LIVE IN YOUR GARDEN Make your outside space more inviting
When you just want to spend all your time in the sunshine, it’s worth showing your outside space some love
DINING
‘Think of any outdoor space available to you as an extension of your home,’ says Ronny de Koning, global buyer at Petersham Nurseries. This is especially true when it comes to entertaining. Summer evenings lend themselves to gathering friends and family around the table alfresco. Keep the look simple: enamel tableware works well both inside and out, as do handmade wine glasses, seagrass placemats and slubby linen napkins. For an interesting centrepiece, de Koning suggests floating flower heads in a brass bowl. Soften industrial furniture by festooning fairy lights above the table and decorate with candles and lanterns to create a glow after dark. Vine plants are perfect quick-growing climbers and create a natural canopy of greenery. To add fragrance, use climbing roses, jasmine and scented clematis. Plant around the edges of deck-posts, or create a similar effect using large pots and trellis.
LIVING
To create an outdoor sitting room, elevate your space with touches of the indoors. ‘Mixing furniture creates an effortless look,’ says de Koning. A cane chair, cushions and a textured throw will bring the inside out, while a statement pendant will frame a terrace. Earthy toned fabrics will echo the environment and make individual pieces feel as if they belong.
DOZING
Create an exotic haven for some sunshine slumber. Here, a four-poster bamboo frame is set with fabric drapes, but the idea is easy to adapt using a gazebo frame instead. You could place an airbed on a pallet or the patio, but don’t leave it on grass for more than a day, as the grass will turn yellow. Choose textiles in stripes or florals, mix shades and include blocks of contrasting colour. A macramé hammock hanging between trees will work, too.
BASKING
An afternoon spent snoozing in a deckchair in the shade of a mature tree is one of the simplest joys of summer. Invest in a solid frame made from sustainable hardwood. We love Southsea Deckchairs, a specialist that makes 15 different shapes. Compared with other pieces of garden furniture, deckchairs are light and easy to move around, making it easy to chase the sun – or the shade. Protect wood from the sun by sanding lightly each year and applying UV protection oil. Replace faded slings using specialist outdoor fabric (Osborne & Little has a great selection) or buy ready-made at Habitat and John Lewis & Partners.