Fashion designers, makeup artists and interior designers have worked to harness the colours of the summer palette, the result is light, cool and muted combinations.

Light Summer

Light grey, white, sky blue, powder pink, soft lavender and light navy

A blend of summer and spring, these are soft greys and blues, dusty rose and other light colours. For the living room, try soft grey walls with navy or soft blue furniture, dusty rose or powder pink throw pillows, a lavender or light navy throw blanket and accent pieces (frames, candles) in all three colours. Find shelving, coffee tables and end tables in light wood, think the colour of sand or flower stems.

For a punch, pick one of these for a focal piece: peach, salmon, turquoise, teal, aqua or coral.

Cool Summer

Pastel blue and pink; berry, soft fuchsia, navy, cocoa, charcoal

Dominated by blues, cool summer embraces the colours of the seaside – navy water, light blue sky, the white caps of the waves and light brown sand punctuated by flowering plants. For a bedroom, try pastel blue walls, white curtains and linens with a navy blanket (keep it light for the summer weather); bed tables, frame and furniture in cocoa or charcoal. Accents pieces in berry, soft fuchsia and pastel pink.

Muted Summer

Mauve, navy, burgundy, plum, dark green, blue-grey, navy, rose, brown, beige

This palette embraces the end of summer as it fades into autumn. Think about the way the heat fades nature’s vibrant colours. The blue sky borders on grey and the white clouds slightly muddled; in the evening as the sun sets, the sky turns brilliant, with mauves, burgundies, plums and navy. For the kitchen, keep cabinet exteriors blue-grey, and make the interior navy, burgundy or mauve for a splash of the evening sunset.