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How to ‘winterise’ your outdoor space

August 2, 2014

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By Marcus Fulker

Winter doesn’t need to mean hiding indoors wrapped permanently in a blanket. Whilst those days are definitely nice, having an outdoor space for entertaining despite the weather is something most of us desire. Embracing the cooler season can be hard, but with the right outdoor area, a crackling fire and cosy scenery, you can fight that urge to hide away.

14-07-2014 11-57-24 AM
Source: Houzz. Click through here.

Step outside your comfort zone, stop letting winter cramp your style and check out these super hot tips to make your outdoor area the perfect living space – all year round.

1. Create a cosy setting

A well-planned outdoor area should involve a cosy setting and a purpose. Clever designs, low-maintenance materials and a luxurious homely feeling will ensure both you and your guests feel comfortable. Nowadays, outdoor living is designed to reflect the interior space so you want it to maintain a similar style. For an outdoor space to feel truly cosy, it’ll need to give the sense that it’s a room. Focus on a palette that’s restrained, yet warm and incorporate the principals behind designing a sociable living space.

2. Provide protection from the elements

If you’re serious about having an outdoor living space suitable for entertaining all year round, it’s an absolute must that adequate protection is provided. There’s nothing comfortable about sitting outside in the rain, strong winds or extreme cold so having a versatile patio will shield you from harsh elements throughout the year.

Especially in winter, every day brings unpredictable weather and this can be damaging to your furniture. Dome patios provide the perfect balance between an attractive feature and outdoor protection, creating the perfect atmosphere for you and your guests. If you’re looking to extend you existing gable patio area, Hip Ends are ideal for design flexibility and offer a convenient way to enjoy outdoor entertaining regardless of the weather.

3. Incorporate a spark of fire

There’s something pretty spectacular about fire that not only captivates us, but creates a space that is warm, cosy and inviting. Incorporating a spark of fire into your outdoor area, whether it is a fire pit table or a fireplaces, can add an attractive focal point for the space whilst keeping you and your guests toasty. Use the fire as a gathering point and encourage everyone to sit around and toast marshmallows. When the weather turns warm again, a fire pit table can still be used to hold drinks and snacks.

14-07-2014 11-59-02 AM
Source: Houzz. Click through here

Once you have a spark of fire in place, complement with a water feature to promote relaxation and bring in a cool dimension of tranquillity. If the space permits, consider building a small garden pond to fill with fish and a waterfall to create an exotic feel. Water features or small fountains can also be sufficient.

4. Brighten those gloomy days with colour

Winter can definitely be a dull mood changer so add a touch of excitement with colours that are bold, bright and daring. Playful colours like yellows, blues and reds will fit beautifully on the background of outdoor earthy tones and colourful accessories will transform the space into a little piece of tropical paradise.

Think colourful potted plants, brightly patterned hammocks and cushions for your outdoor furniture. As vibrant hues and lively designs become incorporated into outdoor décor, your mood is lifted and the space is jazzed up with an element of fun.

5. Choose the right furniture

Whilst a good patio will provide protection against the harsh elements, it’s still vital you invest in outdoor products that can withstand the weather. Choosing the right furniture can give you the opportunity to reflect your personality, have some creative fun and establish a space that is comfy and convenient for entertaining.

You want items that’ll last the distance and provide extensive comfort for years to come. Look for pieces that can give your outdoor space that ‘wow’ factor by adding depth, flair and colour. Good quality is essential, think of your outdoor products as an investment, and consider maintenance requirements and rust-resistant properties.

When choosing the right outdoor furniture, take into consideration its function and purpose, comfort and construction, design consistency and durability, colour schemes, cost, size and shape. Furniture that can serve more than one purpose will not only make life easier for you, but it’ll free up extra space for other items like lighting that can complete the look.

6. Keep entertaining

Taking good care of you outdoor space will ensure it’s perfect for entertaining in all year round. A good outdoor living area will keep the action going, despite what the weather brings in so make sure you’re using the space as best you can.

For those that want to channel their inner chef, this can mean bringing the heat from the inside kitchen, outside. Outdoor kitchens are booming in popularity thanks to cooking shows and the availability of new recipes everyone wants to try. People are being more creative with their cooking, and the convenience of an outdoor kitchen makes this easier to show off those new skills, experiment and entertain. Typically, the grill is the heart of any true outdoor kitchen so make sure you have the right equipment.

