MODERN GARDEN IDEAS

Mo d e r n G ARDEN IDE A S

Get inspired by our contemporary ideas – featuring outdoor kitchens, chic lighting solutions, stylish sheds, and more

re you on the lookout

Afor some modern garden ideas? Whether you’re ready for a complete outdoor overhaul or just after a few quick tricks to make your space more welcoming, there are plenty of ways to begin your garden’s contemporary transformation right here.

Whether you want to create an outdoor living room or kitchen, add ambient lighting and stylish colour schemes, or even try your movie night outdoors, it’s easy to make a few simple changes to your space.

Contemporary gardens are often a great choice for busy families, who want to enjoy their garden without hours of maintenance involved. Think sleek, pared-back designs, natural materials, minimal colour schemes, even minimal planting. Work with straight lines, and if in doubt, take it out!

Chill out with an outdoor cinema

It’s not an all-seasons solution, but an outdoor cinema can be a real luxury in the warmer months, while the evenings are still balmy (or at least bearable).

Portable indooroutdoor projectors are available at all price points, so investing in one – along with a screen – is a great idea if you enjoy film nights with family or friends.

Add some picnic blankets and a cushion or two and you’ve got yourself a free evening out – just get your popcorn at the ready!

Choose contemporary flooring

Your patio floor makes all the difference to your garden, so invest in a sleek design. These gorgeous tiles have a pared-back, minimalist feel for instant cool.

Patterned tiles work equally well – they lend a Moroccan feel to a garden and have the added benefit of creating an ‘outdoor room’ feel to a space.

Use a pergola for shady zones

Structures like pergolas add welcome shade to a sunny south-facing garden, but they’re also useful for zoning outdoor spaces, or to support climbing plants.

Use one to define your seating or dining area – you can even build one yourself using an online guide if you have a little DIY know-how.

Be bold with shapes

A garden is a perfect place to get creative. After all, it’s your space, so have fun making it exactly how you want it to be! And, one way to create a bold yet playful effect is to experiment with proportions.

This contemporary garden designed by London-based Harrington Porter ties a huge backdrop hedge together with clipped topiary balls, drawing the eye around the space. The round globes of purple alliums carry the spherical theme and add an intense shot of purple to the mix.

These shapes beautifully balance the more angular lines used in the seating area, and in the bespoke, square-shaped water feature.

Consider lighting carefully

The finishing touches make as much of an impact as anything else in a garden, so give as much thought and attention to things like lighting and accessories as you do layout and planting. Think about lighting up key plants or trees for an instant feature, too, as well as any paths and key living areas.

Opt for sleek and stylish furniture

Garden furniture is as important for a modern scheme as the planting and the paving, so choose wisely if you’re investing in a new dining or seating set. Timber is a timeless classic, but we love a sleek steel design for a contemporary look.

This dining set is an example of how streamlined styles are ideal for a contemporary vibe. The simple monochrome colour palette adds to the overall effect. Team with a matching parasol to complete the look.

Experiment with interesting styles

Why not play around with the layout of your outdoor tiles to create a strong design that’s interesting to the eye?

This urban garden makes use of natural stone plank paving and gravel chippings to create a pathway to the bottom of the garden, interspersed with grasses for added interest and texture.

Eat in style with an outdoor dining area

Whether you’re including a cooking area in your design or not, an outdoor dining space is a lovely addition for sunny summer days. This setup has rustic yet modern charm, and we love the addition of on-trend string lanterns for simple mood lighting.

If you’re likely to invite guests over, having a set of outdoor tableware can elevate a meal in the garden to dinner party status.

Cook alfresco with a stylish outdoor kitchen

Are you a keen cook? Do you love a barbecue come summer? Then an outdoor kitchen could be worth including in your new garden design.

Whether you opt for a modular design or a more bespoke build, you can tailor the kitchen to your needs and budget with ease. There are some essentials, though: you’ll need something to cook with (a barbecue or pizza oven), a workspace for prep and, if you can, some storage space for outdoor crockery and cooking tools. Any extras, from kitchen shelving to a sink with running water, are up to you.

Use a modern pond to divide garden zones

A pond is a fail-safe way to create a chilled-out vibe. The gentle splash of a visiting bird bathing on a shallow edge, the rippling reflections catching the sun – it provides a multi-sensory experience. And, a pond is often even more attractive when full of water lilies, koi fish, and plenty of other aquatic delights.

But why not double up its purpose and use water as a divider, to separate the ‘rooms’ in your garden? This tucked-away seating space is a lovely example – a secluded retreat from the rest of the plot – accessed by a bridge-like walkway.