‘A blissful merging of the two realms’: How to create a room outdoors

Gardens, if you’re lucky enough to have one, have become an essential part of lockdown life and probably will remain so, especially as we head into summer. Anya Cooklin-Lofting shares how you can design the perfect outdoor room

When dining outside, use crockery, cutlery and table linen you truly love (Katharine Pooley)

The allure of the indoors-outdoors fusion is nothing new despite its prevalence in design discourse of SS20. Of course, those lucky enough to have gardens throughout the lockdown will have been making much better use of them, undoubtedly enjoying a blissful merging of the two realms.

From interior designer Rose Uniacke’s coveted courtyard oasis to Lewis Carroll’s notorious Mad Hatter’s tea party, the presence of indoor-specific furnishings outside has an unexpected beauty about it. There is magic here: the fabulous scalloped armchair at the head of the table in which Alice slumps in Sir John Tenniel’s original illustrations and the large, wooden dining table uncannily out of place amongst the foliage of the English garden where Alice finds them creates a dreamlike scene, easily re-creatable at home.

The basic idea is that there is a comforting yet wonderfully subversive beauty in creating a room-like feel in the garden for a day spent outside, so why not accessorise outside just as you would do inside?

3 seat sofa with recliner armchair and ceramic gas fire pit (Moda Furnishings)

Outside dining is perhaps the most common garden activity for many. It also proves the most potential-laden activity when it comes to creating a room-like feel outside. A bare necessity is a great dining table and chairs. Ceraudo’s Madeleine Bistro Chairs provide the perfect hint of Parisian cafe eclecticism, especially when paired with an antique or vintage table. For easy, stylish sets, there is also Moda Furnishings, a company specialising in outdoor furniture that brings an indoor feel to the outdoors by offering furniture in colours that echo interior trends. Jonny Brierley, CEO, says, “People want to see a flow from their interiors to their exteriors, and the best way to achieve this seamlessness is through creating an aesthetic that you can carry through both spaces. As the consumer demand for neutral homewares like sofas and kitchen furniture continues to dominate, customers want to echo this look in their gardens.”

Secondly, it’s important to ensure that, when dining outside, you use crockery, cutlery and table linen you truly love. There are some outdoor-use options, but often they do not live up to our favourites from the dining room table. Next time you host a socially-distanced garden dinner party for friends and family, ensure your garden table is laid in the same way you might indoors. Alice Herbert and Jemima Herbert, co-Founders of LAY London, London’s first tablescape rental service, believe that one shouldn’t be afraid to bring out into the garden the family’s favourite ware, from plates and bowls to candlesticks and napkin rings. All of LAY London’s exquisite tablescapes are suitable for use outdoors, but the sisters specifically recommend the Garden Collection for these sorts of occasions. Should you be looking to invest long-term in some statement, decorative ceramicware, companies such as Gien for wild and wonderful motifs and scenes and Burleigh and Wedgewood for traditional chintz styles are ones to look out for.

Jalli print parasol, orange, with Amalfi white metal chairs (Raj Tent Club)

Another of the contemporary uses to which we are subjecting our gardens is office work. Working from home often means working while basking in the sun, taking calls, drafting emails, or writing a lockdown novel. Katharine Pooley is an advocate of the garden-cum-office, saying, “Now, more than ever, we find ourselves turning to our gardens or outside spaces as a means of escape, or more practically, as an additional space to be utilised. If your home wifi extends that far, why not use it as your office; it’ll separate home from work in a decisive way which is something I encourage where possible.”

The most common complaint of laptop users taking to the deckchairs for al fresco Zoom calls is screen glare. The best way to combat this is to ensure you have some shade for concentrated periods of screentime. Perhaps the most considered, aesthetic approach would be to introduce a parasol to your workspace for a touch of glamour. There are some wonderful options from Maisons du Monde and Raj Tent Club. The presence of a parasol can provide a defining perimeter for the creation of a miniature room set outside. A table, some chairs, throws, cushions, and even an outdoor rug can take your shaded workstation to the next level.