Easy style updates
Achieve a more beautiful garden
1 CREATE A RELAXED VIBE
Decamp to the garden now the warmer weather is here and set up a living room outdoors. Choose comfy seating, like a chunky outdoor sofa or a couple of low-slung armchairs, arranged sociably around a coffee table or firepit to give the space a focal point.
2 LIGHT UP A DINING AREA
Extend your time outdoors on summer evenings with a row or two of festoon lights strung above a seating area. If you don’t have any fixing points, use festoon poles to suspend lights from.
3 SET UP A POTTING STATION
Create a dedicated work bench for gardening duties, so you can keep all your essentials in one place. This one includes a drawer to store loose soil in, for easy plant potting.
4 MOVE A CHAIR OUTDOORS
Choose rustic, woven furniture for areas that lead out to the garden, such as a summer room. Lightweight pieces are easy to shift outdoors on sunny days – or move inside if it rains.
7 SLOT IN A BENCH
Go for a combination of chairs and benches in an outdoor dining area. You’ll be able to squeeze in a few more guests and a longline bench like this yellow one can double up as a mini table, too.
5 INSTALL OUTDOOR SHELVING
Brighten up a dreary outdoor wall by creating a display area for plants. Use sturdy all-weather scaffold boards for shelving and paint the wall a bold shade to make greenery pop.
6 CHOOSE FOLD-AWAY FURNITURE
If you’ve only a balcony or small outdoor area, save space by opting for a compact bistro set that can be folded away and stashed in a cupboard when not in use.
8 PAINT THE FENCE BLACK
Make a statement by giving the fence a colour change. Painting a fence black will make it recede and the space will feel bigger – flowers and greenery will stand out more against a dark backdrop too.
9 DECK OUT THE TABLE
With family gatherings back on, dress up the table in style. Start with a white linen cloth and layer up places with woven mats, white tableware and fresh greenery.
10 HANG A MIRROR
Make a short garden feel longer by hanging an outdoor mirror on a wall or fence. Position it strategically so that it reflects foliage (rather than brickwork) and creates the illusion that the garden stretches further.
11 REVAMP THE GATE
Give weather-worn wood a cheery coat of paint. Adding a pop of colour draws the eye in and creates a visual stopping point at the end of a garden.
12 GATHER ROUND A FIREPIT
Stay toasty after the sun has gone down by investing in a firepit. This gasoperated model is clad with wood for a rustic look and has a stainless steel top plate to rest your drinks on.
15 KEEP THE BUBBLY ON ICE
Enjoy drinks on the go with this superclever cooler that turns into an instant cocktail table with just a twist of the lid. It has space for up to 10 bottles, plus a carry handle so it’s easy to tote around.
13 GO HALVES WITH COLOUR
If you’re unsure about committing to a bold colour outdoors, compromise by painting walls half way. Go for bright yellow on the lower section to create a sunny backdrop and keep the top half white.
14 ORGANISE PREP SPACE
Free up worktop space by hanging outdoor cooking kit on the wall. Fix a length of garden trellis just above the counter and use S-hooks to hang up utensils and chopping boards.
16 CARVE OUT A CORNER
Arrange furniture and planting strategically to divide a large garden up into smaller zones. Position corner seating with a rug as the anchor point, bringing in potted palms and large shrubs to provide natural screening.