Home or away, hunker down with holiday hygge

House Proud: Be inspired by some favourite overseas spots

Have your breakfast in the Tuscan hills with Sostrene Grene’s stylish stoneware
Have your breakfast in the Tuscan hills with Sostrene Grene’s stylish stoneware

Whether you’re still on the clock or heading for holiday heat somewhere, it’s time to dial it down a notch or two and take inspiration from some of the nation’s favourite overseas spots. Channel this summer’s version of Denmark’s cosy winter wellbeing in holiday hygge – the kind of relaxed respite you only ever get when you are abroad. Have your breakfast in the Tuscan hills with a scene from Sostrene Grene’s stylish stoneware which includes a coffee mug, €3.60; a 15cm wide bowl, €3.78; water jug (in five colours) €9.76; and a small handle-less milk jug, €3.16; with covered butter dish, €6.16, to keep the flies away. The potted vase comes in two sizes; small, pictured, €6.98 and a larger size, €12.38. The candle holder also shown is €2.98, while the 240cm by 140cm tablecloth, seen in soft mink, but also available in red, costs about €24.50. The director’s chair in cool cotton canvas costs €69.90.

Sounds like Love Island

The Sony SRS-XB12 portable and waterproof Bluetooth speaker comes in a range of hot sunshine colours
The Sony SRS-XB12 portable and waterproof Bluetooth speaker comes in a range of hot sunshine colours

If a mid-morning dip poolside inspired by the Mallorcan location of Love Island is your thing, take this Sony SRS-XB12 portable and waterproof Bluetooth speaker, €49.99, from Currys with you to play tunes. It comes in a range of hot sunshine colours including azure blue, shown, sunny yellow and sunset red.

Curl up, hang out

The perfect place to curl up and read
The perfect place to curl up and read

Inspired by chill-out sessions on Ibiza, you can hang out in this macrame-woven hanging chair, The Nittedal, €69.99, from JYSK: it’s the perfect place to curl up and read your blockbuster.

Fringe benefits, beachside

If you seek shade while shored up on a beach in Greece, then consider this rather fetching fringed parasol in either navy pinstripe or off-white options, €384, that is part of a range by The White Company and Business & Pleasure.

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Keep cool under this fringed parasol by The White Company
Keep cool under this fringed parasol by The White Company

Stretch out on Tommy, a rather fetching reclining striped canvas and hardwood deckchair, €345, which has large zipped back pockets for books and sun cream. The low-set seat also folds into a backpack style with padded straps for portability so you can easily transport it to any remote spot. The striped cotton seat pads also seen are €39 each.

Shady character

If throwing shade is more your thing, then consider this Balinese-inspired decorative cotton design which features gold metal ornaments. It comes in emerald green, ruby red or saffron yellow colour options and costs €215 from Celbridge-based The Orchard. theorchard.ie

This Balinese-inspired decorative cotton design featuring gold metal ornaments is available from The Orchard
This Balinese-inspired decorative cotton design featuring gold metal ornaments is available from The Orchard

Game on

Flex your grey matter with play and breathe a contemporary look into the classic games of chess, backgammon and Yatzy, designed for Hay by Clara von Zweigbergk. Price €35 from Inreda.inredadesignshop.com

Trending... delightful summer whites

 New colour edit of shades  from Colourtrend. Photograph: Shutterstock
New colour edit of shades from Colourtrend. Photograph: Shutterstock

Irish paint company Colourtrend has just launched a new colour edit of shades that can be used together or separately as you see fit. It includes two gorgeous greens; Palm House, an olive, and Four Arches, a deep forest tone; Pink Chocolate, a muddy terracotta, Parson’s Stone, a pigment-intense taupe, and Shell Cove, a warm white that feels like the sun on your back and will give you an all-white holiday feeling all year round. Emulsion costs from €32.50 for one litre to €110 for five litres. colourtrend.ie

Alanna Gallagher

Alanna Gallagher

Alanna Gallagher is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in property and interiors