Outdoor décor tips for every season

Outdoor living: great in warm weather, not so great in cold and rainy weather. We say: gardens and patios of all shapes and sizes can be transformed into a wonderful setting for your outdoor life, no matter what the season is. Make the most of every ray of sunshine, whether the weather is colder or not, by using what you have to your advantage.

Today we challenge you to bring your indoor style outdoors by creating an outdoor room for entertaining, relaxing and more.

We have delectable décor ideas for you, ranging from hot weather suntraps to cosy, cold-weather reading nooks …and more. Whether you have a covered outside area available to work with or not, we’ve found a solution.

Think of a purpose for your outdoor ‘room’, just like you would any other space in your home

First thing’s first. The central core of 'intentional' design is to evaluate what you already have and what the limitations and opportunities of your space are.

So, the first step is to have a look around your patio, terrace or even the entire garden. What would you love to do here? What do you already do? It’s time to let your imagination run riot. Let’s get your juices flowing with our own ideas.

How to divide your outdoor space into different ‘rooms’

Evaluation phase over, it’s time to think of your available space as having zones or rooms within it. To see the potential in your outdoor space it helps to think of it as a room outside, with its own style and possibilities. This is applicable to spaces of all sizes, from long gardens to small terraces, crazy-paved patios and poolside paradises.

There are different ways to set the tone for each space – by theme, by colour, by foliage. For us, creating outdoor ‘rooms’ has never been easier if you think of them each in terms of colour choices.

Even brick walls can be decorated. Walls and fences that are painted will help freshen up the space and make it more visually cohesive. Lighter colours reflect the sunlight while shades that are more colourful create a new atmosphere virtually by themselves!

Another way to introduce colour is through working with your outdoor furnishing fabrics. Colourfastness in your fabrics here is key, of course, as nobody wants their hard styling work to fade out under prolonged exposure to UV rays, use, or stormy weather.

Fabrics to look for in terms of colourfastness surpass standards such as the ISO 105-B02 (colour fastness to light), the ISO 105-E01 (colour fastness to water) and the ISO 105-X12 (colour fastness to rubbing), to name just three.

Do FibreGuard Outdoor fabrics surpass these standards? Yes! Bring colour to the foreground with our new FibreGuard Outdoor collection.

Outside dining

Dining al fresco is fabulous in the warmer months of the year, but trust us, it’s lovely on crisp, colder days too! In winter, you’ll want warmer ways to enjoy your garden, so it’s time to bundle up with soft throws, a stylish patio heater or two, or even a fireplace!

In summer outdoor eating is a delicious treat, so play with pattern and textures in your furniture and decorative accessories to make your outdoor world come alive.

Entertaining

Entertaining outdoors is lovely, especially at this particular point in 2020’s pandemic year, when outdoor entertaining is so often mandatory. Kitting out your patio with some well-chosen pieces of garden furniture is the basis of every successful garden gathering.

Our advice is to invest in these pieces of furniture and they will last longer: good for your wallet and the environment too!

Reusing and recycling (or upcycling) furniture pieces is even better, and with our FibreGuard Outdoor fabrics, it’s easier to translate your indoor style to your outdoor life.

Reupholstering existing pieces in our fabrics that have been specifically engineered for outdoor use, for example, ensure that they’re given a second life with updated functional benefits.

Read The STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®>

For winter gatherings, a wood burner or little fire pit is such an asset. Just imagine: you could be watching Christmas movies in your garden on your projector while toasting marshmallows on your fire pit. Heaven!

For summer gatherings, options are broader. What about an outdoor home theatre? Or even setting up a fully functional garden bar? Tiki culture is in, but a refined elegance never goes out of style.

Designing outdoor spaces with self-care in mind

The final section of our outdoor ideas centres on one person (you) instead of on groups of people. Sometimes you just need space to yourself, and time outdoors is a great helper when it comes to de-stressing.

You need to get creative with how you are going to get outside if you can’t move beyond your own garden or terrace. The quickest way is to create a relaxed little spot to read, meditate, or just hang out with your pet and kids.

Cushions are the fastest way to make your special retreat comfortable while defining it as a ‘room’ of its own. Opt for rounded patterns, organic shapes and the softest fabric you can find we’re biased but we’re going to say ours) to really chill out.

For summer

Layering sheers makes an atmospheric little tent in summer that filters the light and keeps the harshest points of the sun at bay.

For cold weather

Outfit your little spot with a fire pit or patio heater if possible (candles in plant pots work too!) for colder weather.

For rainy days

If you live in a country where it rains no matter what the season is, check out how to build yourself a little hideaway! Make sure to make it easily put away, if you’re working with a terrace.

This idea is perfect for even the smallest terraces, and can be scaled up to fit your space if it’s bigger (lucky you! You can add a fireplace!).

Have these sparked off ideas for your own space?

You know where to go if you’re seeking stunning soft furnishing fabrics that are just as durable outside as inside.

It’s time to let your indoor décor style have its day in the sun. Contact us today.