Sunnylife Beach Accessories: Ready for Summer

I will admit that I judge a beach day by its chairs. Sunnylife seems to agree, and it started on Sydney's beaches in 2003 with a simple idea: share Australian summer style with people who do not live there. Its own story names bold graphics and colorful prints as its signatures, then puts them to work on beach, pool and picnic life.

Today it is a privately owned, family-run company with homes in Sydney and Los Angeles, which fits the whole spirit of the thing. It feels like a friend with a very good car boot, someone who arrives with the umbrella, the cooler and a pickleball set. Its chairs and pool gear make sense beside a bag packed for the whole afternoon, not just a quick swim.

The brand's whole point of view is that summer gear should be useful and a little bit silly, and I find that very hard to dislike. I would pick one bold print, then keep every other thing in the bag calm.

I think of this group as a whole afternoon, not a single swim. The Deluxe Beach Chair and The Lounger Chair make a sunny reading spot, and the Reclining Beach Chair is there for the person who plans to do nothing at all. If I wanted to move around, I would take the Take Anywhere Folding Chair and keep things simple.

The Compact Beach Umbrella gives shade, while the Carryall Beach Bag and Light Cooler Tote handle the packing. The Underwater Camera goes into the bag for little snapshots by the water, and when everyone is dry and sunburnt, the Ombre Lucite Chess & Checkers or Ombre Lucite 4 in A Row is an invitation to stay put. Picture a long table in the shade and a very serious game of four in a row.

What I would skip: hauling the Pool House Daybed or the Luxe Lounger Le Weekend to a small, crowded spot. Check the space first.

The bigger pieces cover the anchors: shade, seats, a daybed and a bag for the essentials. The rest turns a setup into a little itinerary. I would start with the Beach Cabana or the Luxe Beach Umbrella, then add the Sun Chair for a dedicated seat, and not expect one piece to do every job.

For the water, the Pool Ring, Pillow Pool Ring, Floating Hammock, Luxe Lilo and Luxe Floating Chair each offer a different way to settle in. The Floating Oasis and Party Pad Float make more sense when the group is the plan, and I would measure the space before choosing either. The Twin Hammock and Lilo Hammock are the slower options, for a book and a long stretch of nothing.

Then the games. The Beach Rackets, Catch Ball Set and Pickleball Set make a good case for packing a game instead of another pool accessory. The Mesh Beach Bag is a nice counterpoint to all the gear, and I would keep sunscreen, a book and a dry layer in it, away from anything wet. The Beach Cart is what gets the umbrella, cabana and games there in one trip, and the Luxe Double Lounger is for the couple who want to share. I went deeper on a related idea in Sol de Janeiro Perfume: Beach-Day Sweetness, Numbered and Ready to Layer.

My tip is to load the cart in the order you will need things, so shade comes out first. What I would skip is bringing every float to a crowded pool. Choose one and leave room for everyone else.

I keep Sunnylife in my summer file because it remembers that a good day outside needs the fun part and the practical part. A camera, a chair, an umbrella and one easy game can turn a short beach stop into a long visit, and the bright graphics stop the whole setup from feeling serious. When I pack, I choose what suits the place, although I always want to bring the games.