The Best Materials for Summer Furniture

Summer changes how a room feels. The light is stronger, the air is warmer, and the materials you barely noticed in winter suddenly matter a lot more. A dense velvet seat that felt cosy in January can feel warm and sticky in July, while a light wood or a woven cane chair keeps a space feeling fresh. Here is what to look for, and what to save for the colder months.

The short version

For summer, lean towards breathable and light: linen and cotton for fabric, rattan and cane for texture, and pale natural woods for frames. Keep plush pile fabrics and dark leather as accents rather than the seat you live in.

1. Linen and cotton: cool and relaxed

Natural woven fabrics like linen and cotton blends are the easiest summer win. Because the weave is open, air moves through it, so it does not trap heat against your skin the way a dense pile does. They also have a soft, slightly textured look that suits a lighter, calmer room.

The trade-off is that linen creases and shows marks more readily than synthetics, so it rewards a quick spot-clean and the odd smooth-down. For most people that relaxed, lived-in feel is exactly the point.

Easy win: an oatmeal or sand linen chair as your main summer seat.

2. Rattan and cane: airy and light

Woven rattan and cane are made for warm weather. The open weave lets heat pass straight through instead of holding it, and the pieces feel light both to look at and to move. A cane-backed chair or a rattan seat instantly makes a corner feel more like a bright conservatory and less like a heavy winter lounge.

Give them an occasional dust, keep them out of constant damp and long spells of harsh direct sun, and natural weaves stay looking good for years.

Easy win: a cane-back lounge chair, or rattan dining chairs and bar stools for a breezy kitchen.

3. Light, natural wood: warmth without weight

Warm wood is a year-round favourite, but in summer the paler tones come into their own. Oak, ash and lighter walnut frames feel warm and natural without the heaviness of dark, glossy finishes, and they sit happily next to linen and cane.

One thing worth knowing: long spells of strong direct sunlight can fade wood and fabric alike over time, so it is worth keeping favourite pieces slightly out of the fiercest midday light.

Easy win: swap one dark, heavy piece for a light wood-framed chair.

4. Metal and powder-coated frames: cool and sturdy

Slim metal frames, especially matte powder-coated ones, keep a light, modern look and are easy to wipe down. Indoors they stay cool to the touch. The only thing to watch is that bare metal can heat up in strong direct sun, so it is happier in shade or as part of an indoor setting.

Easy win: a fine black metal frame under a linen or bouclé seat for contrast.

What to use with restraint in high summer

You do not have to hide these away, just use them as accents rather than your everyday seat.

• Velvet, chenille and deep-pile bouclé: the dense pile is what makes them feel warm against the skin. Gorgeous in autumn and winter, best kept to a single accent chair or a cushion in high summer. (If you are choosing between the two most popular, our bouclé vs chenille guide breaks it down.)
• Dark leather and leather-look: it can feel warm and a little sticky in heat and direct sun. Beautiful as a statement piece, less comfortable as the seat you sit in all afternoon.

Colour matters too

Material is only half the story. Lighter, earthy tones such as cream, oatmeal, sand and sage reflect more light and read as fresh and cool, while very dark seats absorb heat and can feel heavier in a bright room. One or two pale, natural pieces will lift a whole space for summer without repainting a thing.

The simplest summer formula: one breathable fabric, one natural weave, one pale wood. Get those three right and the room feels lighter the moment you walk in.

A quick care note for summer

• Keep favourite fabric and wood pieces out of long spells of harsh direct sun to slow fading.
• Air fabric seats now and then, and spot-clean linen promptly.
• Dust cane and rattan, and wipe metal frames, to keep everything looking crisp.

Bring the look home

You can try every one of these without paying designer prices for it. Browse our accent & lounge chairs for linen and cane, our dining chairs for rattan and light wood, our bar stools for a breezy kitchen, or see the full collection to find your one summer piece.