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Outdoors

Living the outdoor dream

  • Simon Cooper ·
  • 0 Comments ·
  • May 14, 2017

We’re almost into barbecue season so kit out your garden and get ready for a heatwave

As warmer weather turns our attention to the deck, patio, balcony and garden, we all jump to stock up on new outdoor furniture that will help us achieve our ultimate goal: to host an all-day barbecue under the sun, lounging with friends in stylish surrounds, then sitting outside chatting late into the night as though we were in Spain.

This classic Irish fantasy is the only reason we buy outdoor homewares in this country. Imagine getting a sliver of sun only to have to drag a kitchen chair out to the patio. We delude ourselves, but seeing as though we’re all apparently drinking the same Kool-Aid, we may as well do a proper job of it.

How much difference a year makes. For the past couple of years, a clay chiminea and an upgrade to a fancy barbecue were “all that”, in the same way that, in the 1990s, the patio heater meant you had arrived. This year, the outdoor pizza oven is where it’s at. Aldi and Lidl have even turned up a few models in their “special buys”, but given our climate, it’s worth throwing a bit more cash at a good rust-resistant model. They aren’t as expensive as you would think, and they pander to the Irish climate, in that you can cook a pizza in 90 seconds between downpours.

There are other developments. Just as the chaise longue has returned to comfort us indoors, the bed lounger is what the garden now expects. Indoor-outdoor rugs have become ubiquitous, rather than the preserve of a few in the know, and synthetic wicker and string-upholstered outdoor furniture is suddenly super affordable, from such shops as Next, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams.

However, the best developments involve the arrival of the true indoor- outdoor setting: the outdoor kitchen, complete with work surfaces, tiling and sinks, where you wash, chop and prep food among your sun-lizard guests on the patio before the barbecue.

When it comes to decor, finally, we are bringing our love of moody greys with citrus contrasts to the outside, all while drawing inspiration from those furniture pieces from Furniture in Fashion which are inspired by a yearning for the outdoors, perhaps recreating the outdoors, indoors. Outdoor paints are now being used in the same way as we use them inside: with restraint, clearly defined zones and sharp colour blocking, as Cuprinol has been showing off in its latest campaign. It will take it to Bloom in the Park this year, from June 1-5.

Outdoor-kitchen colour schemes include “indoors” detailing, such as stencilled backsplashes, and greys are welcome, providing a foil for lush green foliage and pops of colourful florals.

SLICE AND DICE

 

An outdoor kitchen means you don’t have to be confined to the shade while prepping for the barbecue. This one is decorated in Cuprinol’s Garden Shades for 2017, including Seagrass, Sage and Muted Clay. From €13.95 for 1L, cuprinol.ie

VINE ROMANCE

Who says swings are just for kids? This one is different: the seat is a polyethylene planter, which can be filled with soil and seeds. The vines grow up the ropes to create a whimsical feature for the garden, as well as a secure nylon-roped swing. It’s designed by Marcel Wanders for Dutch firm Droog. €400, amara.com

WOODEN HEART

Simple oak and rope assembly gives the Helsinki outdoor lounge chair from Meadows Byrne a rustic, Danish look. It comes in aged white, natural oak, grey or black, with a detachable linen head cushion. €195, meadowsandbyrne.ie

TAKE THE FLOOR

This classic Cooper jute checked rug by Dash Albert can be used indoors or outside for an outdoor-room feel. They are designed to withstand heavy two- and four-legged traffic and can be scrubbed and bleached to clean, but are also heat treated for sunny climes. From €435, cuckooland.com

FIRED UP

This year, a garden is nothing without a pizza oven — this one, the Uuni 3, in stainless steel with wooden handles, uses wood pellets as fuel. It will cook a pizza in 60 seconds. €235, cuckooland.com

B SUPPORTED

The Mighty B quilted bean bags, from Red Earth Interiors, have removed the slouch factor by being fashioned in an upright position. They come in 11 colours, including this mid-grey. €199.95, redearthireland.com

WICKER WORLD

Colour-pop synthetic wicker used to be the preserve of high-end designs for the deck in Spain and France; this one, the Lois sofa, is a dead ringer from M&S. The metal frame comes apart for storage. Matching chairs are available for €79. €199, marksandspencer.ie

  • Welcome Friend! Do you also think our lives are too short to be wasted on ordinary stuff and routine? Are you fond of exploring something new? I bet you’ll like my blog if you are. My life is a journey and this blog is the reflection my life. Hope you’ll fine it interesting and motivating! Open yourself to the world!
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    Simon Cooper
    zyearsareshortSimon Cooper@zyearsareshort·
    7h

    People are naturally scared of new things, so it’s normal for us to ignore some chances, just frustrating.

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    zyearsareshortSimon Cooper@zyearsareshort·
    6 Dec

    When you’re in a country you’ve never been to before, you start seeing life from a different perspective.

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    zyearsareshortSimon Cooper@zyearsareshort·
    6 Dec

    If you want to spend your break or a holiday in a new way, at least rent a bike and go cycling.

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    zyearsareshortSimon Cooper@zyearsareshort·
    5 Dec

    If you want to understand more, go see life, embrace it, understand that it comes in all shapes and colors.

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    zyearsareshortSimon Cooper@zyearsareshort·
    5 Dec

    A lot of people I meet occasionally tell me they don’t know what to do with their lives. Like a pandemia.

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