Dining outdoors and in one’s own garden is a widely enjoyed experience, but one that is often hampered by poor weather conditions or ill-preparation. Such a scenario is even more ubiquitous for homes within the UK as they must reconcile their outdoor dinner plans with a temperamental climate. Summertime feasts can be made uncomfortable with overbearing sunshine and the presence of insects, while gardens can be altogether neglected during autumn and winter for fear of inhospitable climates conditions.
Thankfully, there are a huge number of features and designs that can be incorporated into gardens that can elevate your garden experience. We have collected some of our favourite features to share with you, those that increase privacy, ensure guests are kept warm and altogether make eating outdoors a more pleasant and relaxed experience.
Cosy Up
Being able to protect yourself and your guests against sudden weather changes will not only keep you enjoying the outside for longer but will altogether improve your experience. Luxurious wool blankets can be welcome for both warmth and comfort, complementing rustic features such as rattan corner dining sets, while heat lamps can be incredibly practical for maintaining the heat of an entire area through the evening.
Look Both Ways
In addition to obtaining a great view for your dining experience, which can easily be cultivated with the addition or subtraction of luscious trees and garden designs, be sure to give the same amount of consideration to those that can see you. For example, guests will likely feel less comfortable relaxing and dining if they are to do so under the potential watch of neighbours or passersby. Temporary covers, fences, and bushes can each be great obscurants and return the element of seclusion and privacy to your outdoor dining experience.
Spruce Your Decor
Great home design shouldn’t end at your garden and there are a number of great stylistic features that can adorn your outdoor dining area just as they can indoors too. Table cloths, decorations, lighting; each of these basic elements can add to the considered beauty of an outdoor dining area. So, before you simply pull up to the bench, consider sprucing your garden with a little luxury as it’ll be sure to encourage you and your guests outside more often.
Cover Yourself
Whether you need to protect yourself from the sunshine or stop the drizzle from ruining your food, it is worthwhile to have a permanent or temporary covering option for your dining area. In addition to making outdoor meals more pleasant, they will also allow you to protect your outdoor settings when not in use, preventing the need to collect furniture and assets to be moved indoors at each sign of rain.
Time For Colour
Being outdoors typically leads to colour schemes of greens and browns, those earthy colours that help us feel close to nature. However, there are far more colour options available and, much like stunning flowers, bright colours can heighten your experience of the outdoors. Consider adding colour to pots, walls, and furniture, stepping away from autumnal designs and bringing a year-round brightness to your home.
