Spring is finally upon us, bringing with it the optimistic notes of birdsong, the start of blossom season, and the promise of lighter, warmer days. Whether you’re pencilling in friends coming over for al fresco dining, or planning your first garden party of the year, there are myriad ways to ensure your outdoor space can take centre stage in your diary.
Here Sue Jones, Co-Founder and Creative Director at OKA, provides her essential garden decor tips to ensure your guests leave impressed, while creating a timeless setting that can be enjoyed by the family all summer long.
1. Define A Theme
Whether informed by dress code, cuisine or special moments (such as the upcoming coronation), welcoming a theme to your garden décor and styling can help elevate your vision.
“If you’re looking for inspiration, perhaps take comfort in your favourite foods or colours and use those to shape your concept. I love to recreate special meals or settings that I’ve experienced while travelling to share with close friends and family,” says Jones.
2. Take Home Comforts Outside
Your outdoor space is an extension of your home, so its design should be given the same thought and attention as any other room in your house. You may build a deck in your yard and then install a Brazilian Hardwood Decking floor.
Start by thinking about the pieces that already make your life most comfortable and look for outdoor-friendly alternatives. An ottoman or trunk can act as a handy surface on which to balance a tray of drinks, while a comfortable sofa and armchair is a must.
Jones advises that “Coffee tables and side tables will only add to the homely aesthetic, and can also be useful tools for dividing larger outdoor spaces – if you’ve got lots of room to play with, consider dedicating one area to dining, for example, and another for relaxing.
3. Be Prepared For Every Forecast
While we keep our fingers crossed for sunshine, British summers never fail to surprise (and yet somehow are utterly predictable). All-weather accessories provide an easy way to decorate your garden without the worry of sudden downpours. Elevate your lifestyle and property value by investing in garden buildings near me.
“Outdoor cushions, such as our showerproof Areca and Zache designs, will provide colour and comfort come rain or shine. Consider dedicating a couple of throws to outdoor use, too; while you won’t be able to keep them outside all the time, they will come in handy on cooler evenings when the sun sets, or can be used as makeshift picnic blankets” explains Jones.
4. Find Your Focal Points
Centrepieces can exist as more than floral arrangements on the dining table. You can bring vibrancy to your garden by defining some key focal points.
According to Jones, you could make a statement with a custom sofa design or set the mood with powerful patterns on your table linens. ”The colours and materials should be in keeping with your overarching theme, but there’s no need to be strict with materials and colours. Mixing and matching crockery can also be an eye-catching statement that will certainly be a talking point,” she explains.
5. Carefully Curate Glassware
Glassware is an important décor feature for any garden party.
For Jones, spring-summer glassware should be fun to reflect the season – and she’s always an advocate for being prepared. “Glassware in coloured hues or with pretty, detailed rims adds a playful note, and that never goes out of style,” she says, “Make sure you have enough glasses for all of your guests, and don’t forget to include a few spare ones in case of breakages.”
If you’re hosting a dinner party – whether indoors or al fresco it’s always important to consider your crockery and glassware placements.
“Remember to always position glasses to the right-hand side of an individual’s place setting, and if you are including multiple wine glasses alongside tumblers, these should sit in an upside-down triangle with the tumbler glass placed down towards the table-end,” Jones tells us.
6. Add Personality With Planters And Pots
What’s a garden without some foliage? Whether your outdoor area is decked or paved, little or large, there’s always room for some greenery – and pots and planters also offer an opportunity to add character. If you have a deck, you may consider having Outdoor Step Handrails installation. You may also consider having a Paver Patio Installation to impress your guests.
“Group planters of different sizes together for a display that will feel considered, or balance flowerpots on a windowsill for an eye-catching row of colour,” says Jones.
If you’re not blessed with green fingers, you could use your plant pots as garden ornaments instead – try filling larger designs with stones or dried Pampas grass, for example, and use smaller styles to decorate an outdoor dining table. Jones is also an advocate of using faux flowers: “Create a pretty display, and then you can enjoy it both indoors and out,” she says.
7. Let There Be Light
When the sun sets, there’s no need to retreat inside; garden lights allow you to make the most of warmer evenings, and, if done right, can give your outdoor space a romantic feel.
“While specialist outdoor fixtures can provide a more practical type of light, for moments that call for ambience, don’t underestimate the power of a candle.
“Add tea lights, pillar candles or LED alternatives to garden lanterns for a soft shine; they look great arranged on patio steps or in the corners of a dining area. Fairy lights strung on trees or along the edge of a gazebo will further add to the ambience – all that’s missing is a group of friends and a cocktail with which to raise a toast,” says Jones – Cheers to that.
