If you’re lucky enough to have an outside space, don’t leave it languishing and unloved this season. There are plenty of easy and inexpensive ways to make a garden, balcony or roof terrace look and feel as inviting as a living room. So think about accessorising your garden in plenty of time for summer with these easy tricks and brilliant buys.
1. Create a cosy seating area
If, like me, you’ve left garden furniture sitting outside all winter without furniture covers, it can look as appealing to sit on as the pavement, but adding some home comforts such as textured blankets and throws and decorative cushions is the first step to creating a cosy, sociable space that you’ll love to spend time in. It’s a good idea to lay an attractive outdoor rug beneath a table and then add a coordinating parasol, as both of these elements will help to define the area and make it feel more like a ‘room’. Of course, if you have the space and budget, you could invest in a gazebo instead. If your living or dining space leads out to the garden or balcony, think about using the same colour scheme outside as inside, as this will help to connect the two spaces visually. Then dress the table with a pretty oilcloth and rattan place mats so that it has a welcoming, ‘ready-to-entertain’ feel at all times.
2. Add aromatic touches
One of the best things about a herb garden is that you don’t need a garden to create one. Instead, you can put together a pretty and aromatic display by choosing a selection of attractive plant pots and placing a fragrant herb in each one. Group the herbs together and hang on some trellis (you’ll need wall planters for this), or present on a small obelisk or pretty painted ladder (this kind of slimline option is ideal for smaller spaces). Position the display close to your outdoor seating area so that your family and guests can enjoy the fragrances when gathered in the garden or on the balcony. Choose a variety of herbs with different textured leaves, so that the display appears attractive and inviting, and think about which fragrances you prefer – rosemary, thyme, lavender and mint are all good options. These herbs are also great for attracting birds, so perhaps install a birdhouse, bird bath or bird feeder close by.
3. Lighten the atmosphere
Just as mood lighting makes a living room feel cosy and intimate, outdoor lighting can transform a garden space or balcony from cold to cocooning. Fairy lights aren’t just for Christmas. Use them to uplight nearby trees, or in the case of a balcony space, invest in a couple of artificial trees and dress them with pretty string lights. A couple of outdoor wall lights will also help to create an ambience and because they come in a wide variety of styles, you can choose something that fits seamlessly with your garden decor, from old-fashioned lanterns to modern, minimalist fittings. If you have a decked area, think about installing decking lighting as a way of creating an attractive perimeter around your entertaining space. Balcony railings, meanwhile, are ideal for jazzing up with string lights. When you’re dealing with a small space, stick to monochrome lights rather than multicoloured, as they will make the area feel less cluttered and more harmonious.
4. Turn fences into fine art
For many of us, the view from our garden is of a plain, uninspiring wooden fence, and it can detract from even the prettiest planting or well-designed outdoor dining area. But you can transform a fence into an attractive feature by painting it and then creating an interesting vertical display. Use wall hooks to attach hanging planters. If you’re not green fingered, don’t worry, fill them with artificial flowers instead. This will allow you to create a scheme that will retain its colour and character all year round. In the same way as you’d curate a gallery wall inside your home, take a similar approach outside by mixing planters with baskets, decorative mirrors, rustic picture frames, wreaths and outdoor decorations for a really individual display. Make the ‘wall’ more attractive by mixing outdoor textures, such as rattan, distressed wood, concrete and clay. Positioning a garden bench beneath the display will enhance the room-like feel of the area.
5. Be clever with colour
Colour can bring so much personality to a space, but it can also help to camouflage items that need to be stored in a visible spot. For instance, if you like to entertain, you’ll know how annoying it is having to drag kitchen or dining chairs out into the garden when the number of guests you thought were dropping by doubles. It’s always a good idea to have additional furniture to hand, but just because you may not have space for a shed, doesn’t mean it has to be a clunky eyesore when not in use. Invest in colourful folding chairs and zesty folding tables that look like a vibrant display when stacked against a wall. If you mix and match shades, they’ll look like a considered part of your garden scheme. You’ll need as many outdoor cushions as extra chairs, so again, coordinate, and be bold with your selection. Stacking them will save space and create a kind of ornamental appearance. Mix in one or two garden ornaments to make this space look as curated as your seating area.
We hope our garden accessorising tips will help you to add some pops of colour, comfort and calm to your outdoor space this summer season. To shop our full selection of outdoor furniture from retailers across the market click here. For more style inspiration to create your perfect home, follow us on Instagram and Pinterest, or to search and discover over 110+ furniture retailers across the entire market, simply click here.
