Patio perfection
Ignore the clouds and pretty up the patio ready for summer. Gabrielle Fagan picks on-trend looks for well-dressed outdoor spaces.
Lounging around outdoors, enjoying a drink in the sunshine or dining al fresco, has been a dream rather than a reality so far this summer.
But one day the clouds will clear and reveal your patio in all its glory, so take steps now to ensure it’s looking pretty and kitted out in preparation for all that relaxation that lies ahead.
If you’re lucky enough to have outdoor space, it deserves as much attention as your indoor rooms.
A survey by Lloyds TSB Insurance has found that over the last year Britons spent £14 billion turning their gardens into luxury havens. Our holiday budgets may still be tight, which is all the more reason to make the most of the summer at home.
The survey found that furniture, hot tubs and summerhouses are increasing in popularity while sales of plants declined.
“We are valuing our garden spaces more as the trend to improve rather than move continues,” says Frances Tophill, presenter of ITV’s Love Your Garden.
“As homeowners have become too time-poor for gardening, features like decking, summerhouses and leisure items have moved into prime position in our gardens.”
On average, our individual spend is £900 on outdoor furniture and accessories, with the equipment in our gardens totalling around £2,000.
“Designers are helping to transform our outdated perceptions of garden spaces. They are focusing on outdoor furniture as never before and using state-of-the-art materials and marine-grade fabrics to produce innovative, weather-proof collections,” says Tina Mahony at Go Modern.
“People now want to create the ‘wow’ factor when they entertain outdoors. The modern approach is literally to take the indoors out and conjure a sophisticated, beautifully-furnished area which seamlessly blends with the interior.”
Make outdoor living an affair to remember with furniture and accessories for stylish social spaces…
WHITE DELIGHT
Pure white has been a star on the fashion catwalk and is playing a key role on patios this summer.
“The disadvantage of white furniture, that it was hard to clean, has disappeared with the use of durable, modern materials,” says Luke Albery at Encompass Furniture.
“White reflects the light, and can make a space look larger and is an ideal choice for those who want to make an impact with a makeover.”
CHEAP AND CHIC: John Lewis’s sleek metal and white Milo Lounging set, £299, comprises a sofa, two chairs and a coffee table. Accessorise with a white Beehive planter, £125, Sparrow & Finch.
BIG SPENDER: Barlow Tyrie’s Aura collection, from The Chelsea Gardener, could be the perfect kit for cocktails or dinner. The range features a teak-top high table, £795, with high dining carver chairs, £340 each.
Curl up and feel cocooned in a Dedon Nestrest chair, from £6,820 at Leisure Plan, which wouldn’t look out of place on a sun-drenched Caribbean terrace.
Add essential twinkling candlelight with LSA glass Terrace storm lanterns, from £16.50 each, Red Candy.
COLOUR CRAZE
Raise the temperature in the garden no matter what the weather with zingy coloured garden furniture teamed with bright accessories. The setting will be reminiscent of the dazzling shades of foreign hotspots.
“The colour revival indoors is being reflected outdoors,” says Tina Mahony at Go Modern.
“Vibrant pops of colour – bright yellow, sky blue, pink and leaf green as well as interwoven patterns – enliven a space and give it an exotic far-away vibe.”
CHEAP AND CHIC: Saba folding table, £29, and chair, £15, B&Q, comes in a choice of hot pink, green and blue. Habitat’s Lyra rattan hanging chair with bright blue detailing is £320 (currently reduced to half price online).
BIG SPENDER: Lounge in comfort on a chunky Santos recycled plastic armchair, £150, John Lewis, available in red, pink, yellow and green.
Go Modern specialise in designer garden furniture and its Philippe Starck Soft Egg chairs, £155 each, are stackable and come in a rainbow of soft shades.
Have a bit of kitsch fun with an upmarket Gnome stool by Kartell Attila, from £180, Nest.
WOOD WINNERS
Natural materials like wood and stone are in favour indoors, and they’re perfectly at home outdoors too.
“Wooden furniture is a classic with many ranges needing little maintenance, and weathering over the years adds to their charm,” says Nicola Gidlow, buyer for outdoor living at John Lewis.
CHEAP AND CHIC: John Lewis’s contemporary Homestead range in teak, £899, includes a six-seater table, two benches and two chairs.
Next has given a contemporary twist to the old-fashioned arbour set with its sleek aluminium and hardwood Monaco arbour, £249.
BIG SPENDER: Indian Ocean has a style to suit most tastes and its classic pieces include a Clifton stacking bench, £895, with teak slats and a sturdy stainless steel frame, or opt for the ultimate luxury of a Sultan swingbed, £3,500.
WEAVE A SPELL
Ensure your space works as well as an indoor room by keeping a close eye on design as well as comfort. Woven or rattan-style furniture is ideal.
“Woven furniture collections have an advantage in that they sit well in a conservatory area, or outside on a terrace,” says Nicola Gidlow at John Lewis.
CHEAP AND CHIC: B&Q’s weather-resistant rattan-effect wicker Comoro range includes a six-seater table, £204, and two chairs with cushions, £165.
BIG SPENDER: Marks & Spencer’s synthetic rattan Carmelo range features a dining table with two benches and cushions, £699, and a sun lounger, £299. (pictured)
Next’s rattan Hanging chair, £375, with cushions could be perfect for idling away summer hours, or just cuddle up on a Sorento Love seat and footstool, £399, Bhs.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Metal and wirework seating is an elegant choice and works particularly well in small spaces, including balconies and compact urban settings.
“Decorative ironwork is enjoying huge popularity because of its good looks and also, I believe, because there’s a renewed interest in craftsmanship,” says Adrian Rayment, founder of Rayment Wire.
“We often find people feature a piece in a room adjoining the garden and another outside, which helps to bring continuity between the outdoor and indoor space.”
CHIC AND CHEAP: Bhs black Tuscan leaf-shaped bistro set, table and two chairs, £329. Amazon’s Strathwood St Thomas cast aluminium dining armchairs are a snip at £199 for a set of two.
Beat chilly evenings with a Colorado wood burning patio heater, from £85, Next. Marks & Spencer’s black wirework Moroccan lantern, £45, would complete the look.
BIG SPENDER: Bring romance to the patio with a bespoke hand-made Love Seat, £508, Rayment Wire. For a more modern take, opt for a high-back Emu Re-Trouve armchair, £605, Nest.
:: PATIO PLACES
Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk
B&Q: 0845 850 0175/www.diy.com
Bhs: 0845 196 0000/www.bhs.co.uk
The Chelsea Gardener: 0207 352 5656/www.chelseagardener.com
Encompass Furniture: 02392 410 045/www.encompassco.com
Go Modern: 0845 652 0332/www.gomodern.co.uk
Habitat: 0844 499 1111/www.habitat.co.uk
Indian Ocean: 0208 675 4808/www.indian-ocean.co.uk
John Lewis: 0845 6049 049/www.johnlewis.com
Leisure Plan: 01279 816 001/www.leisureplan.co.uk
Marks & Spencer: 0845 302 1234/www.marksandspencer.com
Nest: 0114 243 3000/www.nest.co.uk
Next: 0844 844 8939/www.next.co.uk
Rayment Wire: 01843 821 628/www.raymentwire.co.uk
Red Candy: 0121 224 7728/www.redcandy.co.uk
Sparrow & Finch: 01892 861 202/www.sparrowandfinch.co.uk
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