Treat your outdoor space like your interiors

This summer, we’re taking outdoor living to the next level.

Over the past two years, those of us lucky enough to have outside space have really made the most of that precious extra square footage, treating it like an extension of our home — whether we have a generous garden, a chic roof terrace, a bijou balcony or just a patch of greenery to call our own. This has given rise to one of this year’s biggest garden trends: exteriors that are every bit as stylish and comfortable as our interiors.

From outdoor rugs to sofas that look good inside or out, here’s how to turn your outside space into an extra room.

Layered lighting helps bring atmosphere and ambience in our homes, so why not use the same trick outside? Think pendant lights hung from pergolas, and outdoor floor and table lamps used to illuminate seating areas. You can then add accent lighting with garden lanterns and fairy lights wound around trees or strung over tables, letting you stay out long after the sun goes down.

To create the ultimate outside living room, think about your furniture in the same way as you would indoors. DFS offers a range of outdoor sofas that would look just at home in your lounge as they do on your patio. With the same stylish design credentials as the indoor range, the sofas are made with fibre wadding and luxurious, woven upholstery fabrics that are water-, UV- and stain-resistant. We love the modular Salvia sofa, which comes in light grey and slate, and has the perfect laid-back vibe for summer.

A really effective way of merging your indoor and outdoor spaces is to use the same flooring across both. Brands such as Topps Tiles have ranges of durable porcelain tiles that can be used both inside and out, so you can have one surface that stretches from your kitchen or dining room out to your garden. Adding bifold, sliding or double doors will also help to make it feel more like one seamless space.

Use furniture and furnishings that you wouldn’t traditionally associate with the garden – for example, an outdoor rug and coffee table placed in front of your sofa will help to define your comfy alfresco lounging area, while throws and patterned cushions will add texture, comfort and colour, just like they do in your living room. You can pick up a stylish printed outdoor rug at DFS, and you’ll find lots of lovely printed outdoor cushions at Oka.

Just as you might use a mirror to reflect the view from your window and create the illusion of space in your bedroom or living room, you can use the same effect outdoors, adding an extra dimension. Lean it against an outside wall to add interest to your dining area, or among the flowers to create the feel of a secret garden. Make sure you pick your spot wisely, though – avoid reflecting any dodgy guttering, hanging them high enough to interfere with bird flight or positioning them in direct sunlight, where they could become a fire hazard.

If you want to add a splash of year-round colour to your outdoor space or want to zone an area, why not grab your paintbrush? You could create a feature wall behind your sofa to section off a cosy lounge area or give a new lease of life to planters or gates. When it comes to choosing your colour, try to link them to the inside of the house. So, a sky-blue wall in the garden could reflect a patterned blind or tiles in the kitchen.

Shop the outdoor furniture range at dfs.co.uk