Your outdoor space should be an extension of your home. I like to treat it as an additional living space. Garden furniture is, of course, a key element. But I also recommend styling your outdoor space with accessories like pots, plant stands, decorative lighting, cushions, mirrors and even rugs suitable for the outdoors!
As always, I urge you to select materials with the lowest environmental impact as possible – natural wood, rattan, or recycled materials.
The selection to choose from is vast. There are so many garden (or balcony, patio, courtyard, roof terrace!) furniture options that it can be hard to know where to start, can’t it?
I’m here to help! Here are my top picks for garden styling while keeping my values of sustainability and wellbeing in mind.
Lounge Style Settings
For lounging or dining, an outdoor sofa maximises comfort, practicality and style in your garden.
Natural Rattan Dining Sets
Rattan Furniture is probably my favourite option for outdoor furniture – chairs in particular. If you can, steer clear of artificial rattan products which are actually made out of plastic! When ordering online, beware of ‘poly-rattan’, ‘synthetic rattan’, or ‘rattan-effect’ – all indicating that they are manufactured out of non-eco-friendly plastic, rather than natural rattan.
Below are some genuine natural rattan options that I adore.
Bench Style Furniture
Bench seating and bench-style tables are a great option, especially for packing children (or small people 😉 ) into a smaller space. They are often heavier too, which can be an advantage in windier climates.
DIY it!
A cable spool is sturdy, eco-friendly option for a table. Not to mention how cool and rustic an upcycled piece like this can look! Full credit to my sister and her husband for this DIY masterpiece 🙂
Or take a leaf out of my Mother’s book and turn a table-tennis table into a garden shelf – as you do! She had this table since childhood and it was on its last legs. So a bit of clever sawing and bracketing later, she came up with this ingenious plant display shelf running the length of the garden!
It is an excellent idea for some extra privacy once the plants fill out a bit. For the most sustainable approach, use whatever wood you can salvage. Understandably, you might not have a spare 40-year-old table-tennis table lying around 😉
Shop Vintage
Shopping ‘pre-loved’ is a guaranteed way to be more eco-friendly with your garden styling. There are numerous avenues to explore: vintage/antique shops, salvage yards, or second hand online ‘markets’ such as Adverts.ie, DoneDeal or Preloved UK.
These arched metal seats from Kilkenny Architectural Salvage would be a sweet, delicate and eco-friendly addition to any garden.
Accessorise with Planters
I love to mix and match the style of planters to create a really unique combination and visual appeal. Try rustic metal, natural stone, eco-stone, rattan or solid wood!
Up your Comfort with Outdoor Rugs and Cushions
Rugs are a lovely way to create a cosier environment for your outdoor lounge space. These 150cm diameter ‘Rodhe’ outdoor rugs from Kave Home are woven from 100% PET (recycled plastic bottle fabric). As well as being beautifully detailed designer pieces, they are also handmade and eco-friendly.
Light it Up!
Save yourself the hassle of cabling and try ambient solar lights. They come in all shapes and sizes. Try a string of bulbs along a fence or wall or decoratively draped in a tree. These can add a magical ambience to even the smallest of gardens.
For reliability on the less-sunny days, stick to cabled lighting for functional fittings such as pathway lighting. You could even consider Smart outdoor lighting like these wall lights that you can control from your smartphone!
Outdoor Candle Accessories
My candle obsession continues into the outdoor arena! There are endless options… From tea-light chandeliers, to lanterns to wall features. Remember to pair them with healthy and eco-friendly soy wax or beeswax candles.
Try a Fire Pit for Special Occasions
How lovely is it to sit around a fire with a little tipple of choice, watching the sun go down. There are some gorgeous options out there…
Or how about a multi-functional fire pit that doubles (quadruples?!) as a coffee table, patio planter, ice-bucket or a barbeque! I love the idea of one product serving multiple purposes, and it has an attractive mosaic tile finish too!
Multi-Functional Fire Pit
Outdoor Mirrors
I love the idea of using mirrors in a garden. We generally see mirrors as an indoor accessory, which means it will make your outdoor space seem more homely. When your garden area is restricted, mirrors are a superb way to make a space feel larger, as well as bouncing light into the home. Go for a wall-hung mirror as a decorative element, or opt for a taller stand-alone mirror for a real statement piece.
Add Quirky Accessories
Add your personality with some accessories that make you smile. It is so important that your space reflects you and gives you a feeling of happiness when you spend time there. How adorable is this mini swing seat bird feeder?! It is made from FSC sustainable timber and a recycled plastic feeding tray, so it is kind to both birds and the environment.
Wildflower Seed Bombs
Transform a portion of your garden with a blast of life and colour! ‘Seedboms’ can be a fun way of including the kids (or not!) in gardening. They create exquisite displays of wildflowers which are much-needed for the bio-diversity of our environment. The butterflies and honeybees will thank you for it.
Create Clever Walkways
Natural wooden roll-out tracks can create simple yet stunning pathways, especially if flanked with pebbles and pathway lighting. You can lay the wooden tracks either straight or curved, whichever takes your fancy!
Hopefully, you have gained some inspiration here to spruce up your outdoor space and make it a place that sparks joy. Happy styling!
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