Top 3 Fabric Trends of 2020– And How They Reflect Lake Living

While spending more time inside during the quarantine, perhaps you’ve considered redecorating a room in your lake house. After all, if you’re going to be home all day, you might as well enjoy your surroundings. A vital element of any room’s decor is fabric choice. From upholstery to pillowcases, a well-selected fabric has the power to tie a room’s aesthetic together. As we reach the halfway point of 2020, we’re taking a look at the top fabric trends of the new decade. To get more insight, we spoke with some of the best in the business, Sunbrella, and Perennials. Fortunately for us, this year’s fabric trends merge seamlessly with the appreciation for nature that lake lovers share. 

Textured Looks

Consistent with the styles described in our previous post on 2020 outdoor furniture trends, textured looks are fashionable for fabrics this year. Materials with intriguing, tactile patterns evoke a sense of comfort as well as style. Jordan Murphy, public relations manager at Perennials, explains, “Textured fabrics such as outdoor cushions bring a few indoor comforts out. No longer are outdoor fabrics relegated to only canvas and linens.” Perennials’ newest collection, In the Mix, features elements of this texture play. Inspired by the Japanese wabi-sabi style of finding beauty in imperfections, it highlights detailed patterns and a sense of movement. 

Nature-Inspired

This year, designers are meeting customers’ interest in natural beauty by turning to the outdoors for inspiration. Murphy mentions that Perennials’ top colors are always neutrals and blues — shades that are common in nature. Sunbrella’s designs feature natural colors as well. Lauren Blaskie, manager of brand research at Sunbrella, comments, “A flower garden or an evening sky offer great color combinations. Bring these contrasting hues onto a porch with a classic blue bench or boldly patterned chair.”

Further, just as nature is dynamic and bold, so is Sunbrella’s recent collection, Dimension. By layering vivid colors with detailed textures, the collection showcases a sense of movement. Combining colors like “sunset orange” and “dark night” reflect the same brilliant mix of hues found in nature. 

Cultural Influences

When looking at trends, it’s not only important to consider “what’s in” but to also examine the mindset behind the specific styles. This is why Blaskie uses cultural observations to create new patterns for Sunbrella. Some significant cultural shifts that have impacted fabric trends in 2020 are mindfulness and sustainability. These mindsets impact both the way fabrics are created as well as their designs. Lauren Blaskie mentions that Sunbrella’s designs also reflect customers’ values of originality and comfort. She explains, “unique, hand-spun looks and novelty yarns provide a personal, lived-in feel to our favorite outdoor spaces — from a peaceful and cozy porch swing to a bright and welcoming patio furniture set.” Beyond simple color and texture trends, buyers want their decor to evoke a peaceful sense of home. 

For Lake Homeowners

As lake lovers who enjoy relaxing outdoors, we appreciate this year’s trends that celebrate the natural world. Textured looks reflect the variety of textures found in surrounding flora and fauna, and natural colors blend seamlessly with the lakeside atmosphere. Finally, the behind-the-scenes emphasis on mindfulness, sustainability, and comfort is already present in the lake living mentality. We hope you embrace these fabric trends and create indoor and outdoor designs that suit you this year!

A Guide to Plant Hardiness at Your Lake Home: Zones 1-3

Photo courtesy of Country Gardens Magazine.

If you have a garden at your lake house, you’re probably familiar with the Plant Hardiness Zones. Designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this guide separates the country into zones based on average annual minimum winter temperature. Each zone is split by 10 degrees and has its unique features, such as the first and last frost date and length of seasons. This helpful tool clarifies which plants will thrive in your garden. For example, if you’re a gardener in zones 1-3, the Plant Hardiness Zones will warn you against planting a peach tree in your garden, which wouldn’t flourish outside the southernmost zones.

Image courtesy of Gilmour.com.

If you’ve been browsing the Lake Homes blog in the last few months, you may have caught the first two articles in our series on gardening zones. While the first two covered zones 7-9 and zones 4-6, we’re now turning the spotlight on the coldest areas of the U.S. — zones 1-3.

Region Characteristics

In zones 1-3, the average annual minimum temperature is between -60 degrees and -30 degrees Fahrenheit with zone 1 being the coldest. Most of zone 1 is located in Alaska, where the tundra climate can be especially harsh for gardening. In zones 2 and 3, which include the northernmost United States and high altitude areas, these low temperatures also present a challenge for gardeners. Due to the unforgiving weather, it’s crucial to consult the Plant Hardiness Zones to determine which plants are most likely to survive the winter in your garden. Aside from temperature, these regions also tend to have low moisture and high winds, creating more barriers to plant survival.

Main Takeaways

Due to the harsh features of these regions, northern gardeners’ planting window is shorter than those in other zones. Kevin Espiritu, the founder of Epic Gardening, clarifies, “Gardeners in zones 1-3 have about 2 months to plant, and that’s it.” If you’re living in these zones, it’s crucial to take advantage of this brief time. Luckily, certain types of gardening can help. Scott Fanello, a writer for Total Gardener, advises those in zones 1-3 to master cold-frame gardening. With this simple structure that utilizes insulation and solar energy, you can create a microclimate for your plants. He also recommends building a greenhouse at your lake home if you have the money and time. Despite these challenges, life in zones 1-3 isn’t all bad. Espiritu notes that one advantage to growing plants in Alaska is their long summers (almost 20 hours per day of sunlight), causing gardeners in this region to break records in terms of large vegetables. 

