Garden Party

Deck out your outdoor spaces this summer with entertainment-friendly features and accessories

OUTSIDE IN

Decorating and dressing outdoor spaces as comprehensively as if they were interior rooms has become de rigueur.

1. Keep open-minded about colour on exterior walls, too, like in this courtyard designed by Kettal, where a full complement of furniture and accessories – rug and floor lamp included – makes for an outdoor room. kettal.com

2. Consider all the surfaces when planning your planting. The walls also count, as seen in this lush courtyard at The Argyle event space in Cape Town where green walls create a sense of an oasis and the furniture offers comfort. theargyle.co.za

3. Patricia Urquiola’s Garden Layers collection for Gan Rugs celebrates a flexible and casual way of spending time outdoors, and allows elegant lounging via a range of rugs, mats, rolls, cushions and mattresses that offer infinite possibilities. gan-rugs.com

4. A café chair and table setup – the Terrazzo table by Hay is available at Créma Design – is a cosier alternative to the typical low-slung central table or traditional dining format for a small space or casual coffee spot. hay.dk, cremadesign.co.za

STATEMENT STYLE

Raise the design bar outside with a statement piece. Chairs and loungers lend themselves particularly well to interesting shapes.

1. The new rocker by Douglas & Douglas is inspired by the iconic Durban rickshaw. The striking shape and combination of textures make for an exciting update on a traditional design and add a talking point to a patio setting. douglasanddouglas.co.za

2. Metallics and colourful finishes are not the default approach for outdoor furniture, but can add some much-needed impact and interest, especially in a neutral setting. The Moon chair by Moroso, available at True Design, comes in metallic finishes that vary depending on the light, making the form and colour look almost ethereal. moroso.it, truedesign.co.za

BACK TO BLACK

Dark walls create intimacy and ambience, with the practical benefit of reducing glare.

3. This space designed by La Grange Interiors uses tonal grey upholstery and accessories against black walls for a sophisticated and soothing effect. lagrangeinteriors.co.za

ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES

For an outdoor living space that facilitates entertaining, don’t limit your thinking to just a table and chairs – use the lawn, take cooking outdoors and elevate the experience with accessories.

1. Kettal’s outdoor pavilions offer a balance of shelter and openness. The kitchen module has a ceramic hob, braai pit, wine cabinet and fridge, and the movable panels can be closed completely to protect the fittings from the elements or serve as work areas for cooking. kettal.com

2. Drinks trolleys make a lot of sense outdoors for keeping refreshments organised and at hand. This glamorous version from @home makes a strong case for taking metallic shades outside. home.co.za

3. Take entertaining deeper into the garden by setting up a harvest table. Pile cushions around a low table on an outdoor rug for a high-end picnic. The idea here is to keep the look informal, so think mismatched crockery, natural textures and a summery palette (Hertex has a beautiful range of ceramics and table linens), with plants for decoration. hertex.co.za

4. Since 2005, the premium mixer brand Fever-Tree has made premium cocktails more accessible at home and opened spirits up to a new generation of drinkers. The co-founders of the brand, Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow, say they noted that consumers were increasingly seeking out premium spirits and craft ingredients over mass-produced products. Yet this move towards premium products had somehow passed the mixer category by. “It struck us as extraordinary that people were paying all this money for a high-quality spirit yet had no choice but to drown it with a poorquality mixer,” says Tim. They saw an opportunity, did their research and, 18 months later, launched their first product, Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water. “We believed (and we still do to this day) that if three-quarters of your drink is the mixer, use the best.”

Today, Fever-Tree makes a range of mixers, available locally at Pick n Pay, Spar, Checkers and Woolworths. fever-tree.com

TEXT Julia Freemantle PHOTOGRAPHS Supplied