Despite our current place in the bracing chill of winter, eating outdoors is something we can all look forward to when the weather brightens up. As soon as March arrives, melting the frost from the eaves, us Brits are desperate to be in the garden or whiling afternoons away on our patio. We want your outdoor dining experience to be primed for success, even when the seasons aren’t quite ready for it just yet.
Hence, you’d do well to read our quick guide for transposing dining room elements to your backyard, giving you and your guests the hub of a lifetime…
Split up the space
As an initial consideration, think about how you can delineate areas for particular things. Patios are a great focal point for outdoor sofas, which can be arranged in circular or square formations, so everyone has a chance to natter un-intruded. See if you can build a more intimate spot – for instance, in a nook to the garden’s side, under an archway – for tables and chairs.
This will enliven your space, letting you hang out with drinks before moving on to a proper, semi-enclosed gathering when the food’s ready.
Experiment with lanterns
The fat, guttering tongue of a candle can lull you into reverie when the night creeps over your garden. Old-school lanterns built from rough, industrial metal add weight and ornate beauty to your setup. Hang them on the walls near the main table, or put a pair in the centre to spark up those conversations as natural light begins to fade.
Alternatively, paper lanterns have an exoticism that’s hard to match. When you aren’t lighting them, their rounded, ruffled designs still have an impact on other, boxier furnishing that may be spread below, varying your visual palette.
Deploy copper chairs
Many style pundits consider gold and copper to be the ‘in’ colours for 2017. We can’t argue with them, as countless interiors have been employing bright and burnished metal room features almost everywhere we look. Why not extend that trend to the outdoor space in question?
One of the benefits of a copper chair is its relative stability, considering how light and graceful it can be. Offset them with a silver or stone-washed dining table, throwing the contrast elegantly to the fore of your blueprint. And keep extra, cheaper folding chairs to the side for guests who might turn up on a whim.
Shelter your gatherings
Once each constituent has been decided on – with attention paid to layout, practicalities and visual diversity – you’ll want a safeguard against a sudden shower spell, or a high wind that rockets over your fence. Instashade is your saving grace for such a matter, providing top-grade parasols for al fresco success.
Turn an eye to our Aurora model, perfect for the grand spread of your eating provisions. It’ll protect you completely from harsh sun in the summer, lasting for decades thanks to marine-grade material construction. Or for a second punt, you’d do well with the Eclipse parasol, featuring a lush, octagonal canvas for more intimate hideaways.
Parasols tie the bow on your dining mastery, enabling you to step outdoors whatever the weather. With these tips in mind, you’ll have a firm grounding for the rest of your makeover – take it from us that breathing the crisp, cool air with a hunk of some delicacy on your fork is the right way to live!
Browse Instashade’s home parasol collection, and embrace the shade of style for backyard sojourns…