Stay-Staycation: 2021’s popular outdoor décor ideas
With the pandemic putting a damper on international travel for some time, we’ve seen a big rise in the ‘staycation’ phenomenon, as many of the United Kingdom’s favourite holiday hot-spots saw big increases in bookings. As a country, we’ve been using this time to appreciate the beautiful, greener parts of our landscape, recreating that jet-setting holiday vibe at home as we look for other ways to unwind.
But even a staycation has to end eventually, which is why we’ve collected a few fabulous outdoor design trends that will help you turn your garden into a private getaway, whether you want to create a petit resort, a sleepy mini-meadow or a private garden!
Trying Teak Furniture
One of the best parts of any holiday is getting to go al fresco far more than we usually might, relaxing with a good bottle of wine over a delicious meal and soaking up some cooler evening rays! But with such beautiful temperatures in the summer, why not bring a little bit of that fun-in-the-sun dining into your garden?
Teak furniture, sometimes referred to as “royal timber”, has been rising in searches, according to made.com. It’s not surprising! In addition to its zen scandi aesthetic and beautiful deep grain, teak wood is naturally resistant to the elements, and lasts for a very long time outside.
As a result, it can get a little pricey due to being in such high demand. If you’re looking to design an al fresco spot in your garden for a little less, you can consider HDPE wicker chairs for a longer-lasting alternative! We think the black ones are a great compliment to any sleek monochrome look. Speaking of...
Monochromatic Antics
Why not try something new? Stylish and sophisticated, monochromatic gardens remind us of the artier side of tourism, exploring beautiful public gardens and high-culture estates. After all, if your staycation is in a place with a lot of natural beauty and history, it’s almost a crime to sunbathe the whole time (not that we’d blame you, if the weather’s nice!)
Monochromatic gardens are popular for the same reasons that monochrome interior design is: patterns appeal to us, and relying on values over colour to create shapes lets you block out interesting, eye-catching scenes in any space, indoors or outdoors.
One of our favourite monochrome manifestations has to be the “moon garden”, which takes advantage of the way light bounces off of white flowerbeds and furniture, making a garden almost glow under direct moonlight. Gorgeous! Consider matching your flora to your furniture for a classy one-colour vibe.
Grown to be Wild
Alternatively, if you want to get more of a countryside staycation feel that reminds you of sleepy cottages and wild meadows, you could consider letting your garden get untamed. Love the Garden recently discovered that the popularity of wild gardens on Instagram are on the rise, with eco-conscious trends like No Mow May proving to be pretty popular.
It’s easy to see why! Not only is gardening great for your mental and physical health, but creating a wildlife garden can help out your local ecosystem by making “garden corridors'', providing some much needed respite for your local area’s critters. Plus, it’s nice to be able to bird-watch while doing the dishes or from your bedroom window!
Realhomes.com put together a great guide on how to get started growing your very own mini-wildlife sanctuary. Go ahead and take a look!
A Bar is Hard to Beat
If you’d rather kick your feet up and relax, or are looking to entertain guests in the future, a beach bar might be the ideal way to get that cocktails-by-the-surf feel at home! According to made.com’s research, searches for garden bars have increased by 122% in the last 12 months – which is hardly surprising, as we’ve all been looking for opportunities to relax over the past year.
A mini-bar in the garden makes a great conversation starter. Garden bars range from around £350 for a basic setup, like the habitat gazebo bar for a tropical feel, or J.D William’s pop-up shop inspired garden bar. As it gets safer and safer to meet, though, you might want something a little bigger to entertain your guests, with more elaborate setups starting at £800.
Alternatively, if you’d rather upcycle, you can make your own DIY garden bar out of everything from pallets to pianos. The only limit is your imagination!
Your Personal Mark
Hopefully, you’ve found this handful of garden design ideas useful. Maybe we’ve inspired you to create an at-home staycation sanctuary, yourself! Ultimately, your garden is yours to shape as you see fit; that’s one of the benefits of a new-build Dandara home. We create excellent, high-specification, energy-efficient homes that are just waiting for your personal mark.
