Why stay cooped up inside when you could be enjoying some fresh air and sunshine? Making your outdoor space an extension of your home is the best way to make the most of your property and enjoy all the perks of living in such a beautiful country.
Many property owners just don’t know where to start!
Never fear, bringing the indoors out and vice versa is actually a lot easier than you would imagine. All you need are a few simple tricks, and some great patio builders, and you are already halfway to perfection.
Be Smart with Your Materials
The first rule of interior design is to limit your palette of materials to just a few key pieces. This way, your design won’t be overcrowded with ideas and you can really make the most of your design ideas.
When you are extending your interior outside, this rule still applies. There is nothing quite so effective as a floor that seems to keep on going beyond your patio doors. There are plenty of materials that do this well, including tiles, wooden boards, and polished concrete. By extending the flooring outside, the length of your room seems to be much longer. Your eye is tricked into believing that the space is much bigger than it really is.
Industrial materials are the most obvious for the transition from inside to out as they are hard-wearing and will survive most weather types. You will also find that there are plenty of choices for industrial finishes. They can make all the difference to your design. For example, you could use outdoor lights inside to tie your theme together. Or, you could even leave an exposed brick wall inside that continues outside.
Industrial materials also give you a chance to design your outdoor space into the architecture of your property. For example, you could create a beautiful seating area using bricks or poured concrete. A wall retaining a raised bed with seating is a lovely way to integrate the idea of indoor space in your garden itself.
Think in Terms of Light and Shade
Managing the light in your home is really important for your comfort and for managing the heat you are exposed to. The same logic applies outside. While you may enjoy the sunshine, you will also want the shade to have protection from the elements.
To create shade, you first need to work out where the sun will be throughout the day and plan accordingly. Ideally, you will be able to plan so that the most shade is available at midday when the sun is at its hottest. But, there should be somewhere to sit at any time. A good compromise, if you don’t have much space, is to make sure that you have a parasol so you can sit anywhere comfortably.
Trees are brilliant for bringing shade to your garden and they will also help to retain the quality of your soil. A good compromise if you don’t have room for a tree is to grow some vines up and over a pergola. This will provide some partial shade and, depending on the vine you choose, could offer a lovely fragrance too.
Managing the shade outside will also help you to manage the temperature of your home. Overhanging ledges are perfect for providing shade – especially where you have large windows – and could be extended to shade your garden too. This is ideal for the summer months when you could be over-reliant on air conditioning for cooling.
Bring Out Soft Furnishings
Outdoor spaces can be quite harsh and uncomfortable because they are built to last. With the right materials, however, you can introduce some more comfortable seating too. Some fabrics are ideal for outdoor living, though they aren’t always as long-lasting as they claim to be. It might be a better idea to have some soft furnishings that you keep inside and bring out when the mood takes you!
A bean bag is always a great option for relaxing and can provide the perfect outdoor seating. Making a beanbag is really easy. Create the perfect design for your space yourself! Use a variety of stuffing materials to get the ideal balance between weight and comfort. If you’re feeling particularly creative, you could try matching the seating you have inside by using similar materials and textures.
Just as you might use throw cushions on your sofa inside, you should also consider bringing cushions out. When the weather is fine and your area is sheltered, you might be able to keep your cushions outside. Especially, if you have somewhere to store them. Adding a bit of weight to your cushions or using ties to secure them is a good idea for windy days.
Create an Outdoor Kitchen
Now that you have perfected your outdoor space, you have to use it well! Hosting a barbecue is ideal for celebrating your new ‘room’. You can build an outdoor kitchen, including a barbecue and pizza oven quite easily. The trick is to have a large enough surface for preparing ingredients as well as cooking them.
When you are designing your outdoor kitchen, think about how sophisticated you need the space to be. If you are quite happy to do most of your cooking inside and then transfer your prepped ingredients outside for the last bit of grilling, you won’t need much more than a barbecue. However, if you want to be a bit more adventurous, it might be worth installing a sink and you could even install a beverage fridge!
There are so many things you can do with your outside space. Creating a sense of cohesion between the two parts of your home really makes the most of your interior design skills. As you bring your interior and exterior together, you will see your lifestyle subtly changing for the better.
See Also:
How To Keep Your Home’s Interior Fragrant And Fresh
