Issue 01 — Outdoor Living
Gardens, after dark.
An editorial guide to outdoor rooms — the pergolas, patios, lighting and planting that turn a back garden into the most lived-in space you own.
— Editor’s note
Outdoor living is interior design that happens to have weather. We write about the materials, the lighting, the planting and the joinery that decide whether a garden becomes a room — or stays a view.
Latest dispatches
Nine new pieces
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Lighting Your Outdoor Living Space
Good outdoor lighting is felt, not seen. Bury the source, light the object. Wash a tree trunk, graze a wall, dim a path. Warm 2700K bulbs on independent circuits let you stage the garden as carefully as any room indoors…
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Outdoor Storage Without Compromise
Storage is the unglamorous half of outdoor living, and the half that decides whether the space works. Build it in: a bench that lifts, a screen that hides bins, a slim cedar cupboard for cushions. Treat storage as joinery, never…
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Planting for Evening Scent
The garden at dusk belongs to scent. Night-scented stock by the door, jasmine on the pergola, lavender along the path, philadelphus near the seating. Plant in drifts, not dots, and let the warm stone hold the perfume long after the…
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A Practical Guide to Garden Umbrellas
A garden umbrella earns its place by the shade it casts at three in the afternoon. Cantilever frames free the table; centre-pole parasols anchor it. Look for solution-dyed acrylic canopies, marine-grade hardware, and a base heavy enough to hold against…
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Shop Canopies: A Practical Guide to Awnings for Shopfronts
If you have ever operated a retail space, you would appreciate the importance of first impressions. The shopfront is the first point of contact, and a canopy helps determine whether a customer walks past to a competitor, or steps inside.…
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How Sliding Gates Help Protect Your Property
Many people do not consider their property entrance until there is a problem. You may notice your neighbour’s fence or get annoyed if delivery drivers can’t locate your place, but the actual entrance to your home is usually forgotten. However,…
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Shopping for a garden umbrella?
Shopping for a garden umbrella can feel overwhelming. The UK market offers countless options across garden centres and online stores. Not all umbrellas are created equal – let’s explore what makes the best ones stand out. Size matters when choosing…
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The Benefits of Wall Mounted Parasols
Wall mounted parasols are a great way to provide shade on patios, pool decks, and other outdoor living spaces. Mounting a parasol to your wall gives you all the sun protection of a standard free-standing umbrella, but with a more…
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Flexible Shade Solutions with Retractable Pergolas
In recent years, a new trend has been sweeping across English gardens, revolutionising outdoor living spaces: one of which is the retractable pergola. They are gradually turning into the ultimate necessity for any home owner who desires the best weathers…
— Field notes
Outdoor Living & Storage
Garden decking can do wonders for improving the look and feel of your garden. Not only do they look great, but they provide you with an optimal seating area, which is ideal for having a sheltered area as well, like with an awning.
Home Entrance
When it comes to selecting a gate for your home, wood or metal are the obvious choices for many homeowners. However, aluminium swing gates are fast becoming a viable option – mainly for its ease of maintenance and durable properties. And even though Aluminium is lightweight, its incredibly strong and robust; making it ideal for protection against the harshest of weather conditions. And because of their lightweight nature, this makes them easy to construct and mould into a unique finish and design.
Garden Care
If you’ve got a big garden project coming up, a great cost saving measure is to find iris flower bulbs for sale in bulk straight from the suppliers. As these are the same companies that sell to garden centres, you usually get your bulbs more cheaply by purchasing them direct.
All year round
Do you think a glass or polycarbonate roof is the only option for your conservatory? Think again. Choose conservatory roof solutions to suit you, including the choice of solid coverings that are well insulated. Tiled roofs or solar control roofs on a conservatory look aesthetically pleasing both inside and out, and they help enormously with temperature control.
Outdoor design for commercial properties can be just as, if not more, important than interior design. This is because first impressions are crucial in terms of attracting new customers, and low-cost exterior design touches can make a big difference in influencing customer behaviour. A shop canopy is not only practical and durable, it can also be pleasing on the eye, and whether you opt for a folding arm or drop arm canopy, you’ll get plenty of choice in terms of colours. Many branded, decorative awnings can improve the look of a shop, whilst providing outstanding protection for living and recreation areas.
As gardens continue growing in value becoming true outdoor lifestyle living extensions, versatile decking provides ideal transitional spaces between inside and outside worlds – the structural launch pad realising outdoor room ambitions without costly permanent builds financially.