This years outdoor design trends continue to focus on creating beautiful, relaxed and inviting spaces that remain functional, regardless of how much room you have to play with. Using natural elements and simple colours to design an outdoor living area that suits your needs will mean you can make more use of the space.
Here are a few simple tips for designing an outdoor space that you’ll enjoy using.
A living, breathing space
The trick to an outdoor space that you’ll actually enjoy using, is thinking about how it needs to function and fit your lifestyle. From outdoor kitchens and swimming pools to patios and fire pits, give thought to how people will use and move throughout the space. Where will the early morning or harsh afternoon sun hit? Or is the area heavily shaded for most of the day? Is your neighbour’s living room window overlooking your pool area?
Once you know how you want to use the space, and what you’re working with, it will make everything from plant choices to where to pop a privacy screen much easier (hint: between your neighbours window and your pool is a great idea!)
What’s old is new again
The move towards raw, recycled and rustic materials, such as natural stone, rusted metal and reclaimed timber, continues to grow. And with good reason – the natural look and feel of these elements help them blend in seamlessly, enhancing your outdoor experience.
Your outdoor furniture can also be an opportunity to bring in some raw pieces (and reduce your footprint on the planet). The added bonus of using these materials is they tend to age better, with less strenuous upkeep required on your part (because nobody enjoys oiling their deck every 3 months, right?)
Colours that feel at home
It’s also no surprise that greys continue to dominate outdoor spaces, as they work well with both soft and hard landscaping elements. By choosing colours that also compliment your homes interior, you can create an outdoor space that truly feels like an extension of your living area, giving the illusion of more space.
But don’t discount pops of colour either. Sometimes a well placed vibrant cushion or piece of wall art can add visual interest. Just don’t go overboard, or it can feel less relaxing, and more chaotic.
Stylish function
Functional items like wheelie bins and hose reels are a bit of a necessary evil, but that doesn’t mean they have to be an eyesore.
Creating a screen for your wheelie bins allows you to keep them in a convenient spot, without the visual distraction of being able to see them. And by choosing materials and colours that blend in seamlessly with your house and landscaping, they will truly be out of sight, out of mind (just don’t forget to put them out!)
The trend towards stylish and cohesive outdoor areas has also lead to custom Colorbond hose reels. Colour matched and customised to suit your space, a custom hose reel allows you to enjoy the ease of a robust, retractable mess-free hose solution, without the need to compromise on style.
