Easter, whenever it falls and whatever the weather, is often seen as the first big weekend for getting out in the garden. Even if it proves too wet for digging, the four day break offers a great opportunity to design the perfect outdoor space for warmer days ahead. Just as different rooms indoors meet a range of needs, our outdoor spaces can be zoned to ensure we maximise our enjoyment of every day spent in the garden. This week’s Style Note shows you how.
Garden zoning ideas
Whether you are creating an outdoor dining area, a chilled place for entertaining or a discrete spot to escape with a book, you can create a sense of separation between areas with the clever placement of furniture or with the creative positioning of garden accessories. A garden bench could work, or planters and troughs make great outdoor room dividers, with the foliage of plants, flowers and bushes creating leafy shelters that can be positioned to form a natural enclosure.
By creating outdoor garden rooms and giving them the same design treatment as the rooms inside, your outdoor space can feel like an effortless extension of your indoor space.
Create a focal point for your outdoor living room
Extend your home by creating an outdoor lounge space centred around a focal point such as a light up garden water feature or a decorative brazier or firepit. Position a comfortable garden sofa, a cushioned lounge set or even reclining garden chairs, laden with cushions and throws or sheepskins, for the ultimate luxurious open air lounge. An outdoor rug, laid on the patio or decking will connect the space with your furniture and add welcome insulation and a more forgiving surface for barefoot summers.
Extend the view with an outdoor mirror
Mixing up the view by painting your garden wall or updating your fence and hanging some wall décor, will dramatically expand the scope of your outdoor space. Outdoor window mirrors are a great example of this, as they can bring a homely feel to the environment while also making it appear more spacious by reflecting the surroundings and amplifying natural light.
Create shade in the garden
A reliable source of shade can be a major factor in making outdoor areas comfortable to spend time in, so make sure you incorporate a pergola, gazebo or parasol into the equation to create shade in a sunny garden. This will mean you can enjoy your new outdoor room, even on the hottest of days, and it can also help to add a sense of cosiness as night falls. Choose a cantilever parasol for the flexibility to angle it as the sun moves or a fringed parasol for a pretty cottage vibe.
Don't forget outside lights and heat
No room is complete without lighting, so make sure to add some garden lights to extend your time outdoors into the evenings. Solar lights are perfect for illuminating areas of the garden that aren’t close to a power source. Festoon lights bring a lovely ambience with them, and can be used as fence lighting, hung on a pergola or strung up by festoon poles. A source of heat is also valuable for keeping things cosy as the sun goes down, which is where a fire pit can work well. Choose a freestanding brazier, or an outdoor dining set with a firepit built in for cosiness .