love the smile-inducing qualities of turquoise, some paint companies have incredible variations of this hue, using the most exquisite pigments. Jack-in-a-box by Little Greene is, as its name suggests, a joyful jolt of playful and vibrant color, with verdant green undertones.
Other spirit-lifting turquoise paints worth considering are Slipper by Little Greene or Deep Green by Mylands. All of these bold paint colors may look close to identical from the tin, but bear in mind the color’s reaction to the mercurial play of light in a particular room may make them appear dramatically different in situ.
Bunny Williams
Flare Bowl
If you want to soak up the heat of the summer with alfresco suppers, this beautifully crafted bowl, inspired by the ancient techniques handed down through the centuries, is worth investing in. It’s larger than it first appears, so it’s perfect for enormous summer salads.
Saks Fifth Avenue
La Coupe Des Dieux Cushions
This Versace cushion features the instantly recognizable, ornate tonal La Coupe Des Dieux design that is able to transport us to sunnier climes with just one glance.
il Viaggio di Nettuno
il Viaggia di Nettuno mug
This fantastic azure blue color really lends itself to that Italian meets Grecian designs, and just like these beautiful mugs, it packs a paradisical punch.
2. Terracotta
(Image credit: Hespan Edward Bulmer Natural Paints)
What better time of year to bring the warmth and patina of terracotta tiles and the feeling of their Mediterranean native climates into the home?
Jaime Zhener, California-based interior designer renowned for her natural, organic-inspired interiors with a sense of ease and informality, thinks a terracotta paint is a must-have for any home where the desired aesthetic feels warm, welcoming, and easygoing.
‘Teracotta tones have such a beautiful, grounding quality, bringing a quiet warmth that feels both modern and timeless,’ she notes. ‘I love how they echo the natural world; sunbaked earth, terracotta tiles, aged plaster. One of my favorite shades is Farrow & Ball’s Jitney as it has this soft, sun-kissed depth that works beautifully in both contemporary and traditional spaces.’
‘Of course, the most iconic is Farrow & Ball Red Earth. It pairs effortlessly with natural materials like linen, stone, and wood, creating a layered, lived-in warmth. Whether on walls, cabinetry, or even trim, these hues envelop a space in an inviting, organic softness that feels incredibly calming.’
Bunny Williams
Antique French Glazed Terracotta Confit Bowl
This nineteenth-century French terracotta confit bowl, with a faded mustard glaze, is going to look chic in any interior. It reminds me of languid afternoons in rural Provence that’s so perfect for this time of year.
Bunny Williams
Hibiscus Sofa Throw or Bed Coverlet
Treat yourself to this beautiful throw, in that deep reddish brown hue, similar to Farrow & Ball’s iconic Red Earth that feels so grounding and nurturing. A beautiful addition, especially to the bedroom.
Anthropologie
Ares Cotton Chenille Throw Blanket
This throw has the sort of natural texture that means it would look just as at home on top of linen bedding as it would wrapped around you by the pool. A great buy to use all summer long for a myriad of things.
3. Bottle green
Walls painted in Beverly by Farrow & Ball
(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)
Bottle green is a distinctive color described as a ‘dark bright shade of green’ which somehow sounds both like a contradiction, and a perfect description of this unique color. In June, the intense verdancy and lushness of the natural world mean the season’s palette is dominated by an intense, dark, organic, chlorophyll-rich green, everywhere you look.
Alex Keith, co-founder of the UK-based interior design firm Otta Design, says ‘The bright greens of early spring soften and deepen as we move into summer. Color drenching the walls, curtains, and bedside tables with deep bottle green creates a feeling of calmness and tranquillity.’
‘It’s a hue that you’ll find at the bottom of a really deep lake. Inky, intense, complex, and deeply saturated’ says Abigail Ahern, a London-based interior designer and aesthetist known for her expert use of moody color. ‘I am so drawn to the notion of surrounding yourself with colors that reflect the landscape.’
Bottle green lends itself particularly well to traditional interiors. Great shades include Hunter Green by Benjamin Moore and Glasshouse by Graham & Brown.
Completedworks
Thaw set of two recycled-glass martini glasses
Utterly beautiful and wonderfully tactile hand-blown martini glasses, made from recycled glass and designed with a satisfyingly chunky stem. They are almost too beautiful to drink from!
Piglet in bed
Fern Green Linen Blend Pillowcase (Pair)
If you’re a fan of this deep and earthy color, make your whole bedroom a subdued, cooling oasis this summer by color-drenching your whole room in this deep, dark bottle green, and these linen sheets for the full effect.
Anthropologie
Greek Key Embroidered Indoor/Outdoor Pillow
Add a touch of Grecian charm to any space with this bottle green cushion.
4. Lavender
(Image credit: Annie Sloan)
The thought of decorating with purple may send you running, as its limitations may strike you far more than its possibilities. Lavender paint, in particular, may feel like an all-too-familiar ‘90s throwback.
