Whether you’ve a sprawling country lawn or a modest urban terrace, here’s how to make the most of summer and turn your garden into a living room.
After years of bringing the outdoors in – think houseplants, OTT palm print wallpapers, succulents and cacti – we’re ready to flip the trend on its head. The want to make outdoor spaces feel like a cosy, al fresco version of a living room has never been greater, with coffee table set-ups in the garden to terraces that look plucked from the White Isle itself. And with the long Coronation Weekend coming up, now’s the time to get your balconies, gardens and patios in order for lazy lunches in the sun and endless jugs of Pimm’s.
We’ve scrolled and saved some of the best examples from our Instagram favourites and searched the web to bring you the pieces (on all budgets) you need to put a little slice of heaven into your outdoor space, no matter how sprawling or modest it may be.
Here’s how to make your garden a living room…
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Chloé, AKA Chloe Loves To Shop, might be best known for her fashion buys, but this summer it’s her garden we’re lusting after. From the sofa set up to the antique mirror and homely soft furnishings, we couldn’t think of a better place for 6pm sundowners.
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Even urban spaces can get the garden living room treatment and we have fallen hard for what Nathalie from The Home of a City Mom has done with her outdoor space.
From the soft furnishings to the rattan accessories and statement ‘60s swinging chair, this modest city space is giving us all the boho vibes. Take a look at her full Insta feed and you’ll see the garden in all its glory – it’s basically an extension of her actual house – all soft, muted colour palettes, textured fabrics and bohemian pieces that could easily pass for a corner of a cool Ibizan beach club.
Even if your outdoor area is tiny, the same can be achieved with a handful of tactile, bohemian-style accessories. Look to Anthropologie, Oliver Bonas and H&M home departments for trays, floor cushions, throws and pouffes at a modest price point.
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To actual Ibiza now and this outdoor space is serious goals. Fashion editor and co-founder of Wardrobe Icons, Deborah Brett, started her career in fashion but her Instagram feed is full to bursting with interiors ideas too.
Her home in Ibiza, which she shares with her husband and three children, is quintessentially White Isle chic. Think rustic, artisan accessories, natural stripped-back woods and the prettiest of tablescapes, all put together with vintage-inspired rattan furniture and the coolest blue and white tiling below feet.
Is there anything more indulgent than tucking into a bounty of coffee table books at a sofa set up in the garden?
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Katie AKA The Mum Life Styled has nailed living room chic in her garden with on point styling. Upgrade your outdoor reading space by taking tips from her – made best with an outdoor sofa (John Lewis have a great range for all budgets), a chunky, rustic coffee table and your favourite tomes.
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For a lesson in stripped back cool, look to Kelly from the Ontwerpstudio. Using 70s-style rattan, hanging lights, pampas grass and faux furs, she’s created a look that sits somewhere between scandi cool and ‘70s retro.
Look to brands such as OKA and Furn for pieces that look like one-of-a-kind vintage finds and fill in the gaps with affordable options from the high street.
This look is ideal for tiny city spaces, even if you’ve got a modest balcony to dress.
Create Scandi-cool meets 70's retro with pampas grass, faux furs and rattan accessories.
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