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Bringing the Indoors Out Get truly comfortable in the garden by turning it into a fully functioning outdoor living room, warm and well-lit, with relaxing seating and lovely finishing touches. This decorative textured rope light has a warm white solar bulb with an amber filament. After charging during daylight hours, it works for up to eight hours at a time.
This tiled table contains its own fire pit (or ice bowl) and is surrounded by four low-level dining chairs with weather-resistant cushions. Ava four-seater tile firepit outdoor living set, £899, dobbies.com
ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR AL FRESCO LIVING • If you’re planning on spending lots of time outdoors this summer, and keeping those sunny days going well into the evenings, think first of providing shady spots, and
LED solar garden light, £65, ellajames.co.uk
then of some form of warmth. Pile up blankets and throws, for sure, but consider a gas or electric heater or – more romantically – a fire pit. • To extend day into night you’ll need outdoor lighting: some functional, simply to see what you’re barbecuing or pouring into a glass, and some decorative, just to make the space look and feel gorgeous. It may be relatively easy Woven around a strong metal frame in a smooth egg shape, this hanging chair is made from durable materials that look just like rattan. It’s big enough to snuggle up in with a book and a glass of wine. Indoor outdoor hanging chair, £425, coxandcox.co.uk
to add a protected outdoor plug socket (ask a qualified electrician), and add a dramatic floor lamp or set of fairy lights. Alternatively, there’s a vast range of good-quality solar lights to choose from these days and, of course, candles and night lights look incredibly pretty, and can be protected from breezes with lanterns and jars. • Seating is all-important, whether it’s upright seats and a table for dining, bar sets for informal drinks with friends or sofas and squashy chairs for lounging. These days, outdoor furniture can look just like your upholstered living room furniture, but of course there are always the classics of outdoor rattan, wood and metal. Look for versatile furnishings such as rise-and-fall tables that take you from coffee to dining, or pieces that are grouped around their own fire table. Have fun by adding cocoons, hammocks and swing seats as occasional spots for relaxation.
Made from recycled plastic bottles, this rug can withstand moisture, mildew, mould and UV light. Its design is reversible: simply flip over for a new look. Fab Hab Tokyo outdoor rug in burnt orange, £59.95, cuckooland.com
• Finishing touches pull the whole indoor/outdoor look together, from patterned outdoor rugs to piles of cushions, plus quirky outdoor eating sets and colourful glassware. With imagination and flair you can have great fun setting up a welcoming garden ‘room’, a truly special place to spend the days – and nights…
