Get your outdoor party on

Festive times over the summer cry out for a pleasant outdoor space where you can celebrate and entertain

VIVIEN HORLER AND THE WASHINGTON POST

RE-CREATE your family room outside with creative flair. The following tips should help you design a beautiful outdoor space in which to spend your long, lazy summer days relaxing, entertaining and having fun.

BASICS

What you need is some comfortable seating; a table to put a cold drink down on; some shelter from the sun and wind; plants; pretty lights –and preferably a source of fire such as a braai or fire pit.

SHELTER

Can range from a pergola, which can be pricey to have installed, or which the handy among us can build themselves. But much cheaper alternatives are generous sun brollies which keep the sun off and can be folded up at night.

FLOOR

Find a synthetic outdoor rug with a simple, understated design so it doesn’t drive the overall look of your space or limit your ability to easily refresh your space.

FURNITURE

These are your foundation pieces. Outdoor furniture ranges in price from the sky’s the limit to relatively inexpensive chairs. You don’t want to be breaking down furniture and want to ensure what lives outside doesn’t need constant moving inside, so opt for hardy material and always go for comfort above looks.

ACCESSORISE

You could try accent pillows, hurricane lanterns and throw blankets and use woven baskets to store blankets and pillows or decorative accessories. These small items give the space personality and make it comfortable and familiar. Let your style shine through and play with texture and coordinating colour palettes. It’s all about layering and adding visual interest and contrast. Drape an outdoor throw on your chair.

LIGHTING

Many outdoor spaces have glaring electric lights which are not particularly inviting. But there is a range of softer lighting available, from chains of fairy lights to cheap, glowing solar lights to give a sense of mystery. Bistro string-lights hung across your space will make it feel magical and extend your time outside.

FIRE

This can be a purpose-built braai (which will need some functional lighting so that you don’t burn the chops), a gas braai, a portable braai like a Weber which works well on a small patio or balcony, or even a fire pit which people can sit around, watch the flames, and see where the conversation takes them.