Latest Interiors: The great outdoors
Latest Interiors have blooming great ideas on how to make the most of your outside areas
At this time of year Latest Interiors – along with everyone else – has had enough of the office and is just itching to step out of our work wear, crack open a bottle of Pimms, and get outside into the sultry afternoon heat. And if, while out there, you find yourself thinking this really should be the year you do something more interesting with your patio/balcony/garden, we’ve got some splendid summer ideas for your outside space.
Small is beautiful
Urban gardens are often on the small side. So although this probably rules out a sweet-smelling chamomile lawn for most of us (too impractical), it does have some advantages. Top quality materials are affordable in smaller quantities, so you can make a big impact with minimum expenditure – and effort.
Your garden is also going to be relatively low-maintenance and (if you stick to stone or decking, or plant only drought-resistant grass seed such as Canada green), fairly weather-proof too. If you want to make the most of a small space though, careful planning and design are essential.
Walls and borders
If your space is a patio or courtyard, pay attention to the walls as they’ll be a focal point. Make sure they’re clean and well-maintained: painting them in a warm off-white or cream will lighten the area. Make sure any type of border – fencing, trellis or stone – is well maintained and clean.
Going up
Adding different levels to the floor area such as raised beds or even a small, decked platform will add to the sense of space. Add lots of floor cushions or a hammock for instant garden bliss. Raised beds also provide extra root space for plants – ideal if you want to include any fruit or vegetable crops in your planting.
Light and space
If natural light is scarce, mirrors or concealed ambient light can help. For seamless design, consider tying in main features such as flooring with the interior of your home: good-quality stone such as limestone or slate, and oak or cedar decking, work very well in small spaces. Whether your style is traditional or contemporary, mixing these different woods and finishes will help to create an outside space you’ll want to use all year round.
Planting
There’s plenty of time left this summer to sow some simple food crops. Salad vegetables, herbs, cress and mustard seeds, and fast-growing varieties of carrots will all crop this year. For other varieties, there’s plenty of time to buy seedlings or small plants. Many crops – salad leaves, herbs and cherry tomatoes – can be grown even on a sunny window sill. Growing your own crop is an inexpensive, and deeply satisfying, pleasure.
Dress your space
Features and accessories are high-impact in small spaces, so choose with care. Focus on one or two significant features – a beautiful built-in seat or potted lemon tree – and don’t try to cram too much in. If you use your garden for a particular purpose, such as entertaining, reading or as children’s play space, make it the focus of your design and stick to the theme. Even a small yard has space for a little playhouse – just ensure that pieces are chosen to scale. After all, it doesn’t matter how big your space is, it’s what you do with it that counts.
