Outdoor Living Rooms

Outdoor Living Rooms

May 2, 2020

With longer evenings and summers days starting to show their face we are thinking of ways of improving our outdoor living areas to have ready for the beautiful weather we are hoping arrives this Summer! Setting out to plan what look and feel you want to have in your Garden and what furniture is best to buy doesn’t need to be a daunting task. With a few key points you can have the perfect outdoor living area to entertain and dine Al fresco this summer!

Pinterest image of Outdoor living space layout

1. Planning for your space

Whether you are planning on buying a dining furniture set with some shading or re landscaping your entire garden consider how to best divide the space up into the most suitable layout as you would do inside your home. Choose an area for Eating, lounging, playing and sun bathing

Consider how the sun moves around your garden throughout the day and what spot gets the best light and sun in the evenings, ideally this is where you want to locate your seating area. Try to identify the needs for your family home and define each space accordingly. This beautiful outdoor space is a great example of how to define your layout and space, the seated entertainment area is set off by the strong grey statement pillars which help to zone the area and create a feeling of privacy. The steps that lead up to the landscaped area at the top off the garden adds a change in level which brings another dimension to the layout. There are many places to entertain and areas to reflect and relax in this beautifully well thought out area. The Garden layout has been cleverly wrapped around the living space of the home where you can seamlessly pass from the indoor living space to the outdoor living areas to find different pockets of entertainment and relaxation. See image of inbuilt Firepit below which shows another element of the same outdoor space.

Landscape architecture by ‘is design’ for our client Glenveagh homes.

Interior design by House and Garden for our client Glenveagh Homes

2. Social Hotspot

Firepits are incredibly versatile. They suit almost every type of Garden whether you have a neater sized space or a garden with a larger area. A firepit creates the perfect cosy atmosphere and tends to be the social hotspot at any outdoor party. There are many different designs to choose from however one of the main decisions should be how you to fuel the firepit, We recommend an ethanol fire pit as they are smokeless and safer and depending on the design you choose can also be mobile! Whether your firepit is inbuilt into a wall like in the above images of Glenveagh homes or placed in the middle of a seating area firepits provide the perfect attraction for lighting and heating up your outdoor Garden living area whilst also helping to keep the bugs at bay!

1.Pinterest Image of ethanol firepit lounge area. 2.Pinterest Image of ethanol firepit lounge area

3. Bring the Indoors out

There is now an array of durable outdoor fabrics available that can be used for your outdoor furniture including fabric for seating, cushions and even outdoor rugs. This allows the perfect opportunity to create a comfortable seating or dining area adding in some of your own personal style. We recommend adding some accent cushions colour and character to the space! Selecting the right garden furniture that can withstand the Irish climate is essential we at House and Garden have a fantastic selection of high quality Garden furniture ranges available to order on request. See examples below

4.Storage

It is not practical to store this furniture inside your home during harsh weather conditions so storage is an important factor for you to consider for your seat and decorative cushions, this Rattan storage box is the perfect solution.

5.Shelter

Providing Shelter for yourself and your guests is essential to be able to keep the party outside for longer and enjoy as much time outside as possible! Use Canopies to create both shade and privacy. Awnings, umbrellas, gazebos and pergolas are some of the different ways you can shelter yourself and your guests from harsh sunlight and light rain while creating the ideal outdoor living area. Whether it houses an area for dining or lounging and relaxing it is sure to provide the perfect area.

Pinterest image of seating area with Capony shading

5.Zen Zone

A Canopy bed or a Pod chair are both creative and attractive pieces of Garden furniture to relax in. Both provide a comfortable seating space to relax and unwind in nature with a good book or to sit in and enjoy a glass of wine! The Canopy bed doubles up as a sun lounger when the canopy is pulled back. The Rattan Pod Chairs cocoon shape adds a sense of comfort and style to any Garden.