Seasonal inspirations

Your outdoor room should be a comfortable place to spend quality time with family and friends all year round.

There are many small things you can do to make this space comfortable no matter what the temperature. Check out our heating and cooling tips in our summer and winter inspiration pages.

Two essential ingredients for enhancing your outdoor space are lighting and furniture.

Lighting

Don’t forget about lighting in your outdoor room as this will extend the hours of enjoyment in your outdoor space. Apart from functional lighting, you can add drama and mood to your resort-at-home through the use of spotlights, solar lights, party lights and lanterns, as well as the magical flame of candles.

Furniture

Contemporary designs for outdoor furniture are breaking new ground as more and more items are being brought out from the confines of the house, bringing the plush softness of the interior space into the outdoors.

Create an outdoor living or dining room with versatile furniture that’s made for entertaining.  Synthetic wicker sectionals offer textural beauty and all the comfort of upholstered furniture, and they are also easy to maintain. Add an ottoman or two – not just to put your feet up, but also to double as casual coffee tables for trays of food and drinks.

I say that if it’s good enough for the house, it’s good enough for the garden as the boundaries between these two zones continues to dissolve. There are plenty of great furniture solutions to choose from, and interestingly enough many of the innovative new materials and finishes actually mimic natural looks.

The following pages have tips for more ways to make the most of your outdoor room – from plant selection, through to paint colour schemes, fabrics, furniture and accessories.

Have fun!