Indoor/Outdoor living is very much in vogue. Understanding the true essence of the concept and how best to achieve the look is key.
Indoor/Outdoor living successfully integrates an existing room bordering an outdoor area and turning it into a useable space for either dining or relaxing. To create the desired affect, the following design aspects need to be considered:
Seamless transition
The aim is to create a seemless transition whereby your eye is drawn through the indoor room into the garden area. To achieve this use the same material and styling for the two areas to create a “total” feel. Natural materials such as wood and stone are perfect for this purpose.
Use
Consider the purpose of the outdoor area and once decided approach furnishing it like any other room e.g. dining table and chairs, coffee tables for drinks and accessories or to create a relaxation area consider chairs, settees, cushions, occasional tables and even outdoor televisions. Like all rooms, focus on the finer details to achieve maximum impact.
Scale
Be careful not to overcrowd the space. When selecting furniture, measure the area carefully and furniture accordingly. Be aware of the practical consideration that outdoor items may need to be moved around and anything too heavy or cumbersome will make this difficult.
Colours
Once again, follow the colours and tones through from indoors. If you have chosen a muted colour scheme consider using splashes of colour in your outside zone. Earthy tones look fab as do a shot of a vibrant hue.
Climate
Bear in mind your local climate and be practical with your outdoor area. In parts of Scotland, which are more susceptible to heavy rains and winds, avoid using a lot of soft furnishings or light weight furniture. Move down to Spain and the opposite applies!
Lighting
Effective lighting can bring together the whole scheme. Use Task Lighting to create focus but compliment this with softer Atmospheric Lighting for a balanced and complete approach. This summer in particular, garden centres have really taken this on board with a huge variety of different options now available.
Planting
Your outdoor area will often be viewed from indoors so be bold and use larger statement plants to showcase the scheme and draw your eye out. Additional elements and impact can be created with the use of pots or a relaxing water feature.
To garner further Indoor/Outdoor living design inspiration check our latest Pinterest Board