As soon as the temperature rises, there’s nothing we love more than spending as much time outside in the garden as possible. From a morning coffee to entertaining friends, in the summer, the garden becomes an extra room of the house. You can easily create a comfortable yet practical living space that reflects your style and personality. One of the best ways to make your garden feel like an indoor-outdoor living space is to look for furniture and accessories that don’t look purpose-made for outdoor use. Instead, look for items that you would happily add to a room indoors, but are made from weatherproof materials.
It’s all about bringing your own personality out of the house and into the garden. If rattan furniture isn’t your thing, choose a table and chairs made from acacia wood instead – it’s just as durable but feels more intentional, like you’ve dragged your dining table into the garden (without the hassle of actually doing so).
Once you have your furniture in place, it’s time to accessorise. Lighting is one of the simplest ways to create atmosphere outside, but don’t forget soft furnishings, too – cushions, rugs and throws are all opportunities to inject more of your personality into the space. The general rule of thumb is this: if you wouldn’t have it inside your house, don’t put it in your garden. To help get you started, we’ve found some of the best garden furniture and accessories to help you create an outdoor living space that’s both practical and stylish.
1: Fine dining al fresco
Just because a table is intended for garden use doesn’t mean it has to look primarily like garden furniture. This large, heavy-duty dining table crafted from solid acacia wood would look just as at home in your dining room as it would on your patio – it just so happens to be weatherproof enough to be left outdoors in all seasons.
- Garden Trading Chilford solid dining table, pre-order for delivery in July, £1280 (RRP £1600), from Garden Trading
2: Sitting comfortably?
Cushions are one of the easiest ways to add style and personality to a garden. Think about layering different materials and patterns in coordinating colours to create a warm, cosy look.
- Cox & Cox gingham indoor outdoor cushion, £35, from Cox & Cox
3: Light the way
When creating atmosphere in the garden, you simply can’t have too many lights. These elegant, Japanese-style lanterns would look great either grouped together to light up a corner or illuminating a pathway.
- Sol wooden solar lantern, £29.99, from Lights4Fun
4: Spread your seating areas
Create pockets of living space throughout your garden by placing a lounging chair in an unexpected place – beneath a tree or amongst the wildflowers, for example. Team it with a small side table and you’ve got yourself your new favourite spot for a 5pm spritz.
- Rattan garden lounge chair, £95.20 (RRP £119), from George
5: Go big on ornaments
Utilise every corner of the garden by filling them with accessories. The best thing about styling an outdoor space is that you can be a bit bolder and go for bigger ornaments than you might use inside your home, such as with this oversized urn.
- Barker And Stonehouse large black urn, £165, from Barker And Stonehouse
6: Embrace style and substance
Not a fan of rattan? Go for something that feels more intentional, like this stunning wooden lounging set finished with stylish sage green cushions. The mid-century style feels less expected in a garden space, creating a homely atmosphere, while the acacia wood it’s crafted from assures its durability for outdoor use.
7: Soften your look
Creating a homely outdoor living space is all about making use of all the available space. Hanging these pastel-toned lanterns from the branches of a tree will create a moment of whimsy as they bob and sway in the breeze, not to mention adding a dash of colour to an otherwise overwhelmingly green space.
- Set of 3 Lucena tassel solar lanterns, £19.99 (RRP £29.99), from Lights4Fun
8: Throw in some colour
Layering up textiles on a garden sofa instantly dials up the cosiness factor. This beautiful throw blanket in moss green ties in with the natural colours of the garden while creating an opportunity to snuggle up with a book on a summer evening.
- Habitat herringbone throw, £18, from Habitat
9: Sort out the seating
It’s always useful to have extra seating options that you can whip out at a moment’s notice for guests. Not only is this pouffe a striking addition to an outdoor living area, but it can also be used as a seat, footstool or somewhere to put your coffee down.
- John Lewis salsa stripe outdoor pouffe, multi, £95, from John Lewis
10: Put your feet up
If it’s versatility you’re after, this stylish steel table can easily be moved around the garden to wherever it is you’d like to relax. Use it to put your feet up or as an additional space for drinks and nibbles when entertaining.
- HAY Palisade garden ottoman, olive green, £307 (RRP £409), from Holloways Of Ludlow
11: Lay it out
An outdoor rug is another great way to bring style and personality to the garden that’s often missed. This affordable choice from George, in striking black and white, makes for an eye-catching focal point for a lounging area. It’s also available in blue, grey and two different sizes.
- Homemaker monochrome outdoor harlequin rug, £60, from George
12: Create the illusion of space
Adding a mirror to your garden instantly brings a new dimension to the space. Its unexpectedness adds to the indoor/outdoor atmosphere, while its light-reflecting abilities create the illusion of a bigger, brighter space.
13: Make it cosy
Lighting is an oft-forgotten but essential element of designing any outdoor living area. This solar-powered floor lamp makes a surprising addition that instantly creates the feeling that you’re in someone’s living room.
- Habitat solar rattan floor lamp, £40, from Habitat
14: The perfect parasol
A parasol in bright, summery colours is the perfect way to mark out an additional seating area away from your main outdoor dining space. This one from Garden Trading is fun and full of personality, but still useful for creating that all-important shade on sunny afternoons.
- Summerleaze stripe parasol, £304 (RRP £380), from Garden Trading
