August has always felt like the Sunday of summer. London tends to soften, the days stretch lazily ahead and for a few precious weeks, there is a sense that we can simply enjoy where we are before September brings us firmly back to routine.

In the design world, August has its own particular rhythm. Studios quieten, factories close, inboxes become a little less demanding and many disappear on their late summer holidays. After the wonderful whirlwind of June and July, there is suddenly room to pause, look around and find inspiration in the quieter moments.

August often gives us some of the best days of the British summer: warm enough to throw open the doors and eat outside, but without the fierce heat of July. Tables spill into gardens and onto terraces, windows stay open late into the evening and there is every excuse to add another cushion, a colourful cloth and a vase filled with whatever is growing nearby.

It is also the perfect month for finishing the books that have been following us around all summer. There is something wonderfully indulgent about finding a sunny corner with a novel and nowhere particularly urgent to be. A garden bench, a favourite armchair beside an open window or a quiet terrace can become the perfect reading room.

By the end of the month, there are little hints of what is coming next. Evenings begin to draw in, the light turns softer and thoughts inevitably wander towards autumn: new projects, sharpened pencils and the familiar return to routine.

August is summer’s last chapter, and there are still pages left to enjoy. So linger over an alfresco lunch, take a little longer on your evening stroll and finish that book. Autumn can wait.