Outdoors spaces can be tricky to get right. If you’re not naturally green thumbed it feels really overwhelming sometimes to create gardens and yards that we’ll love and enjoy spending time in just as much as indoors. I’m no gardener, so for me the trick has always been to style it up just like any other room! One of the biggest game changers to my place was lighting both the front and back garden. It’s a no brainer really, because you can use them so much more and appreciate your garden all year round.
When dusk gently draws in I love flicking the switch to light up the outdoors spaces. Hey, got to find a silver lining to it getting dark so early! It’s beautiful to experience even from inside the house, as I’ve a double height glass window looking out on to the garden. Having the problem with curtains that I do (not the hugest fan) I’ve grown the planting up outside to act as my curtains instead. You don’t have to be a lighting designer to know that lighting up your outdoor space extends the eye making your indoor space one thousand times bigger and more intriguing. Clever no?
Key is to keep it subtle. I’ve got spots along the path to the cabin, looping string lights, chandeliers, (you can definitely work these outside too!) a couple of table lamps, t-lights, giant lanterns oh and a really cool 70’s pendant. I’m a little obsessed. All the practical “outdoorsy” lights – the ones lining the cabin path are invisible, hidden among the foliage. The decorative lights of course are as visible as possible to add drama.
Uplighting is an incredible trick for outdoors too, showing off all trees and foliage to their best effect. If you’ve been keeping up with the behind the scenes post, you’ll know I’ve just come back from India whereby Gem and I found ourselves strolling around the tropical gardens of the Delhi Imperial Hotel. Huge jungly plants including palm trees were lit up against the night sky. Not on quite the same scale, but I’ve done the same here – uplighting the olive trees, lilacs and eucalyptus.
Finally my all-time simplest trick is to use outdoor string lights! We’ve just got new mini bulb lights in store which I’m totally obsessed with – they’re super sweet and just as good outdoors as in. I’ve strung them up over the garden table and draped along the walls. Their magical twinkling lights instantly create a cool and casual vibe. I hate (as I’m sure you guys know) anything to look and feel too uptight!
I’m really excited about outdoors in general at the mo, because we’re deep into designing our Spring/Summer collection for next year. We’ve got these incredible outdoor jute chairs coming in which I’m thinking of hanging everywhere. This designing in advance really messes with my head. In summer I want it to be winter and in winter I want it to be summer. Bonkers!