Plants to Pick

Due to the harsh weather conditions, the best plants to choose in zones 1-3 are tough ones that can survive droughts. It’s also best to select native plants that are already adapted to the climate. Thankfully, several plants are hardy enough to thrive in this cold, dry weather. Nikki McAteer, marketing director of Perfect Plants Nursery, comments, “Only a handful of perennial plants will grow outside and come back year after year. Planting annuals is a great solution to these punishing temperatures.”

In contrast to perennials that need more maintenance, annuals are less of a commitment. Most vegetables are grown as annuals, so plants like beans, broccoli, potatoes, and tomatoes have a good chance of survival in zones 1-3. Fanello recommends focusing on fast-growing annuals in particular. Some examples include salad greens and herbs like basil, oregano, and rosemary. Overall, it’s helpful to pick plants with a short growing season so they’ll mature and be ready for harvest in the 2-month window that these zones offer.

Despite the harsh weather in zones 1-3, northern gardeners are quite savvy when it comes to working with what they have. If you own a lake house in these zones, we hope these tips help your garden flourish. It’s also a great idea to connect with other gardeners in your zone through meetups, Facebook groups, and local farmer’s markets. Plus, with all the available vegetable options in these northern zones, you’ll always have something to add to your homemade salad!

A Guide to Plant Hardiness at Your Lake Home: Zones 4-6

Photo courtesy of Monrovia.

As any gardener will tell you, the key to having a successful garden is choosing the right plants and knowing when to plant them. To make these decisions, gardeners first look to the plant hardiness zones for guidance. A hardiness zone is a geographic area that divides certain regions based on the average minimum rainfall per year. Pol Bishop, a landscaping expert from Fantastic Gardeners, simplifies, “gardening zones essentially use temperature to determine plant survivability.” By understanding the average temperature in your region, you can make well-informed fundamental gardening decisions.

Photo courtesy of Arbor Day Foundation.

Peter Miller, founder of Gardening Stuffs, comments, “I’ve been in the garden landscape space for 15 years now, and I know how important it is to identify which plants will survive the adverse climate of your region. In gardening, you can adjust your soil type and its PH levels as well as the amounts of sun and shade, but you won’t be able to control the temperature in your garden.” While our first article in the series focused on the southernmost zones in the U.S.– zones 7-9– we’ll now highlight zones 4-6. This range of zones encompasses mid-America and most of the east coast. If your lake house is in these regions, the information and tips provided will help your lakeside garden thrive.

Key Characteristics

Photo courtesy of @shiplapandshells.

In zones 4-6, the average minimum temperature is between -30 and -5 degrees Fahrenheit. As such, one of the hallmark qualities of these zones is that each season has an actual ending and real beginning. Unlike this area’s northernmost and southernmost counterparts, neither winter nor summer lasts too long in these zones. The seasonality is clear-cut. Kevin Espiritu, the founder of Epic Gardening, comments that these zones capture the “traditional gardener in a classic farming routine.” There’s a certain luxury that comes from planting for the next season in the preceding one, and gardeners can take advantage of warm days to plan. There’s even the exciting possibility of a Fall garden.

Helpful Hints

While the plant hardiness zones are useful, they do not tell a region’s full story. This is because the zones only capture average minimum temperature without considering rainfall, elevation, and subclimates. In the Western U.S., sunset zones are a more precise system because they take a region’s latitude, the ocean’s influence, rainfall, humidity, wind, elevation, and microclimate into account. However, since sunset zones only apply to the west, the hardiness zones are currently the most standardized tool for the whole country.

Given this limitation, gardeners should take it upon themselves to consider additional factors that may impact their plants’ survival. For example, those further west receive less rainfall, and those further east get more rain on average. Scott Fanello, a writer for Total Gardner, advises those in drier areas to use greywater to compensate for lack of rainfall, and he urges easterners to make the most of their rainy climate. Regardless of these subclimate-specific differences, a similarity across zones 4-6 is the forgiving weather. This similarity leads to longer growing times during the spring and summer months. To work with this, Fanello mentions that greenhouses can be fun, but they aren’t essential. He also notes that just like zones 1-3, mastering cold frame gardening will be helpful in zones 4-6.

Plants That Thrive

Photo courtesy of TroyRhone.com

Because the weather conditions are ideal for gardening, several types of plants can thrive in zones 4-6. However, some differences are dependent on the specific zone. In zone 4, flowers such as goldenrods, daisies, and petunias will thrive. Plus, the bright color combination is a nice bonus. Landscaper, gardener, and writer Melanie Musson advises filling pots and baskets with petunias for a warm, English-countryside look. If you want to plant trees by your lake house in zone 4, consider a sugar maple. The dynamic, orange-brown tones will look vibrant in the Fall. In zone 5, Musson notes that Agastache will quickly prosper, and they’ll also attract hummingbirds to your garden. As for trees and shrubs, flowering dogwoods and Japanese yews are perfect for zone 5. In zone 6, Musson recommends planting hostas. These perennials love the evenly moist soil in this zone, and their leaves are beautiful all season long. Musson also adds azaleas and rhododendrons to the list of plants that will flourish in zone 6. She shares, “they make for low-maintenance shrubbery that boasts a stunning bloom period.” 

If your lake house falls into one of these three zones, we hope you take advantage of the naturally ideal gardening conditions and find a new perennial to plant this season!