Living Alfresco! 14 Ideas to Make the Most of Your Outdoor Space

Swati Mishra Swati Mishra
Riverside Retreat, Lorna Gross Interior Design Lorna Gross Interior Design Patios
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Whether you have a tiny patio, a sprawling garden, a regular backyard, or just a balcony, the outdoors is very much connected to your indoor space and deserves the attention and effort that you would spend on doing up your interiors. A great deal of how you will spend your time outdoors depends on what outdoor furniture you have kept outdoors and vice versa. You might use your outdoor space for relaxing and de-stressing, as an extended dining area, a cozy outdoor fireplace, children’s fun zone, an extension of your living area, anything that you want to use it for. It just has so much design and functional potential, it would be a shame to waste so much space. A great many designers around the world have been designing amazing outdoor furniture that we absolutely love. 

If you have not yet figured out what sort of outdoor furniture can be used in your outdoor spaces, here are 14 looks and ideas to get inspired by, choose from, and recreate. Here’s looking ahead to making the most of nature and weather in your outdoor spaces!

1. An Open-Air Fireplace

A rustic sandstone firepit surrounded by big wicker chairs makes this a perfectly warm and intimate spot to relax.

2. Modern Luxury

This outdoor seating by the pool spells modern luxury. The eclectic and comfortable chairs by the poolside and stools to put your feet up make for an ideal relaxing spot.

3. A Minimalist Wooden Design Marvel

A free-standing Umbris louvre roof has been installed in the beautiful garden of this contemporary home to create an external living space. This new space creates a relaxation area with seating, allowing the space to be used as a dining area.

4. A Tucked Away Seating Area

The seating in this outdoor space works to maximizes the functionality of the garden area, while also ensuring a beautiful view. the seating is tucked away, private and comfotable.

5. Modern, Minimalist Terrace

This modern and minimalist terrace seating packs comfortable lounge seating, a bar with high chairs, a dining area. The design is minimal and function yet stylish and classy producing a calming effect in brown and white.

6. The Sunny Porch

This cozy and elegant sunny porch looks truly inviting and comfortable. We love the mix of different materials used for the seating—the elegant metal chairs, the suspended wooden swing, both cushioned with summery fabrics. The statement wooden fan adds to the charm and quaintness of the space.

7. Comfortable Seating

These comfortable wicker sofas fit snugly in this large terrace garden. The sofas are comfortable and functional.

8. A Contemporary Roof Terrace

The outdoor seating created in this contemporary roof terrace perfectly matches its modern interior. The furniture design is sleek, minimal, and functional yet comfortable. The materials used are metal, wood, and stone. The roof terrace is ideal for informal meetings and staff breaks, as well as larger corporate events.

9. The Casual Chic Pergola

This bespoke pergola on the terrace has big and comfortable chairs and a large bench that creates a casual and chic outdoor seating ambiance. The pergola also features an automatic rain or sun awning.

10. Great Use of Space

A stylish and chic cedar hairpin leg table and a built-in floating bench is a very good idea to adopt in a small outdoor space to create this corner seating that can be used for a variety of purposes. 

11. Shaded Outdoor Living Room

This elegant contemporary gazebo is packed with a very comfortable and spacey sofa seating with a centre table along with an integrated garden storage space that can cater to all your garden entertaining and storage needs. This gazebo can look great in any garden and also solves the practical garden storage needs, offering plenty of space for bikes, lawnmowers, pool plant equipment and the inevitable garden fork and spade.

12. Sunny Outdoor Living Area

This small sloping garden roof makes for a perfect outdoor spot complete with comfy wicker sofas and a matching centre table set making it an alternate living area amid the sun and nature.

13. An Outdoor Retreat

The penthouse opens into this huge outdoor area which is transformed into an outdoor retreat courtesy of two big sofas and a table with comfortable cushioning and thows making it a cosy and intimate space to hang out. The warm lighting and shaded structure add to the ambience.

14. Intimate Gazebo Getaway

This Gazebo can be your own personal outdoor getaway at its finest! Enjoy the shade during those hot lazy summer afternoons or evenings, while still having the benefit of being outdoors. This octagonal Gazebo has beautifully proportioned arched sides and decorative detailing on the posts. This attention to detail makes a truly inviting space in which to relax. Cozy, comfortable bench seating is offered along with soft summery fabrics on the cushions to complete the look. A pressure-treated, slatted floor adds to its attraction.


If you liked these outdoor furniture ideas and love the outdoors, you might also like reading this guide to an ecologocal garden.

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