5 Ways to Transform Your Garden (or Balcony) into a Second Living Room
Experts share the vital touches necessary to turn your outdoor area into a usable, comfortable yet vibrant living space
With spring being here, many will be starting to look at how to create the perfect outdoor space to relax, lounge around or socialise. And with the sun finally shining, searches for ‘garden furniture’ have risen sharply by 82% in the past week. As a result, we worked with Emma Cottrell from luxury furniture brand BoConcept to share five simple ways to transform your garden into a usable, comfortable, yet vibrant living space.
Outdoor sofa
A comfortable place to sit is a garden necessity – whether it be a lounger, a big chair or even a weather-durable sofa. Stylish rattan or wicker chairs provide a link between indoors and outdoors while also being low maintenance and breathable.
Metal chairs are a more robust option, practical and often stackable while providing an elegant French bistro look. Introducing a sofa, however, immediately transforms your garden and is a much comfier option that will inevitably encourage you to spend more time outdoors.
There are outdoor sofas of all shapes, styles, colours, sizes and materials. You can find corner sofas which enable you to create separate zones in your garden or sofas with storage underneath where you can store blankets or throws. Sofas can be neutral in colour, providing an elegant, classic look or more lively and vibrant. Dark sofas are also arguably the most practical and require less cleaning. Whatever suits your personal taste works well – and even better if it fits with your interior style choices!
Light-coloured furniture
In order to give the indoor-outdoor flow, your garden could adopt the colour scheme, style or textures of your living room. Perhaps using the same accessories throughout or patterns and colours which make you feel at home. The most crucial thing in creating your outdoor space is that it provides an environment in which you can truly relax. We recommended sticking to light colours where possible. Light-coloured dining chairs, tables and loungers often suit the spring vibe and create a fresh, clean look in the garden. White outdoor furniture also looks especially good in contrast to the deep greens of garden plants, shrubs and trees.
A table is important for your outdoor living space for entertaining or having a casual meal, studying or even working from home. We’d recommend a round table as they save space and the curves provide a more soft, cosy vibe to the outdoor space.
The key to great garden furniture is durability, practicality and, of course, style. Metal is always a good choice for the garden because it’s weather-resistant, although you might want cushions for more comfort. You could also opt for wooden garden furniture. However, it’ll need to be hardwood like teak or eucalyptus to be weather-proof.It’s a great idea to use furniture which suits both indoors and outdoors that is lightweight and can be easily moved as the seasons transition.
Add accessories
From the colour of the sofa to the throw across the bed, you put a lot of thought into the textiles that help craft the interior of your home, but do you do the same for your outdoor space? Accessories shouldn’t just be for the lounge or kitchen. Your garden can be accessorised with more than just flowers.
Swapping or adding fabric accents is one of the easiest ways to infuse your outdoor living space with colour, add some texture, and create an aesthetic that is cosy and welcoming. This can be done by adding an outdoor rug, hanging some curtains to diffuse harsh sunlight, or simply adding a few throw pillows. This also creates the ultimate comfort. Many outdoor pillows and rugs are made from recycled polyethene, meaning they’re both durable and eco-friendly. Rugs also create an illusion of floor space.
You can also add more artistic and interesting things to give it a contemporary feel. Think outdoor mirrors, vases, clocks and hanging artwork or sculptures. All of these create a feeling that the garden space is decorated in the same way you’d decorate your lounge.
Add lighting
New lighting can help you see your outdoor living space in a whole new light – literally. To make your outdoor space feel more intimate and relaxing, add a few extra lighting options. Lighting and ambience are important in your living room so it’s important for your garden too. You want to be able to see while hosting or sitting with a book. This may include solar-powered lanterns, a few strings of twinkle lights, or a couple of aromatic candles. And no matter what time of year it is, festoon lights (hanging in a tree or along a fence, perhaps) will always make the garden look welcoming. For an option that is extra luxe, yet still affordable, opt for a small fire bowl. Nothing adds cosiness to a space quite like a living flame — especially on chilly spring evenings.
Pop up a pergola
Pergolas zone an area and create a separate space within the garden. They’re also a perfect space for entertaining and provide a shaded spot from the spring sunshine. It also gives the feeling that you’re actually in a room outside. You could opt for a decorative wood frame that will add a classic feel however, these may require more maintenance. On the other hand, a metal or aluminium frame will provide a more contemporary look and will also be more weather-friendly and robust.
Alternatively, one of the most fun ways is with the addition of a beach hut-style shed, which will be just as practical as it is Instagrammable.
In summary
With the right furniture and accessories, you’ll create an outdoor retreat that helps you to slow down and appreciate true serenity.
The key to creating an outdoor living room is cultivating a comfortable space in which you can relax. It’s also important to create continuity and flow between your interior and exterior design choices, whether that be in texture, colour or style.