Hello Outdoors… Hello Friends…
Friends Are Finally Welcome….
The moment we have all been waiting for… the easing of lockdown, the chance to see our friends again at last,
even if only outdoors!
After months of being shut in, we want our garden gatherings to be the best they can. And to ensure that we need the ideal outdoor space. Both for improving it for your own use and preparing it for entertaining after lockdown and in the future we’ve pulled together a guide to help you do just that.
Whilst we were compiling this list for you, we also just found out that LIVINGETC have used our outdoor cinema as the front page of their article 2021 Garden trends revealed: 18 key trends you’ll be seeing in gardens everywhere this year and also taken inspiration from us about our oudtoor rugs. Please click on the link to read the full article.
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HEAT THINGS UP
Let’s face it, evenings in the UK are usually chilly, so the first thing to do is add a source of heat near the seating areas.
Besides warming up cold guests, a source of heat helps bring people together by providing focal points for everyone to gather at and drink a hot beverage or a glass of mulled wine. Firepits or an outdoor fireplace can be engaging and interesting, with the flickering flames adding a level of romance to your gathering. But they can also be a pain to keep fed – consider an electric or gas heater. While installing a gas line to fuel a heater will add some extra costs, it’s not as expensive or difficult as you might expect. Gas heaters can be even warmer than a firepit and look sharp and stylish in a modern garden.
Ours is a bioethanol gas fire, that serves both as a table and our heat source from Eco Smart Fire.
ADD MORE LIGHTING
Lighting is a key element to creating an atmosphere and ambience. Try to focus on creating a soft and warm glow – but remember your lights must be bright enough that people can still see in the dark. Worried about the difficulty of installing electrics? These days you can buy lighting fixtures that are solar powered and LED, and will light up your lawn without needing many wires installed. There are also many multipurpose portable lights that are a great way to bring ambience to your outdoor space, that are USB chargable … lasting up to 8 hours . These lights eliminate the worry about wiring and are a perfect way to bring a warm glow to al fresco dinners or evening garden parties.
For our Hampstead garden we used these gorgeous Festoon string lights. I loved how interesting their design was and how cute they were hanging above our patio. ……but we are also great fans of these other outdoor lights below.
Below a selection of Dedon LED or solar chargable light, J Adams and Co rechargable light and Floss USB light, all superb lighting where no electric plugs are needed.
WEATHERPROOF FURNITURE
If you want to enjoy your patio or outdoor space make sure your garden furniture is weather-resistant. Previously the most common furniture for outdoors was made in less pleasant materials such as powder-coated steel, teak, or polyresin wicker, but nowadays we can get the most amazing outdoor sofas covered in weatherproof textiles that can look gorgeous and stay outdoors all year round – no time wasted dragging cushions outside from storage everytime you want to use your garden. Our gorgeous sofa is from Coco Wolf below, but Luxe Deco and Fermob also do a great range!
Check out our stylish sofa by Coco Wolf.
MAKE THINGS COZY
Adding sources of heat and lighting help to make the outdoors more pleasant to spend time in – similarly, adding a feeling of cosiness and warmth, helps you enjoy and create that special ambience and atmosphere! You’ll feel just as comfortable outdoors as you would in your living room.
The best and quickest way to do this, is to add the comforts you enjoy indoors, to your outdoors. Things like pillows, throws, blankets and rugs make an outdoor space so much more welcoming and smart for both you and guests.
Outdoor Rugs are a great way to add to that space and make it more cozy. Alternately, you can use patio patterns to make your outdoors space look perfect. We used this alternating black and white pattern, and had the tiles continue straight into the indoors section to link together inside and outside.
Molly and I are ready 😉
OUTDOOR CINEMA
Last but not least, the luxury of your very own outdoor cinema!
This is so easy to create and is portable, all you have to do is invest in the right equipment. You can use it indoors or outdoors. All you need is a simple home projector and screen, and a sofa for everyone to sit on. Add some cushions or rugs to make more room for the kids. With current measures in place, you can let your kids and their friends enjoy a movie outside.
Did you say Bond?
READY TO START YOUR INTERIOR DESIGN JOURNEY?
Location
NW3 Interiors Ltd
Garden Flat, 10 Lyndhurst Gardens
London NW3 5NR
Telephone
02072094442
07773383530