As with so many interior design trends, though, colors that we once snubbed undergo a personality transformation and quickly become the most coveted hue of the season. Consider muted, gentle lavender tones for June – those with a mere suggestion of purple, a barely there whisper of lavender make a room feel cool, breezy, soft, and beautifully elegant.
‘People often have strong opinions on lavender, and often shy away from using it in interiors and opt for more modern colors such as green or blue,’ explains Chloe Vince, Senior Decorating Consultant at House of Hackney, an interiors brand known for being a magus of the modish. ‘As with any color, finding the perfect hue for your scheme will avoid any decorating mishaps. Lilacs and lavenders can create a wonderful sense of nostalgia. For a fail-safe approach to using the color lavender, I would opt for grounding the scheme in dusky pinks,’ she advises.
Anthropologie
Madeline Embroidered Table Runner
If you love the scallop trend then this table runner is a must have for prettified tablescaping all summer long.
Anthropologie
Cheese & Olives Wall Art
In the style of the impressionists and expressionists of the mid-century, but at a refreshingly modest price. Perfect for a modern, light filled kitchen.
Anthropologie
Ellen Merchant Cottage Cotton Percale Sheet Set
If you adore the whimsical, ditzy floral prints reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts movement, these bed sheets will fulfil your cottagecore desires.
5. Straw yellow
Interior design by Beata Heuman. Yellow paint is No.23 Wheatsheaf by Mylands
(Image credit: Mylands)
Yellow has long been misunderstood. For a long time, it was thought to be a jolly but juvenile color. Now, though, yellow is having a moment in the limelight. Warm and rich butter yellow has been the it girl this year, and now many of us are loving pale yellow interiors. A great hue to consider bringing into your home for June is the pale, hushed, golden imbued straw yellow that is so often spotted in the natural world throughout summer.
The celebrated interior designer Beata Heuman used a soft straw yellow paint in her London home, and was keen to find a muted shade without the deep pigment many pollen yellows possess.
‘I am personally very into soft yellows and faded yellow buttery tones, which I think is a lovely atmospheric alternative to white,’ she says.
Here she uses Wheatsheaf by Mylands, a color inspired by ‘pregnant wheat fields in summer’, but other shades such as String by Farrow & Ball and Weston Flax by Benjamin Moore have a similar laidback appeal.
Bunny Williams
Ruffle Vase
Handmade by famed Afghan potter, Matin Malikzada, cram the vase full of blooms from the garden all summer long.
Piglet In Bed
Honey Gingham Linen Blend Pillowcase
Utterly delightful bedding from Piglet in Bed, get this in your bedroom and feel that summer has well and truly arrived.
Anthropologie
Lucy Linen Embroidered Pillow
Even prettier when seen up close, this is a perfect example of that cool yellow hue that is so on trend at the moment. Inject this subdued hue into your interiors with these linen cushions.
6. Barbie pink
Walls are painted in Mallow by House of Hackney
(Image credit: House of Hackney)
True ‘Barbie Pink’ is defined by the Pantone shade Pantone 219C, a particularly heady shade of fuchsia. It is a highly saturated and intensely pigmented, piping hot magenta pink that would make even the biggest fans of bright, bombastic color feel a little bit shy.
However, ‘Barbie Pink’ can be applied to a myriad of bright, unembarrassed, saccharine pink shades, and it has become the outrageous and bang-on-trend shade that’s perfect for high summer. Forget the gendered associations with girly pink, it is less a flirty, pretty color and more a powerful, energetic, and fierce color to be used with wild abandon.
‘Use the color with intention, don’t hold back and be brave!’ is the advice of Caroline Aston, Interior Design Executive for House of Hackney. ‘It’s unapologetic and effervescent, it can’t help but make you smile. It has punch and vibrancy, and when fully embraced, has a real wow factor.’
‘Bright pink paint is an instant mood lifter, so use it in entryways as the ultimate welcome – and don’t forget the ceiling. Alternatively, it’s a lovely option for social spaces like kitchens. It works beautifully when used with contrasting colors. Try chocolate browns or dark forest green paints to bring a mature look, or soften with warm neutrals.’ Caroline explains. ‘For spaces that require calm and quiet, use it as an accent; an upcycled piece of furniture or accessory – make it secondary and not the dominant color within the room.’
Anthropologie
Flatwoven Double Border Performance Rug
A jute rug with a little bit of charisma! The border of bright Barbie pink makes for a great addition to an arty, bright, creative space.
Anthropologie
Washed Linen Duvet Cover
What’s not to love about bright pink linen bed sheets? These are 100% linen, so they’re the real thing, and we bet you’ll never stop having friends ask you where they’re from.
Addison Ross
Large Lacquer Scalloped Ottoman Tray
If you adore bright pink, this fun Addison Ross tray is the perfect home for a jug full of summer flowers.
June, in all its vivid color and radiance, brings along with it the opportunity to rewild our interiors and blur the lines between home and garden.
A summer palette of high contrast, playful colors should not be feared, but embraced, even if they’re used in small accents throughout the scheme. If you want your home to feel artistic, curated, and dynamic, consider one of these six colors.
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