Summer Trends: Desert Sundown

We’re galloping into the dusty sunset this summer as the Desert Sundown aesthetic takes over our living rooms and hearts. What has us heading for the sinking sun on that far-off horizon is a delectable concoction of dusk-in-the-desert hues – from murky reds and muddy terracottas to baked ochres, shadowy oranges and a few shots of golden yellow – combined with forms that hint at the organic, and a rustic set of tactile materials: clay, honey-hued timber, woven fibres and weathered leather to just-dragged-from-a-quarry-style stone. It’s a collection of colours and textures that nods to a more elemental, grounded way of living – one that embraces raw beauty and simple pleasures.

In the home, the Desert Sundown look creates a laid-back, welcoming environment filled with calmness and centred ease. It has a reassuring, lived-in impression that celebrates honest shapes and natural textures. By weaving together gentle, earthy tones and materials, Desert Sundown spaces feel like quiet invitations to take a breath and appreciate the simplicity and beauty of everyday living, forming a subtle yet soulful sense of place that deeply resonates.

To bring this feel into the home, aim to conjure warm comfort and connection. Opt for furniture and accessories that bring presence, depth and visual richness for a soothing and open atmosphere – and think designs that feel like they’ve emerged from the dunes rather than being sleek or clinical. We’re aiming for a space that feels friendly, authentic, and like the soothing sigh of a balmy breeze across the landscape.

The Botero table by Cattelan Italia epitomises the Desert Sundown atmosphere with its elemental, artisanal-quality, its heavy clay-spatulated base showing off a hand-crafted finish in baked earthy-orange Marrakech. Solidify the look with Acerbis’s Palla chair by Claudio Salocchi, this year presented in just the right sun-hidden-behind-a-layer-of-haze dirty orange in a fabric akin to soft sand, and bring in the newest member of Gallotti & Radice’s Selce collection, the console, which artfully melds an almost-natural structure with stone that speaks of rock formations and what goes on underground. Moooi’s Haybale Lounge Chair by Nicholas Baker adds to the sun-scorched charm with its working-the-plains-all-day rural nostalgia in leather and buckles, and for a smaller hit of heat, Flos’s Biagio lamp by Tobia Scarpa in limited edition onyx combines organic roundness and curves with a rare, honey-yellow stone for a luxurious twilight glow.