How to get your garden ready for lockdown lift-off

The weather might still be feeling less than spring-like, but with the prospect of (small) alfresco parties on the horizon, now is the time to start thinking about how to prep your garden for the longer, sunnier days.

Homeware brands struggled to keep up with the demand for outdoor furniture last year and shipping was complicated by the pandemic. Many are reporting that sales are already far higher than usual for this time of year thanks to the recent warm weather (John Lewis saw a record week for sales of inflatable hot tubs last week since introducing them last summer). So what do you need to think about now to give your outside space wow factor and make sure it’s ready for lockdown liftoff come March 29?

One of the key lifestyle trends to emerge from the pandemic is to see the garden as an extension of the home – another room where you can relax, eat, entertain and even work – and not only during the summer months. To make yours fit the brief, you need to make it as comfortable as possible: if all you have is a couple of uncomfortable chairs and a rickety table, the chances are you won’t want to sit there for very long.

Several brands have launched new outdoor lines this year that aim to bring a loungey, indoorsy vibe to the garden. The key is to look for soft weatherproof fabrics (which are far easier to come by now due to advances in textile technology) and lightweight rattan that you can accessorise with cushions and throws on chilly evenings. There’s no need to stick to traditional cream or grey – outdoor furnishings now come in all sorts of colours and patterns, and not just the garish tropical prints conventionally associated with outdoor homewares.

Domaine & Demeure is a new homeware brand from the luxury French hotel of the same name, offering chic and comfortable furniture that calls to mind a Provençal terrace, and is sturdy enough to leave outside all year round. Another French brand, Ligne Roset, has expanded its garden collection with outdoor iterations that look and feel virtually indistinguishable from its indoor designs, and come in delicious on-trend colours, from burnt orange, teal and mustard to wine red and baby pink.

On the high street, Sofa.com has just launched its debut outdoor collection with a range of sofas and lounge chairs, some of which would look just as at home indoors in the sitting room, and come fitted with handy integrated side tables to hold drinks and snacks. Made.com has bamboo, coloured rattan and industrial style dining sets, along with charcoal rattan seating that looks both comfortable and cool, and Cox & Cox has expanded its collection of pale wood dining sets and rattan hanging chairs (another of last summer’s big hits).

Here’s how to make the most of the space you have.

Get in the zone

^{Amberley sofa set, from £2,100}

“Whatever size your garden space is, try to have different seat settings in your garden – soft seating and a dining area,” advises interior designer Benji Lewis. “Soft seating could be a deckchair or a director’s chair with a bean bag to relax on. Add a side table and put a portable lamp on it if you’re under cover and waterproof, or consider lanterns with candles – don’t forget the importance of the scene you’re setting as a whole. The dining area could be a collapsible table and two chairs, or a longer table with chairs if you have a bigger space.”

A parasol or gazebo will help both to zone a dining area and provide shelter – go for something modern and minimalist such as Cox & Cox’s new sail shade (£495, coxandcox.co.uk) or pretty and patterned, with frills and tassels (try ellajames.co.uk for good value examples).

In smaller spaces, look for lightweight chairs that can be moved to the sunniest spot as the light changes throughout the day, and tables or trolleys on castors that can be wheeled around. If you don’t have space for a permanent dining or sitting area, choose light pieces that work indoors and can easily be transferred outside. Interior designer Birdie Fortescue has launched a new range of painted rattan furniture in stylish, cheerful colours, including dining chairs that would look perfect both inside, around a wooden dining table, or out in the garden.

Light it up

^{Mini mushroom solar stake lights, £27.99, lights4fun}

Lighting is the key to creating a magical ambience and extending the use of your garden way into the evening. If you’re planning a garden overhaul, consider installing outdoor circuits, says Lewis: “In much the same way that you might use different light circuits in an interior, engage the same thought process for your outdoor space. Consider different lighting circuits – an overhead set of pendants or a single chandelier in your gazebo or veranda is great, but back this up with additional side lighting.”

If hiring an electrician isn’t on the agenda, invest now in festoon lights, which sold out as fast as they were restocked last summer, and add a festival vibe when strung along a fence or in the trees. Candles – either real or LED – hurricane lanterns and strings of battery-powered fairy lights help to create atmospheric corners and focal points.

Food for thought

^{Plain Jane firepit, from £233, Firepits UK}

The pizza oven was the runaway hit of last summer as families sought to bring the restaurant experience home, and retailers are expecting that this year more of us will be scaling things up with an outdoor kitchen.

Oxenwood has introduced an outdoor kitchen to its range of furniture – essentially, a very high-end, extended version of a barbecue, with a gas grill fitted with oak cupboards and a stone worktop for preparing food. Firepits UK offers something similar but slightly more rustic in black steel, consisting of a wood-burning fire bowl with hanging cooking pans and a hook for roasting meat.

Outdoor bars are also set to be a big trend this year as the home cocktail-making habit that took off last summer is likely to continue. A bar is also a relatively easy way to add a fun focal point to your space. It could be as simple as setting up a tray table with outdoor glassware, bottles and a big ice bucket – or go all out and create a permanent bar (Wickes has a build-your-own wooden version for £400).

“To really set the mood, invest in a rolling bar cart, or even an outdoor fridge,” suggests interior designer Katharine Pooley. “Use a chalk board to create your own custom cocktail menu, and add portable speakers to set the mood. These smaller elements can really bring your vision to life, and help create the perfect outdoor socialising space.”

Our pick of the products

^{Clockwise from left: Indoor/outdoor hanging chair, £425, Cox & Cox; Fringed blanket, £17.99, H&M; Steel drinks trolley, £70, Garden Trading; Tromso lantern, £55, Rose & Grey}

^{Clockwise from top left: Ottoman outdoor chair, from £2,009, Ligne Roset; Sail shade, £495, Cox & Cox; Oro outdoor rug, from £34.99, The Rugseller; Swara table, £249, Made}

^{Clockwise from top left: Brea garden chair, £275, Rockett St George; Saparella outdoor sofa from £3,589, and footstool, £575, Ligne Roset; Way outdoor cushion, £85, Ferm Living; Seychelle garden parasol, £75, Ella James}