Outdoor living is becoming more and more popular with people wanting to not only enjoy their garden but use it as another room to the house. I’m a huge advocate of spending time outdoors and the garden as a room is a perfect way to encourage people to garden more. If that means there needs to be an ice-cold wine bucket, BBQ and hot tub as rewards then even better! Using one of my design examples I show you how I’ve created unique outdoor living gardens.
What are you going to use the garden area for?
I always start with the functional parts of an outdoor living space such as the seating size, cooking or recreational areas. I ask ‘how many people will use it frequently?’ rather than ‘what is the maximum number of seats you need’. It is better to have a perfectly proportioned garden 95% of the time for everyday use, than a disproportionate garden that has wasted space just so it allows you to have every single relative and friend seated for one evening a year!
If you’re going to use it primarily for sitting and relaxing it is a good idea to check the aspect of the site. This means that you don’t end up with a seating area that predominantly in the shade or conversely staring straight at the sun.
By planning seating positions in advance you can avoid mistakes. I like to also consider views and if the space is overlooked, find a location for seating that offers some privacy. The design below used standard trees to help break up neighbouring views when relaxing in the garden. It’s also a good idea to create a scale cut out of your seating which you can then move around your design to see which position works best.
When cooking outdoors it is worthwhile considering whether the BBQ or stove will be left out all year. If not, what is the access like to the nearest shed or garage? If its a fixed BBQ is it close enough to the kitchen to prevent using it becoming a chore? Can you get around it to clean it or is it wedged up against a fence or hedge? This is where having a solid garden design will pay dividends.
Outdoor Living Design Tips
Once you have the function, layout and planting arrangements worked out for your outdoor living area you’re nearly there. Before you jump straight in there are also a few other garden design tips to ensure success. These tips can give your garden a real wow factor. Even if you have an existing design these handy design tips can help elevate a design. Below are my top tips for making the most out of your outdoor living area at all times of the day, any day of the year!
Seating
Now you have a couple of choices with seating whether it be free standing or inbuilt. Let us start with free standing.
The benefits are you can move it around and if over the years it needs replacing it is much easier. Again think of how many people you’re likely to have most days in the garden. It’s better to have a seating area in proportion to the garden than fill the entire garden with seats galore. If you do have that huge summer party fold-out chairs are fine for that once a year event!
Paving and surfaces
It is worthwhile considering your material choices for hard landscaping. Whilst gravel maybe a cheaper alternative to real stone paving, debris, high heels and spilt drinks can become a problem. Not to mention you may need to brush and or weed it more frequently than you anticipated! You want to have a surface that’s able to take a bit of abuse, such a the odd greasy burger falling on it or knocked over glass of fizz!
Lighting
By adding a lighting plan to your outdoor garden room you ensure that you can use it day or night. Lighting is a really underappreciated feature in professional garden design. Carefully placed uplighters, downlighters and bollards can really bring a garden to life after dusk. That means that you can enjoy your outdoor living room at any time of the day!
I always recommend putting together a lighting plan such as the one below. It helps you really think through what effect you want and enables easier quotes from electricians.
Food, Drink and Fun!
Let’s not forget the that you need to also incorporate the fun bits to the outdoor space. An outdoor eating area is often a good idea, such as a BBQ, table for drinks or even a hot tub if you want a real wow factor! Incorporating outdoor speakers for a hidden music system is also another nifty idea for an outdoor space. When planning your garden you will need to consider electric points for any hot tubs or powered systems. Again use the lighting plan format for these as seen above.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR DREAM BACKYARD
Once you know all the important factors to consider, planning a garden can be an enjoyable experience. This advice will guide you on your way.
1. GET TO KNOW THE RULES
First up – you need to check that it’s possible for your garden design plans to go ahead. If you want to put up fences, walls or gates – or add to what’s already there – you may need planning permission. For instance, in most regions, if the structure is to be over a meter high and next to a highway, or over two meters elsewhere, you’ll require the official say-so. Be aware that your rights could also have been removed by an article four direction or planning condition. If you live in a listed building, or the structure is a boundary with a listed building, you’ll need permission.
2. PLAN YOUR BUDGET AND AGREE ON TIMING
If you want help with your garden makeover, you could call in a designer to create a plan and use a contractor to carry out the work, or engage a company to design and build your new outdoor space. Happy to reimagine the space yourself? Call on a builder for the hard landscaping elements you don’t want to DIY.
The costs of bringing in a pro can vary hugely. Expect to pay from around $9,700 (£7,000) with design, materials, planting and construction included; costs could be around $35,000 (£25,000) and up for a medium-sized garden.
