Tipping point

It’s that time of year when outdoor areas get a decent workout. Splintery or poorly performing furniture won’t cut it, so treat your friends and family to a luxurious, no-stress sit-down get in the zone

The holiday period is peak time for catching up with family. While that can be wonderful, putting related people together means that things can get awkward and stu may be said. A good way to handle this is to split the crowd, literally. Set up zones to create moments and opportunities for conversation in your outdoor space, but also to inhibit the craziness that comes with a crowd. Create multiple spaces for a couple of people to connect and converse, and you’ll have an outdoor set-up that invites people in and encourages them to stay (this may or may not be a good thing). These zones could be anything from a few settings around a pool, a couple of spots to sit on the deck, or even totally separate zones in a bigger backyard.

go with the flow

Just like an indoor furniture arrangement, an outdoor zone needs to flow. People need to move around or through your zones, so it’s important to have the set-out and scale just right. Far too many times I’ve seen giant outdoor lounges (that homeowners fall in love with) crammed into tiny spaces on decks and in yards and they don’t look good. Work with the space you have and don’t overdo it. On top of that, your exterior aesthetic should flow and complement your interior one, and your patio, deck or yard should be treated like another indoor room. Similar colours, textures and shapes should be used to create a sense of cohesiveness. A successful outdoor kitchen, for example, flows from inside to out with similar (if not the same) benchtops and cabinetry as the indoor kitchen.

just add oil

Outdoor materials have come a long way since the brittle plastic furniture our parents owned, but most quality pieces are either made from timber, aluminium or a plastic-based composite. That said, all these materials need regular upkeep as the harsh Australian weather plays havoc with anything left outside.

Timber will dry out and split in no time; aluminium bubbles and calcifies almost like rust; and plastics can fade quicker than you can say ‘three-year warranty’. You need to wash outdoor furniture regularly – that means a couple of times each year – to get rid of the salt, dust and grime that creates an environment of erosion. Timbers, particularly tropical timers, look and perform great outdoors, but they will need a lick of oil every so often, so if you are looking at a teak lounge set, buy a brush as well.