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Livingetc
Livingetc
Emma Breislin

The Fifty: Summer 25 — An Extensive Editor-Approved List of the Hottest Homewares to Shop This Season

A collage of various home decor with a yellow circle with the words 'the 50' inside it.

There's something about the sunshine that just makes everything a little bit more beautiful. Colors feel more saturated, fragrant scents hang around a little longer, and textures become slightly more noticeable against your softly sun-kissed skin.

And then, of course, there is the innate optimism that comes with the season, which feeds through to all the latest, greatest, and trending summer decor ideas.

Whether it's stylish pieces to set on your table, discerning decor that feels one-of-a-kind, scents specifically selected for the season, or lighting you can carry both indoors and out, I've searched high and low to find all the best homewares to buy this summer.

Yes — these are the items I've got saved in my own shopping cart (if not already styled in my own home), the ones that get shared on the Livingetc team Slack channel, and the latest releases to hit my inbox this month.

Table Talk

(Image credit: H&M Home; Rebecca Udall; SELETTI x Diesel; Sabre)

Setting the table has taken on a whole new meaning in 2025. For many, the new telltale of true taste is as much about what's on the table, as it is about what's on the plates.

Cutlery, glassware, dinnerware, and platters are no longer mere utensils — they're conversation starters. Themes are no longer tacky, but a form of storytelling. Just like one would expect a fully immersive experience at a restaurant, so too now goes when hosting at home. These days, the table talks, so tell a story that counts.


SEASHELL-SHAPED BOWL, H&MCoastal decor can go very wrong. If you'd told me a few months ago I'd be contemplating a seashell bowl (just £6.99), I'd have shh'd you — but H&M has me convinced. (Image credit: H&M Home)


BARRO PLATES, HAYI saw the price of Gustaf Westman's chunky plates in person the other week at a pop-up in London, and suddenly these curved plates from HAY don't look too bad in comparison when it comes to price. £39 for a set of two? Make it four. (Image credit: Hay)


MURANO SWIRL TUMBLERS, REBECCA UDALLI'm back with more from Rebecca Udall, but these Murano glass swirl tumblers... gah. I can already see them — colors mixed and matched, of course — styled on my kitchen shelves. £160 for a pair, but worth it. (Image credit: Rebecca Udall)

Dress to Impress

(Image credit: H&M; SELETTI; The Poster Club)

Gone are the days of Pinterest-perfect interiors. Now, it's all about curating lived-in spaces that speak to who we are as individuals — where we've travelled, the things we've collected, the design eras and styles that speak to us best.

When it comes to the decor we dress our spaces in, it's all about unique, hand-crafted pieces that tell a story about where they come from, of tradition and craft, and odd quirks that draw the eye in.


LAORU LAORU WALL SCULPTURES, THE POSTER CLUBI was served these wall sculptures from The Poster Club on an Instagram ad the other day and I've been thinking about them ever since. Styled on the wall, flat on your coffee table — this is how I like to do art. (Image credit: The Poster Club)


PANSY GREEN BATH MAT, BONNIE & NEILAustralian brand Bonnie & Neil is bringing a new freshness to the bathroom with its latest tufted bath mats. What's better than one? Two, of course. (Image credit: Martina Gemmola. Brand: Bonnie & Neil)

Light It Up

(Image credit: Kartell; West Elm; Los Objetos Decorativos; Pooky)

Lighting is far from being just functional these days. Whether suspended from the ceiling, resting on a console, or being carried between indoors and out, it's a source of light, sure — but it can also be a moment of sculpture if you choose the right piece.

Case in point: Tabitha Bargh's lighting collection, shown above, which I discovered at Clerkenwell Design Week this year. Crafted from recycled cardboard, it's proof that even something simple can become special through the lens of design.


RAY PORTABLE TABLE LAMP, AUDO COPENHAGENAnother portable lamp. Another stylish pick. Inspired by an old mining lamp, Audo Copenhagen's Ray Table Lamp in Dusty Green could easily sit on the table, or be hung from a low branch... it comes in a range of colors, and is currently on sale. (Image credit: Audo Copenhagen)

Scent of Summer

(Image credit: LOEWE; Vyrao)

Scent has an incredible way to slingshot you back to a specific time and place. And for summer, it's all about light, fresh, vibrant scents that make us think of time spent well outdoors. Think bergamot, citrus, or fresh ozonic accords.

While the best home fragrance is, of course, subjective, I've asked the Livingetc team to share the scents that remind them of summer the most (but also look ridiculously good while they burn, of course).


VERDANT INCENSE, VYRAOBut perhaps candles aren't your thing, in which case Vyrao's 'Verdent' incense is a solid choice, filling your space with the scent of fresh green growth, bergamot, cyclamen, frankincense, orange flower, and musk. (Image credit: Vyrao)

Take a Seat

(Image credit: Anthropologie; Six the Residence; Wayfair)

Summer is for lounging, it's for reclining in the sun, getting ready to go out and catch up with friends, for dinner parties... all of which is best done seated. So let's find some stylish perches to do it on, shall we?

When it comes to the hotter months, it's important to look for fabrics that are extra breathable (that means no leather, corduroy, velvets...) — think cotton, wicker and rattan, and of course silhouettes that recline or leave you with room to move, rather than snuggle into.


ARNOLD CIRCUS STOOL, MARTINOSI've had the Arnold Circus stool on my wish list for the longest time, but only recently did I discover that its history ties back to a street only a few over from where I live now, Arnold Circus in Shoreditch. Call it kismet. (Image credit: Martinos Shop)

Let's Take It Outside

(Image credit: Ferm Living; TOAST; Audo Copenhagen)

If there is one thing that sums up the summer season more than anything else, it's being outside. In 2025, we're treating our outdoor space like an outdoor living room; giving it the same considered design treatment as we would inside.

Whether that means refreshing your seating situation, or reviving your garden beds that haven't fared to well over winter, just because people often associate it with 'working' in the garden, doesn't mean you can't make your garden accessories look good, too.

It's frankly incredible how one small piece of decor can completely lift, shift, brighten, or lighten the entire look of your space. And the start of a new season feels like an appropriate time to take stock of what you've got, and what might be missing.

Looking to make a bigger impact? These summer color palettes could spark the inspiration you've been looking for.

Until next season.

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