The great OUTDOORS

Time for a seasonal makeover!

The season of entertaining is well and truly upon us. From delicious barbecues to evenings spent by the pool, you’ll want to ensure your backyard is summer soiree ready. We spoke to Heather Nette King, campaign stylist for the Early Settler Outdoor 2022 range, who shares tips on how to give your outdoor area a stylish spruce up.

. HAVE A CLEAR VISION

“Look to current interior trends for colour and design inspiration before choosing outdoor furniture and accessories. More than ever before, outdoor pieces are representing what’s happening indoors, so it’s easy to achieve a really cohesive look throughout your home. A perfect example is the Ripple outdoor table and bench seats – they have a fluted base and oval shape, which are hugely popular in architecture and interiors right now.”

. ADD SOME COLOUR

“An easy update for your existing outdoor table is to add new chairs. This year we’re seeing a lot of lovely muted natural tones, like sage or eucalyptus greens, turmeric and terracotta.”

. BALCONY BLISS

“With apartment living becoming an increasingly popular choice for young homebuyers and renters, as well as confirmed city-dwellers and downsizers, there’s been a huge increase in small-space friendly furniture designed specifically for balconies, courtyards and terraces. Using a colour theme or a unified palette will help emphasise a smaller outdoor ‘zone’, as will other elements like a rug, side tables, and accessories like lanterns, outdoor cushions and throws.”

. CREATE LITTLE NOOKS

“Standalone pieces like a hanging chair can be used to create chill-out zones – they’re perfect for curling up in with a good book. Also, they’re quite mobile so you can move them around to catch the sun or the shade.”

. THE BIG BENCH

“Bench seats are perfect for when you have extra (or unexpected) guests at your outdoor table – there is always room to wiggle up and fit an extra person at the table. They also bring a lovely communal and sharing vibe to your entertaining.”