The initial landscaping is usually the most costly part. Plan work for months outside of late autumn and winter, and planting for the first half of spring or autumn. Book up early – everyone else will be vying for these times of the year.
3. THINK ABOUT LANDSCAPING MATERIALS
Hard landscaping like drainage and levelling, fencing and retaining walls, paving and decking ideas, and preparations for a lawn should all take place at the beginning of a garden makeover. The choices you make for the materials and the divisions between them will be led by the look you’re after for your space, as well as the function of different zones, like cooking, dining, relaxing or partying.
Underfoot, sandstone (including Yorkstone) is a popular choice, or pick stones such as granite or limestone. If you’re opting for the latter, be sure it will stand up to winter conditions. Alternatively, porcelain paving is tough and durable, and can create the appearance of wood or concrete. Our patio paving ideas feature is full of inspiration to help you pick the right style for you.
4. GRASS: REAL OR FAKE?
Want to incorporate lawn ideas into your garden design? Think about whether you want the authentic stuff or prefer artificial turf. While the designs of the past were easy to spot, today’s versions are extremely realistic. You won’t need storage space for a mower, meaning it can be a particularly good option for small garden ideas, and you can say goodbye to mud and parching, too. Artificial grass can also stand up to kids’ games and the efforts of the dog to dig it up, so is ideal if you’re planning a backyard for all the family to enjoy.
The downsides? It will cost you more to lay than genuine turf and it has a limited lifespan (from around seven to up to 20 years).
5. DECIDE ON DECKING
Decking can help zone a garden, providing areas for seating and dining, and create level areas within a sloping plot. The lowest cost option is to lay softwood boards; opt for pressure-treated timber, which gives the wood more durability and resistance to rot and other hazards that can reduce a deck’s longevity. Hardwood decking is more costly but has a long life span and is resistant to rot and warping. Alternatively, the best composite decking, made with plastic and wood fibre, is durable and low maintenance.
If you live in a house in the UK, laying decking can fall into the permitted development (PD) regime, so you won’t need planning permission to add it if you follow the rules: decking can be no more than 30cm above the ground and, together with extensions and outbuildings, must cover no more than 50% of the garden.
6. CREATE AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN
You might find a barbecue sufficient for alfresco food preparation, but consider upgrading to a full outdoor kitchen as part of your makeover. That way, you can prepare whole meals outside with guests around rather than splitting your time between indoors and out.
Your outdoor kitchen ideas could include an outdoor oven or a kamado for roasting, grilling or smoking. Burners will allow you to use saucepans. Think, too, about whether you want a sink, tap or fridge. The latter will need to be a model that’s suitable for outdoor use. If you need water or electricity, these services will need to be run to the area as part of the initial garden work – remember to factor this into your budget.
7. PLAN YOUR PLANTING TO SUIT YOUR SPACE
A garden doesn’t have to be generously sized to pack a punch with its planting. But, you do need to decide from the outset how much of the area will be devoted to flowers and foliage, and what style you want. If you’re a fan of cottage garden ideas, you may be after traditional borders, or perhaps plants that will attract wildlife. Alternatively, you might want to create an architectural effect with sizeable plants that create strong outlines. Think about whether you want to grow food for your table, too.
It’s also important to pick plants that work with your garden, as says gardener and blogger Louise Findlay-Wilson of Bloominglucky.com(opens in new tab). ‘You can waste a lot of time, effort and money trying to grow things which just don’t suit your garden’s conditions,’ she says. ‘Know your plot and play to its strengths.’
8. CONSIDER LOW-MAINTENANCE OPTIONS
When you’re considering the planting, factor in how much time maintenance will take. A successful makeover will create a garden you can keep on top of. For a lower-maintenance space, think hardy evergreen shrubs that don’t take much work.
Incorporating strong structural elements such as paving or gravelled areas, paths, large planters and even sculptures will help give the space style and interest while keeping chores down, too. You’ll find lots more low maintenance garden ideas in our feature.
9. THINK ABOUT COLOR
If you’ve already taken a look at our guide to garden color schemes, then you’ll know how important they are for setting the mood of a space.
Some people prefer to just go with a particular color scheme for their planting: for example using hot shades or cooler tones. But don’t forget about other features too – whether it be the throw cushions on your outdoor sofa to an exterior wall painted in a bold or gentle hue.
Going for a range of shades from a minimal palette can result in a cohesive and sophisticated feel, whilst monochrome is a reliable choice for a sense of modern-chic. There are no rules, however – if you love an eclectic mix that features all colors of the rainbow then allow your space to embrace it!