Fine, summer is coming and the stores are open again. Shop the cutest summer outfits and get into the vacation spirit. The world always looks more beautiful when the sun shines. Why not bring these summer atmospheres into your home and garden or balcony? Enjoy a drink and a snack and toast to a beautiful summer!
A beautiful field bouquet on the garden table, with sunflowers added later when it's warmer, of course, completes the look.
Brighten up your garden!
Clarire MacNeilage of Bluebirds in the Backyard has good news when it comes to getting your balcony or garden ready for summer. "It's really not as hard as you think. Set aside a day(s) for this and start with a major cleanup. Sweeping, removing dead leaves, pruning bare branches and cleaning garden furniture. Then comes the fun work: decorating! Fill your bench or chairs with colored cushions and stick torches in the ground between plants to create even more atmosphere. A set of garden watering cans in pretty colors also give cozy casual outdoor atmosphere, and they are practical because you always have a watering can at hand when your plants get thirsty. You can opt for vintage items if you want to style sustainably, but there are also sustainable alternatives, such as Rustik Lys garden torches or the fun garden watering cans made from recycled plastic that we sell at Bluebirds. Finish it off with atmospheric bamboo hurricane lamps, a beautiful outdoor rug and especially lots of fun plants."
Which plants? Angelique and Henriëtte of Blooming know all about this. "Lobelia and petunias are beautiful summer bloomers or geraniums in different colors. Also beautiful is a large mandevilla. You can enjoy this richly flowering plant until October. A beautiful field bouquet on the garden table, with sunflowers later when the weather is warmer, of course, completes it."
Summer atmosphere in the home
"Choose light colors and natural materials," advises Marian Sluimers, of No. 28 Living and Lifestyle on Statenplein, to bring summer into the home. "Right now you see a lot of rattan, wicker or bamboo. Atmospheric and easy to use to transform your home into a tropical paradise. Wall cloths, wall circles with a nice image and palm leaves give an extra warm tropical touch to the whole. And don't forget the lighting! We have the prettiest and hippest lamps, also with wicker or rattan, that go great with it. Light garlands and lanterns always do well too. Candles are atmospheric all year round, inside and on beautiful summer evenings also outside. For this, large candles in tins are very trendy.
The lounge chairs from Laiu lounge or the bohemian chair from HKliving give a nice summer atmosphere. A light-colored plaid and cushions in soft pastels certainly contribute to this.
Another trend this summer is dried flowers and plumes. Beautiful to see, it immediately gives a nice bohemian atmosphere and also super easy in the summer."
BAM box for the perfect spot
BAM (Burgers And Mezzes) is a collaboration between Babylon and BRUT. The DIY kit with Brut's burgers and Babylon's Mezzes is ideal for the park, the beach or just in your own garden. All you need is a barbecue, but that can be a very simple disposable one. "The idea of this kit is to reinforce each other," says Nicky van der Toorn, one of the owners of Brut. "The box contains from both Babylon and Brut, the products and quality we stand for." In addition to no less than seven Turkish mezzes from Babylon including various dips, humus and stuffed dough rolls, Turkish bread, a bottle of wine and, of course, all the components for a delicious BRUT burger complete the box. The BAM box is suitable for two people and costs €47.50. You can order through Babylon or BRUT.
Endless barbecue with the Big Green Egg
"It costs something, but then you get something," Herman van de Merwe says of the Big Green Egg. The popular ceramic barbecue is also widely sold at 'Van de Merwe Sfeermakers & Wooncomfort' on Burgemeester Jaslaan. Why is that? "The possibilities of the Big Green Egg are endless. You can grill with it, bake pizza, slow cook, stew and smoke. Within fifteen minutes the Big Green Egg is ready for use and you can set the temperature to the exact degree. We only hear positive things from our customers. One customer recently commented that barbecuing with the Big Green Egg is a night and day difference from his previous barbecue. And besides the perfect high quality, of course it also looks good. Normally we give demonstrations of the Big Green Egg every month. We can't do that right now, but people are of course welcome to come and see the different models with us."
Van de Merwe Comfort and Atmosphere
Burgemeester Jaslaan 35, Dordrecht
Summerervers from the weekly market
Where can you find the freshest ingredients for a delicious summer meal or drinks board? Exactly: at the liveliest weekly market in the Netherlands. Every Friday and Saturday the choice is huge and healthy in the center of Dordrecht. Stop by one of the vegetable stands for delicious Dutch strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, apples, pears or grapes. Everything for a summer fruit salad. Or conjure up a dish with the white gold. Asparagus will be available in abundance for the next month. Want to really impress your home patio? Then get to work with rhubarb. Make a surprising rhubarb compote (delicious with everything), or bake a pie or cake with it. Fresh, healthy and who is the kitchen prince or queen here?
If it's time for drinks, then according to Koos van Bemmel, of cheese shop Van Bemmel, the farmer's cheese with summer herbs should not be missing on the cheese board. "With this cheese you bring the taste of Italy into your home. With sun-dried tomatoes and peppers, among others, this is the ideal choice for the vacation feeling. Also popular in the summer are the other Italian cheeses in our range including the fresh buffalo mozzarella and burrata. Add a big glass of cool white wine and enjoy!"
