Read on for our guide to creating an outdoor living space and fifth room garden design, including outdoor lighting options, ideal for entertaining at home this summer and beyond.
1. Zone out.
When it comes to what makes a good outdoor area, it’s important to think about how you’ll use the space. You can zone your outdoor living space, sometimes referred to as the ‘fifth room’ of your home, to create areas for different uses. Before you decide on your garden design ideas you can test it out by marking out the area using some twine and bamboo cane to see how it might work.
Using different surface materials is a simple way to create different zones within your garden. It can be as simple as using decking, stones, and turf. Softer surfaces, such as a lawn or wood chippings, lend themselves well to creating a children’s play area, whereas hard standing areas are best for outdoor dining.
Pots can be used to sit on the terrace or patio to help add colour and mark out different areas.
2. How to create an outdoor kitchen.
A key component to any good outdoor living space is having somewhere not just to dine alfresco but to rustle up tasty meals. The classic barbecue is available powered by a choice of gas, wood or charcoal. Gas is less messy and perhaps more convenient, whereas wood or charcoal are more traditional and add flavour to your food.
You can elevate your alfresco cooking from a simple barbecue by creating an outdoor kitchen. Modular units with grill, pizza oven, fridge and sink are widely available, enabling you to spend more time outside and effectively giving your home an extra ‘room’.
Potting tables are ideal for food preparation, and they don’t take up too much space, making them ideal for smaller gardens. Add hooks for utensils, store plates and cutlery underneath and add a galvanised or zinc topped surface to make the clean-up easy too.
3. Grow your own in a kitchen garden.
Herb gardens, vegetable patches and edible borders are just three ways that you can grow your own produce at home. Creating a kitchen garden will mean you’re eating food that’s in season and super fresh, while helping the environment by reducing food miles.
Save precious outdoor space by hanging potted plants off a slim shelving unit or pallet fixed to the wall. Slimline options such as a plant stand also work well. This is an ideal garden design idea to cover up a boring fence panel or brickwork. Or you could use hanging baskets to grow tomatoes or strawberries.
Why not get to know your neighbours by offering surplus produce?
Want to know what to plant and when? Read our guide to four season gardening.
4. Dine alfresco.
Nothing says summer has arrived like eating outside for the first time this year. From a picnic rug on the lawn to a formal seating area, there are lots of ways to dine in the open air.
Outdoor tables and seating come in all shapes and sizes. The ideal tables and chairs are those that can be left outside all year round so there’s no need to pack them away or find the space to store them. You might prefer a more relaxed style with a ‘U’ shaped sofa around a rectangular table or want something a bit more formal; treated or painted wooden tables and chairs work well here.
5. How to create an outdoor bar.
If you’re wondering how do you create an entertainment space outside, it’s important to think about it practically as well as aesthetically. If you’re constantly nipping back inside the house to bring guests drinks, you’ll miss out on the fun. With an outdoor bar you won’t have to go inside to make drinks again as everything you need will be close at hand.
Outdoor bars don’t have to take up lots of space so still work well in smaller spaces. You could even grow your herbs on the outdoor bar so things like mint are within easy reach when making your signature cocktails. Look at upcycling an old bookcase or attach a shelf to an exterior wall for a savvy garden space solution.
6. Outdoor living space ideas.
Bring the indoors outside and make the garden an extra room, with your interior styling flowing from the inside out. Using items such as weather-proof rugs, cushions and candles help to pull together an outdoor living space and create another cosy ‘room’ to unwind in. You could even add outdoor sockets and take the TV or projector outside for movie nights or to enjoy the summer of sport.
7. Outdoor lighting ideas.
When the sun sets it doesn’t mean you have to go inside. With subtle outdoor lighting you can add to the ambience and enable your garden to be used after dusk.
Use linear lighting and spotlights on steps to help guide the way between your home and garden. While lamps and lanterns can be used to add interest and illuminate seating areas.
To help maximise the light, hang a mirror on a fence or wall with the added benefit of creating the illusion of an elongated space.
Discover more about the latest lighting trends.
8. Levelling up.
Creating different levels in a garden is another garden living space idea that encourages usability. One way to achieve this is to add steps up to a higher section of the garden, that may be used for alfresco dining, with a turfed area below. This is ideal for keeping the kids’ ball games away from any form any delicious treats you have cooked up on the BBQ. Another idea is to add small steps up to a raised flower bed or vegetable patch, both great focal points for your garden, or an elevated decked area in your sunniest corner.
9. Use mirrors to make your garden look bigger.
Stuck on small garden design ideas and how to make a smaller garden appear larger? Why not try using a mirror on a fence or wall to elongate the space, just as you would inside a home? You could also save precious outdoor square footage by hanging potted plants off a slim shelving unit or pallet fixed to the wall. Slimline options such as a plant stand also work well. This is an ideal garden solution to cover up a boring fence panel or brickwork.
10. Bring colour into your garden.
When it comes to designing your garden, think of it just like you would a room inside your house. Using colour outside, whether that be through accessories like cushions or painting a wall or fence panel, will add depth to your garden. It will also help plants stand out against the pretty backdrop. A pop of paint on a wall can also help you to create separate zones (see idea 1!) or a feature area. If bright colours aren’t your thing, then try metallics in accessories or go for a monochrome theme.
If you want to ensure your home and garden is on trend, check out our guide to the latest spring and summer interior and exterior trends 2024.
