Life outdoors: Extend how we live
As we adapt and begin to understand our new post-pandemic lifestyles, we are taking the time to consider how these new attitudes reflect in our spaces, particularly how we use our outdoor areas.
Stepping into an age of living intentionally, our actions and purchases are made with more purpose and consideration than ever before, as we think outside the box and consider how we want to use our spaces. Whether for entertaining, working or rest, our homes have a new balance that requires using all areas to the best of their abilities.
Honing your outdoor space can be tricky, but we can look to extend our way of living by bringing indoor elements to our outdoor spaces.
Consider your space
Extend your way of living by assessing your outdoor area in the same way you would when decorating your interiors. Use plants or screens to segment more extensive gardens into intentional sections and create a sense of seclusion and privacy for smaller gardens or balconies. Move indoor planters outside for the day to make a versatile arrangement.
Raised planters like the Audo Copenhagen Daiza Planter and ferm LIVING Plant Box offer an attractive option with minimalist aesthetics and can be easily moved back inside to protect from adverse weather.
Make room to entertain
If you love to entertain, consider transporting the fun outside and setting up an outdoor bar area. The pantry modules from the Skagerak Collection offer a stylish solution to entertaining outdoors, providing surface space with an outdoor twist and ensuring all the necessary supplies are in one place.
Lightweight side tables or stools can also be brought outside as a place to set down drinks. The Normann Copenhagen Bit Stool injects a playful aesthetic with multiple uses for entertaining. Considering a designated area for serving drinks or snacks makes entertaining much easier and more enjoyable, allowing you to spend more time with your guests and less time preparing and serving inside, away from your family and friends.
Create the ambience
When the sun goes down, incorporate beautiful and welcoming lighting suitable for the outdoors to light specific areas you would like to make more use of during the evening. This extends the use of the spaces in general and our time outside during the milder months. Look for outdoor lighting solutions with an IP rating of 65 for all-year-round use and discover our selection of suitable designs here.
Unlike traditional lighting fixtures, portable lights can be moved around as needed, working just as well on the bookshelf as on the picnic blanket. Bringing portable lights outside adds a warm and inviting atmosphere to your outdoor space, perfect for summer evenings spent with family and friends.
Like most lighting choices, portable lighting can transform the mood, making your garden more inviting and welcoming. At the same time, these designs can allow your choice of style and the aesthetic you want for your home to be reflected in your outdoor space. Portable solutions are a great way to extend the use of our spaces when working to a budget or when living in rental properties, as they provide an efficient solution for both indoor and outdoor use, and avoid the issues where fixing lights outdoors might be an issue.
Pull up a chair
Creating relaxed seating areas will make your outdoor space feel like an extension of your home. Not only will this create a comfortable outdoor experience for your guests, but it will also give you a space to unwind after a long day at work.
Pieces like the HAY Crate Lounge Chair, ferm LIVING Desert collection or GUBI Pacha Lounge Chair look just as good outdoors as they do inside, meaning they can be showcased year-round and not just when the sun is out.
Adding seating that can be adapted to different spaces creates a comfortable and inviting atmosphere that encourages conversation and socializing. Versatile and ever-popular, the HAY Palissade/Hee Bar Stools provide a stylish solution for seating at a garden bar or balcony table. Their lightweight nature means they can be easily transported to suit the next gathering.
Roll out a rug
Adding an outdoor rug to your patio or deck is a great way to translate the cosy and inviting feel of the indoors to your outdoor space. Whether uniquely shaped or intricately designed like the nanimarquina Outdoor Silhouette Rug, a rug defines the space.
Elevate your designated seating or dining areas and visually separate the different areas of your outdoor living space with rugs. A rug also helps soften the transition between outdoors and indoors, making it more comfortable and enjoyable for barefoot walks or lounging.
Extending your way of living by bringing the principles of how you live indoors to the outdoors is a great way to get more from your entire home, and create a unique and memorable experience for your family and friends while choosing to live intentionally.
Considering what elements of your indoor spaces work well and enable you and your family to live how you wish and expanding this thinking to your outdoor space, whether that involves using table lamps, seating or rugs, there are plenty of ways to extend your living style outside. By doing so, you’ll create a warm and inviting atmosphere that will help build and nurture relationships for years to come.
Feeling inspired to enjoy life outside? Share how you extend your way of living over on Instagram by tagging us @nest_co_uk.
