When spring is in full bloom and summer is just around the corner, many of us start to quickly get our gardens ready in time for the summer sun and endless BBQs. A lot of work and money can go into doing that, especially if you haven’t looked after your outdoor space over the winter months.
If this is a situation you are in and you don’t have enough time or money to get the garden looking exactly how you want and need it to do so before your guests arrive, you might want to consider sprucing up the outside living space that you do have with some decorations, furnishings and accessories that are most commonly used indoors.
You may already have some of these items around your home, which will definitely save on the spend; however, the items we have found to create your idyllic outdoor/indoor living space in a short space of time, will most certainly not break the bank this summer.
Outdoor lighting
There are so many different hardware and home and garden stores that sell a fantastic array of lighting solutions for outside your home. From fairy lights to lanterns, create the mood and ambience you want with lighting on your patio/garden/decking so that your evening of socialising can continue way into the late evening.
Digital windup radio
Problem: So the sun has gone in and the kids have gone to bed but you want to shut the door over so you don’t wake them up yet the radio or music is plugged into the mains unit that sits in the kitchen. Solution: Digital windup radio – allowing you to stay outside for hours while listening to your chosen radio station. Just make sure that you take it in turns to wind it up!
Rugs and cushions
Don’t be afraid to lay out rugs and cushions on your floor to make a cosy seating area within your outdoor living space. Rugs on the floor and cushions on your seats can make an outdoor living space suddenly feel warm and cosy and very inviting. Just remember to vacuum your rug before you take it in for the evening and keep it stored in a cool, dry place so that the material doesn’t get damp and start to smell.
Beanbags
Beanbags are a great alternative to metal or wooden seats that can often be quite uncomfortable to sit on after long period of time. There are a wide variety of waterproof and durable adult beanbags that are available on the market that will allow you to seat up to five people at one time. A couple of these for your outside living space is ideal and most definitely practical for when you move the party inside and there’s still not enough seating for everyone attending.
Plastic glasses, cutlery and utensils
We don’t mean plastic as in the ones you can get in packs of 100 from the store and they can’t even cut into jelly. We mean proper hardwearing plastic items that last a long time, can be reused over and over and can comfortably be used outside without you having to worry about your best china or crystal glasses breaking.
There are many different features that you can add to your outside living space to make it a home and just in time for the summer too. Just make sure that you purchase items that you would feel comfortable bringing back into the house to maybe use again amongst your other indoor furniture as let’s face it, we don’t see 365 days of sunshine in the UK and so we need somewhere for these furnishings to go if they aren’t going to be coming back in amongst the other furniture when the autumn/winter season is upon us.
***This post was contributed by RUComfyBeanbags.co.uk***
Geoff Ainsworth is a director of RUComfyBeanbags and has a passion for home design and technology. He writes for a variety of home design websites and loves vintage/retro styles.
