calling all open-air entertainers, alfresco addicts and connoisseurs of the garden night cap – the outdoor season is upon us.
Only one thing beats lounging around at home, stretching out on the sofa and feasting on fine food and wine – and that’s doing all those same things, but outdoors. Nothing cleanses the soul like a balmy summer evening spent lazing on cosy garden furniture, and we’re personally counting down the days until our summer night’s dream becomes a reality.
As the days and nights edge ever warmer, we can already smell the freshly cut grass, sweet summer blossoms and barbecue banquets filling the air. So, in the solar-powered spirit of the outdoor season, we’re bringing our top tips on how to get your outdoor sofa summer-ready.
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If you’re starting from scratch with curating your outdoor space, it’s a great opportunity to get the measuring tape out and make sure of your scale. The most important thing is that your outdoor sofa (and any other furnishings) fits well and looks the part in your space.
If you’re working with a smaller space, consider going with smaller seating options like sun loungers or compact bistro sets. Measure out the space you’re working with, and compare it with the dimensions of the furniture.
You’ll need extra space for yourself and your guests to move around comfortably, so don’t forget to factor this into your measurements.
Bigger areas tend to have the opposite problem, and garden furniture can end up looking lost or dwarfed in the space. If you’re lucky enough to have a large garden, patio or decking at your disposal, setting up more than one zone of furniture can work wonders.
Combine an outdoor sofa with a bistro set, or sun loungers with a side table – the bigger the space, the more options you have.
Two of the most important (and fun) parts of arranging your outdoor sofa are settling on a colour scheme and design style. The possibilities are endless, and just like your outdoor space – there’s no ceiling on the number of style routes you can go down.
Keep it sleek and contemporary with a low angular sofa and lots of clean-cut lines, or embrace Scandi simplicity with a chorus of curved edges and minimalist off-white tones. Whether you prefer the crowd-pleasing elegance of a well-balanced neutral scheme, or a boho blast of colours and shapes that’ll get your guests talking – our outdoor living range is your ideal one-stop shop.
Set your summertime soirée ablaze with a vibrant three-piece bistro set. Not only will you be setting up a show-stopping colour coordination with the evening sunset, but you’ll be providing a cosy slouch-shaped nest for guests to rest their suncream-slicked legs.
It’s made from soft and flexible synthetic wicker weave, for a touch of rustic style that’s engineered for durability. The support frames are made from powder-coated steel, making the entire set extremely hard-wearing, weatherproof and UV-protected.
Nothing ties a garden, decking or patio space together quite like a stylish outdoor rug. Particularly when working with a larger space, garden furniture can lack visual focus and end up looking lost or out of place in your decor. One great way to zone your outdoor space is by introducing an outdoor rug. It’ll make the area appear more cohesive and centred, while providing spades of style and a toe-friendly texture underfoot.
Our Amelie 120x170cm Outdoor/Indoor Rug in Multicolour brings the funky freshness of abstract florals in a sweet summery palette of soft pastels. Blush pink, violet, sunny orange and eucalyptus green dance happily over a simple cream background – bringing buckets of summery fun while remaining grounded enough to complement most looks.
In interior design, ‘texture’ refers to the surface quality of a material – how it feels, looks and makes us feel. Just like colours can make a space feel warm or cool, sophisticated or laidback, the different textures you bring to your decor can completely transform how it feels.
Whether you want your outdoor sofa to be a self-soothing sanctuary of snuggly fleece and fuzzy fabrics, or you’d rather unleash the villa vibes with an outdoor cushion collection worthy of Love Island – we’ve got everything you need to give your space the perfect textural tune-up.
Looking for a warming touch for your outdoor sofa that’ll make a superb snuggle buddy once the sun goes down? Our Mizu Dip Dye Fringed Throw in Ochre is the ideal Japandi-style accessory to bring new layers of textural goodness to your outdoor space. It’s made from 100% enzyme-washed slub cotton, giving it a chic lived-in look, heightened softness and a natural texture that’s effortlessly organic.
The minimalist dip dye design makes for a seamless fit with boho and rustic interior styles, and the glowing golden ochre shade radiates earthy warmth through every thread. The full Mizu range features amber, ink blue and eucalyptus versions if you fancy a different colour, and there’s two coordinating cushions for each shade.
If you’re loco for the villa look, thirsty for a summer social and already have patio party plans underway in the group chat – discover your perfect sunshine companion with our Amalfi Outdoor Cushion in Multicolour. The cliffside towns, white sandy beaches and luxury vineyards of the Amalfi Coast make for the ultimate summer vibe symbol – sure to set the perfect tone for any garden gathering.
Gear up for a full globetrot with matching homages to Capri, Ibiza, Tropez and Miami. They’re all made with UV and water-resistant polyester fabric, bringing that familiar sun lounge sensation in glowing summer shades that won’t wither in the sun.
Life is all about balance, and it’s a philosophy that’s especially useful when we think about interior design. Choosing our favourite cushions or throws for an outdoor sofa is easy, but pulling them together into a cohesive, satisfying arrangement? That’s where things can get tricky.
