How to turn your garden into an outdoor living room in any season

Perhaps it’s the after-effects of Covid when our gardens and green spaces took on a whole new level of importance, perhaps it’s because more of us are working from home or maybe it’s just our growing desire to reconnect with nature but the trend towards outdoor living shows no sign of slowing up.

Recent years have seen an acceleration in the shift towards blurring the indoor/outdoor boundary in the home. Patio or bifold doors allow a kitchen or living room to spill out on to a patio or decking and there are a far wider range of affordable garden products available these days, from outdoor beanbags to weather-proof projectors for movie nights in the garden.

So if you are looking to transform a patch of grass into an outdoor living space to better celebrate your garden, what should you be thinking about?

Experts say to think about your outdoor space in terms of zones, almost like outdoor rooms. Most people are going to want a space to sit outside – but is that a bigger space for entertaining a crowd or a tranquil winding down space for two? A wildlife friendly patch could be added near a quiet seating place to watch nature’s goings-on whereas an area for the kids to play might be better near a lively entertaining spot.

A major consideration is where and when the garden gets sunlight. South or west facing gardens have always been prized in the UK as making the most of our sometimes brief summers but this year, with temperatures stretching into the 30s in many parts of the country, there are challenges too, with wilting Brits being forced to retreat back inside.

England has had four heatwaves this summer with this June being the second warmest for the whole of the UK on record. And a Met Office study released this summer highlighted how UK heatwaves could become longer and hotter, with an estimated 50-50 chance of seeing 40°C again in the UK in the next 12 years.

Shade is obviously the key and a long-term necessity, especially around entertaining and seating spots, and there are various ways to achieve this.

Planting, in particular trees and climbers, is a natural way to provide shade although they will take time to become established and not all gardens are big enough to accommodate even small trees.

For year-round usability, a Dunster House garden building is meant to keep the heat in when you want it, and the heat out when you don’t, making it the perfect all season, multi-purpose building for your family.

Planning ahead for when the weather picks up again, umbrellas and awnings can provide cheaper, smaller scale areas of shade while architectural features such as pergolas or brise soleils (French for sun breaker) are more of a long-term investment but advantages include very low maintenance, and indoor as well as outdoor benefits.

A brise soleil’s slated roof means that natural light still filters through but direct high sun glare is reduced. And that’s not just good to prevent your guests from sweltering outdoors; it also means the hot sunlight’s effects are minimised on the indoors too - so less fading on furniture or flooring and cooler indoor temperatures. The stylish design also helps to create a focal point for your entertaining zone.

Alex Murphy, owner of Dunster House, says: "When people come round, you don’t want to be worrying about moving chairs as the day progresses so nobody’s cooked or blinded by the sun. A brise soleil takes care of it by softening the glare and helps keep you cool, indoors and out. We’re all about making sure your garden is always ready to use, whether you’re having a barbecue or hosting an evening event.”

To find out more about Dunster House and their products click here.