14-07-2014 11-56-13 AM
Source: Houzz. Click through here. 

To add to that entertaining atmosphere, be sure to create a little drama with the right lighting. Not just a safety consideration, adequate lighting will accent your outdoor space and make that beautifully designed landscape and attractive elements stand out.

Make your yard look stunning at night by layering lights and learning to combine ambient lighting. If you’re after a soft, cosy glow, keep lighting around the house pointing downwards. Illumination in trees and spotlights around the pool and deck area will create a romantic, soft glow that’ll make the space inviting.

– Marcus Fulker is managing director of Great Aussie Patios – Perth’s leading patio builders with a solution for every outdoor space.

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Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than F Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than French onion?

I think not!

Grab the recipe on the blog this morning via link in bio.
Get to know me! I haven't done one of these in YE Get to know me!

I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

✔️ I'm English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008😆 

✔️ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. 🛁 

✔️ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) 📓 

✔️ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London 🚔 

✔️I had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife 😁

✔️ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK ❤️ 🇬🇧 

✔️ At school, my favourite subject was French 🇫🇷 and I was head girl 🤓🤓

✔️ I'm addicted to ☕️ , long hot baths and💄 (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

✔️ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message 😁

✔️ My favourite cuisine is Japanese 🍣 🍜 and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

✔️ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

✔️ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or🍷 

✔️ Cheesy as it sounds, 💁‍♀️being a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life 🧒👦

✔️ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view 📖 

✔️ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

✔️ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker 😯 🅿️

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better 😘

📸 @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 

@nood_co coloured concrete basins is a great Aussie business success story. Although co founder Matt Di Costa first found fame as one half of Matt and Kim on The Block, he hasn't relied on this to build his brand.

“We are very honoured to have been a part of The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,” he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

🙏Share your favourite colour basin in the comments!

#colouredconcrete #noodco #colouredbasin #blockheads #the block #bathroomtrends2022

Pic 1 by @naibudesign_ and 2 by @twostyleinteriors
I'd love to see more colour in Aussie interiors! I'd love to see more colour in Aussie  interiors! 🎨 

At the end of the day though, it's a matter of personal taste. I love pops of colour but it's not for everyone. 

We couldn't resist featuring this Canadian house tour today. The amazing Kelly Green  hutch (swipe) was an upcycled $200 find 🤗

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest including one of the best playrooms we've seen in ages!

Project by @in.house.design
📸 @philcrozier
Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis o Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis on light and nature.

That was the brief for the conversion of a corner shop and a warehouse bakery into a luxury family home in Sydney's Newtown. And how about the library?!

Take the tour of this very special @annacarindesign project on the blog now, via link in bio.

Pic: @justinalexanderphoto
The things that excite me as a 40 year old 🤭 N The things that excite me as a 40 year old 🤭

None of us enjoy laundry (OK, there are a few of you out there who do. Weird!) but we have to do it. And often. So if your laundry bin can be as good looking, functional and space saving as this, then why wouldn't you?!

I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

✔️ ventilation holes
✔️ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
✔️ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
✔️ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
✔️ Brabantia make things as sustainably as possible
✔️ compact, sleek, European design
✔️ 10 year warranty
✔️ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

The Rolls Royce of laundry bins? I think so 👌🏻

TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

#gifted
"Living rooms are important spaces where our publi "Living rooms are important spaces where our public and private lives intersect."

So says stylist @nataliewalton in her gorgeous new book Style, the Art of Creating a Beautiful Home.

"They are where we gather to welcome guests and entertain. But they are also where we decompress and relax at the end of the day. Increasingly, they are open-plan spaces and need to work within a greater scheme. Bringing all the elements together cohesively requires care and consideration. And, if you want a space that lives up to its true potential, make it personal and create with conviction."

Read an extract, the chapter on elevating your living room, on the blog today via link in bio.

Published by @thamesandhudsonau Pix by @chriswarnes 

#livingroomdesigns #nataliewalton #coffeetablebooks #designbooks #interiorsbooks #livingroominteriors #elevateyourspace
Kids and husband messing with my vignettes again🤨

PS. The coaster was RIGHT THERE 🤪
#weatherforit 🥶 Need a new blanket? Look no fu #weatherforit 🥶

Need a new blanket? Look no further than these gorgeous South African blankets from @baobabcollective, sustainably sourced, ethically crafted and imported by a Southern Highlands couple.

On the blog now via link in bio.
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