The good news is that it’s not exactly rocket science. There’s no universal law to interior design, and the most important thing is that you end up feeling at home in your space. However, if you’re struggling to get your outdoor sofa looking its well-balanced best – there are a few helpful guidelines you can use to get the ball rolling.
The first thing to settle on is what style of cushion arrangement you want to go for. If you want to keep things minimalist and smart, we’ve got a great selection of plain outdoor cushions that’ll pad out your sofa without making too much noise. Pick your favourite muted colour in the larger 55 x 55cm size, and complement with a coordinating 43 x 43cm cushion.
You can use larger cushions as a base for your arrangement by placing them at the back of your sofa, while resting the smaller options out in front. This creates a cosy sense of layered depth, and the smaller cushions offer the perfect avenue to introduce pattern and a pop of colour. Pair a big and small cushion at each end of the sofa, pop a statement piece in the middle, or simply scatter to your heart’s content.
Everyone loves a good cushion arrangement, but they’re not the only accent in your arsenal when it comes to dressing your garden sofa. The trusty throw is a time-tested favourite, and might just be the secret ingredient that’ll take your space to new heights of comfort and warmth. Throws are a great visual balancer and will bring a layer of calm to even the most maximalist of sofa arrangements.
Choose a design which features hints of the colours or patterns on your sofa and cushions, and you’ll end up with a much more measured and polished look. We’ve got luxe sherpa fleece throws if you’re after optimal cosiness and a lustrous sheen, timeless knitted options for a modern country touch, or tasseled waffle throws that bring show-stealing texture.
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Quiet cappuccinos under the rising sun, afternoon tea with friends or long nights sipping wine beneath a starry sky – whatever you’ve got planned for your garden, chances are some extra surface space will come in handy. Whether it’s introducing a sturdy table to hold food and drinks, or making use of idle ground with a cosy floor cushion, keeping surfaces at the front of your mind will take your outdoor space a long way.
Our bistro sets and garden lounge sets come with tables already included, but we’ve got plenty of separate options if you’d like some added surface space. For smaller setups, our outdoor side tables are an ideal, convenient solution that’ll fit like a glove in any open-air setting.
Pop one at the side of your sofa, between two sun loungers, or use as an extra drinks stand in your bistro set. They’re made from powdered steel for maximum durability, come in a range of dazzling colours and feature a handy detachable tray for when the party really gets moving.
If you’ve got serious outdoor dining plans and envision your outdoor space as the hot new destination for the biggest family dinners, you might want to think a little bigger. Our Rattan Weave Grey 8 Seat Cube Storage Ceramic Garden Set in Stone Grey seats up to eight people, slots together for space-friendly storage, and is virtually maintenance-free.
You won’t find a better option when it comes to outdoor dining setups, and it’ll be a part of the furniture at family functions far into the future.
Floor seating is another great way of utilising idle surfaces in your outdoor decor scheme. Whether you fancy bringing your morning meditation session out in the open, embracing a boho vibe with unconventional furnishings, or simply want some extra seating options for your packed patio – an outdoor floor cushion is never a bad idea.
Introduce a dazzling touch of the tropics with our Psychedelic Jungle Large 70cm Outdoor Floor Cushion in Multicolour. It’s difficult for a floor cushion to stand out and not become lost in the details of an outdoor scheme, so going with a vibrant design like this can really pay off.
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No garden area is complete without a healthy sprinkle of frills, embellishments and finishing touch accessories. You can have the most structured, well-balanced decor scheme in the world – but if it’s missing that essential sense of pizzazz in the finer details, your outdoor space will always feel like it’s got a roof overhead.
Garden gatherings can often run late into the night, and if you’re having enough fun, it’s hard to imagine all your guests will be cleared out by sundown. Investing in outdoor lighting fixtures is a great way of making sure you don’t end up dancing in the dark, while also giving you the perfect opportunity to shed some light on your carefully curated garden decor.
Flood lights or outdoor wall lights work brilliantly for larger outdoor spaces, providing powerful ambient lighting that will illuminate your entire garden with ease. If you’ve got a more intimate space, there are plenty of gentler fixtures that’ll give you an irresistible fireside glow. Outdoor string or ‘fairy’ lights are always a favourite, and offer an easy way to create a cosy hideaway vibe. Hang them along your fence or wall, or get creative by wrapping them around trees or plants in your garden.
A big part of outdoor living is soaking up the rays. We all love an afternoon of picnicking, grilling or simply basking in the summer sun – but it’s also important that we save some space for shelter. Our Premium 2.5m Tilting Parasol in Luna Grey offers the ideal oasis of shade, perfect for doing glare-free laptop work outdoors, or when you just need a break from the beams. It’s got a hard-wearing aluminium frame and a thick polyester canopy with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 35+.
Complete the look with our Black Concrete 25kg Premium Parasol Base, and you’ll be all set up for an unforgettable summer of sunburn-free fun.
