Now that the weather has warmed up it’s a great excuse to give our outdoor spaces a little TLC.

We use colour in our homes and lives all the time, colours can have such a positive effect on our mood, so why not treat our outdoor spaces in just the same way.  When the weather warms up it is always so nice to be able to take advantage of our outdoor space, whether you have a large garden or a small balcony or terrace by using some of the same principles we use when decorating our homes you can easily transform your outdoor space into that great outdoor haven you have been craving.

Colour can be such an effective way of reinventing an unloved piece of garden furniture.  Incorporating a green shade into your outdoor space can effortlessly co-ordinate your patio set with its surroundings, adding different green hues will ensure your furniture will sit comfortably in your garden.

Or why not renew a tired bench, gate or even the dog kennel with a bright highlighting colour to create a real feature.

When you are thinking of transforming your outdoor space, treat it like you would any other room in your home.  Think about how you want to use the space, do you want to be able to eat? Do you want to incorporate an outdoor office?  Do you want to be able to cook outside? Do the kids need somewhere to play?  Or is your outdoor space purely for entertaining?

Once you have decided how you want to use your garden think about the space you have, can you realistically achieve everything you want in your space?  It’s great to want to have an outdoor kitchen, office and an entertaining space but if you have a small balcony then you are never going to achieve all of this.

Even if it’s not the biggest space you can still mix and match ideas and concepts together to match your space and make it your own.  If you have a small space think vertically, can you utilise an unused wall to add a folding table?

Creating an outdoor room is easier than you think.

Most things you would add to an indoor room to update it like rugs, cushions, pictures or even mirrors are now widely available for the garden too.  You can buy splash proof cushions in a variety of different colours and styles to suit any garden.  Outdoor rugs have recently become increasingly popular with lots of different shapes, colours and styles to choose from.

Due to the abundance of natural light in your outdoor space, this makes it the perfect place to experiment with dark shades.  Think about painting a wall in a deep Blue/Black colour such as Basalt, as pictured above.  Or paint an old fence panel black, not only will it renew the panel but the dark colour actual helps it to recede into the background, helping to blur the boundaries.  The other added bonus of using black is that colourful plants and flowers look amazing against a black backdrop.  If you are planning on painting your fence panels or any other outdoor furniture, follow these simple steps to get the best results:

Before beginning the project:

Make sure that the weather provides good conditions for painting. The ambient temperature should be above 5o C with no risk of rain during application or drying. Try to avoid painting in full sun or on surfaces that are already warm as this will affect the way the paint dries.

A Guide to Painting New Wood Furniture: 

  • Ensure that the surface is cleaned and free of dust and other debris. Rub down smooth planed timber with a medium grade sandpaper.
  • Seal any knots in softwood and all hardwoods with Aluminium Wood Primer or knotting compound.
  • Proceed with two coats of Little Greene Intelligent Exterior Eggshell. Lightly rub down between coats to remove any dust motes.

A guide to Painting Previously Painted Wooden Furniture: 

  • Ensure the surface is clean, dry and grease free using sugar soap to remove all loose and flaking paintwork then rinse with clean water.
  • Rub down with a medium grade sandpaper, feathering in where paint has been removed.
  • Apply a primer coat of Little Greene Intelligent All Surface Primer.
  • Proceed with 2 coats of Little Greene Intelligent Exterior Eggshell. Lightly rub down between coats to remove any dust motes.

If you need any more information on colours or finishes for your outdoor space please either give us a call or send us an email.