Learn how to go with the flow
Emma Brown has nine tips to create beautiful indoor, outdoor flow at your home.
Everyone wants to create a beautiful outdoor area. Here are some tips to help you achieve this. 1. Make plans
Even if you go overboard the planning stage is a time to indulge your dreams. You may have to let go of some of your ideas but at least you’ve started with everything on the table.
Once you’ve got all your outdoor fantasies out, start to think practically. What have you got room for, and how are you planning to use the area? Is it for entertaining, a quiet place to relax and read, or a place for the kids to play safely? Maybe you want to go all out and install a swimming pool?
2. Get down to details
This is an ideal time to get practical. Have you got room for a pool, or will you be sacrificing your whole outdoor area for it and then hardly using it? If you’ve got young kids you might be wanting a safe space for them to play outside where you can supervise them easily from inside, a place for a trampoline and to ride bikes and play backyard cricket. You could also want a dedicated grown-ups area that you can enjoy toy and child-free when the opportunity arises. There’s no point having a spa, bar leaners and a pool if you’ll only be inside knee deep in laundry wishing you could be sunbathing.
3. Future planning
Now is a good time to think about the future needs of your outdoor space too. Kids grow up and together you’ll use the place differently. Maybe you’ll need an outdoor kitchen for all those barbecues and pool parties – turns out you needed that pool and bar leaners after all!
Make sure you plan for future changes you may need.
4. Work to a budget
You might not have the budget to afford your dream outdoor area just yet but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to in the future, or that you can’t work on it over time. It is important to ensure that you know what budget you have to work with from the start. You can’t have a swimming pool and