Five Pieces We Kept Coming Back To This Summer

The pieces we come back to most are rarely the loudest things in the room.

Every season, there are a few pieces we find ourselves reaching for again and again. Not because we are trying to repeat a look, but because certain materials, shapes, and details just work. They add warmth, texture, personality, and that collected feeling we are always after.

This summer, these five pieces kept finding their way onto our design boards, each one a little different depending on the room, but always bringing something special to the space.

Woven Accent Chairs

Rattan, cane, and woven details will probably always have a place in our hearts. There is something about them that feels especially right in Charleston. They bring in natural texture, soften a room, and add that relaxed layer we love without making a space feel overly coastal.

This summer, we used woven chairs in living rooms, bedrooms, and even tucked into smaller corners where a heavier upholstered piece would have felt like too much. Paired with tailored upholstery, warm woods, or a great pillow, they feel relaxed but still refined.

Upholstered Ottomans

We kept coming back to upholstered ottomans because they are one of those pieces that can do almost everything. They can function as a coffee table, extra seating, a place to put your feet up, or simply a chance to introduce another fabric into the room. We especially love them in spaces where we want things to feel a little softer and more inviting.

And, of course, they are another opportunity for the details such as a contrast welt, beautiful trim, or a fabric that brings just enough pattern into the room.

Warm Wood Casegoods

After years of cooler, lighter interiors, we are loving the return of warmer wood tones. Dressers, consoles, nightstands, and cabinets in rich oak, walnut, or deeper stained finishes bring so much depth to a room. They keep lighter spaces from feeling flat and work beautifully alongside grasscloth, natural stone, linen, and woven materials.

We have been especially drawn to pieces that feel simple in shape but have a beautiful grain or handcrafted detail. They do not need to shout to make an impact.

Sculptural Lighting

Lighting is functional, but it is also one of the easiest ways to give a room personality. This summer, we kept gravitating toward fixtures with interesting shapes, textured materials, and a slightly sculptural quality. A great light fixture can make even a fairly simple room feel considered. We love pieces that create a focal point without overpowering everything around them. Think beautiful glass, woven materials, warm metals, or a shape that feels just a little unexpected.

The Perfect Little Side Table

Never underestimate a good side table. We seem to always need one more. Beside a chair, tucked between two seats, next to a bed, or filling that awkward little corner, these smaller pieces are often what make a room actually work. We love side tables with a little personality, that have interesting stone, woven texture, warm wood, or a sculptural base. They are practical, but they are also one of those small opportunities to add another layer without making the room feel overdesigned.

The Pieces That Earn Their Place

The pieces we come back to most are rarely the loudest things in the room. They are the ones that add texture, make a space more comfortable, solve a functional need, and somehow help everything else fall into place. That is really how we think about creating a layered home. Not filling a room for the sake of filling it, but choosing pieces that earn their place beautiful, useful, and meant to be lived with.

And if we find ourselves reaching for them again and again? We usually take that as a pretty good sign.

— Andrea Dussault, Founder & Principal Designer