Outdoor Living | Creating Outdoor Living Spaces

Creating An Outdoor Living Space

Extend your home and make use of your garden by creating an outdoor living space to relax, dine and entertain in the fresh air of your garden. Perfect for summer barbeques, lazy weekends or evening drinks, a good outdoor living space should incorporate well thought out lighting, heating and carefully considered garden furniture in order to make an attractive, practical outdoor area.

What material should I use for my garden patio?

When building an outdoor living space you will need to build a patio, before you decide on the material that you will use, consider the feel of the rest of the house, it is important that your choice reflects the property’s overall style. Bricks and concrete patios are the cheapest to buy and install and both can reasonably be done as DIY jobs. Concrete patios are particularly durable and when used with the right decorative techniques can still look attractive. For a mid-range choice consider buying pavers or decorative stone. Pavers come in a range of colours and styles and are still relatively inexpensive, while decorative stone in slate or flagstone will cost more but you will benefit from an eye-catching, sleek patio. If you are interested in using decorative stone check to see what stone is available in your local area, thus supporting local trade, cutting costs and keeping your home in line with traditional local building materials. You could also use decking for your outdoor space and enjoy the luxury look and feel of wood in your garden, this can come in a range of wood, colours, grains and stains although decking does require some maintenance and won’t last as long as a stone patio.

What lighting should I install for my outdoor living space?

Lighting installed outside will increase the amount of time that you get to enjoy your garden and your patio. Lighting can also be used as a decorative feature in your garden for example lighting up a key feature, plant or statue. It can add a sense of ambience, but also think about lighting for practical purposes, for example you will need safety lighting on pathways. To light up a patio area close to the house, wall mounted lighting is the most practical option and easiest to wire or you could make a feature of the light itself by including storm lanterns or lampposts in the gardens. When wiring new lighting always hire a professional who can ensure any installations are done correctly.

Should I buy a heater for my patio?

In the UK chilly evenings can often stop us fully enjoying a star-studded night, to get around this why not invest in a patio heater? A well placed patio heater can raise the temperature and help you, your family and your guests sit outside in the night air for longer comfortably. When buying a heater consider the size of the seated area that you would like to heat, buying larger than what you use will waste energy, while buying too small will leave your guests jostling for the warm spots. You could consider a freestanding heater for larger areas or a table-top one for smaller needs. If space is limited then a wall-mounted heater could be the answer, it is also suited to houses in particularly windy areas as there is no danger of the heater falling over.

What garden furniture should I invest in?

Of course no outdoor living area would be complete without furniture, it is important to invest in garden furniture that reflects your aesthetic tastes and that will last. Think about how much furniture you need – are you planning to eat outside or just relax? Do you entertain often? It is easier to buy the right amount of chairs now rather than trying to match up odd sets later. When buying garden furniture you could consider hardwood pieces, there are a range of woods on offer, ranging from cheap to expensive with respective durability and lifespan, wood looks great and if maintained will last, although it will require some maintenance and the best quality woods don’t come cheap. Metal furniture also varies in durability depending on the material; aluminium or stainless steel are usually used for outdoor furniture as they are durable and don’t rust, aluminium is lightweight, making it easy to move but a hazard in high winds. Stainless steel is a heavier and stronger material although it can lose its appearance if not maintained as dirt sticking to its surface could cause surface rust and staining. Plastic garden furniture is a cheap and economical option if you are on a budget but it could get blown about in high winds and although there are high-end options on the market, they generally don’t have the same appeal in attractiveness as metal and wood garden furniture.

There are patio, lighting, heating and garden furniture options to suit any budget, so designing your perfect outdoor living space is all about your personal preference and how much you have to spend. Choose materials that appeal to you and think carefully about where you install heating and lighting to allow the area to transcend into a night-time entertainment area in comfort and in style.