This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Those of us lucky enough to have a garden or some outdoor space have been spending more time in it due to lockdown. This weather and the long days has meant that outdoor living has become part of the new norm. I may not be a gardener but I am a garden lover and any time that I can spend outside I do. I even love working on Annabel & Grace on a laptop sitting at my ‘outdoor desk’. I have a few secret places I like to go to just chill with a book or my laptop.
We have been so blessed with this weather so OH (Other Half) and I have been looking at our outdoor space and creating different seating areas so that the garden becomes an extension of the house.
A well-placed hammock or lounger, taking into account the position of the sun especially if there are some fragrant plants close by, can be as beneficial as a day at the Spa. Since we can’t have any Spa days for the time being our gardens are our best option.
I have therefore been surfing the internet for some unusual and special pieces for the garden. Some are on my ‘Wish List’ whilst some items are simple and affordable and can be little additions to make now.
The item I really lust after is is the Beanbag lounger from Cox & Cox. Sadly it is not available until late July but I can just see OH and I having an afternoon snooze on a couple of these.
There is currently a 20% discount on first time orders so £70 discount on each these loungers!
As the evenings get cooler towards the end of the summer one of these outdoor braziers would be perfect. I can see us, late evening, with a glass of something sitting around one of these. It would extend those summer evenings, and keep me away from the TV.
Conversation, company and as with any fire as the focal point, the brazier would draw people in.
Outdoor lighting can cost a fortune however a simple set of solar powered vintage style lights hanging from a tree could give you just the right amount of atmospheric light.
Each set from Cox & Cox features seven different bulb shapes, ranging from round, teardrop and fluted.
Solar lighting has improved so much over the years. I bought a set from Marks and Spencer two years ago and I have left them out through the winter and they still work once the sun reappears.
Make your outside spaces every bit as comfortable as inside with the Weaver Green fabulous range of outdoor cushions. Made to look and feel like natural wool, cotton or jute, these stunning cushions are actually made entirely from recycled plastic bottles – including the cushion inner! That means they don’t stain, they’re water resistant and completely uninteresting to things like moth larvae who just love dining out on real wool textiles.
Perfect for alfresco living, the Weaver Green beautiful outdoor cushions are quick drying, have machine washable covers and are UV stable, meaning the colours won’t fade. Use them for picnics and camping or on outdoor seats, benches, patio chairs and sofas for some extra style, comfort and practicality in your outside spaces. Their rugs and blankets also work outdoors which can make an outdoor space much more homely.
Of course John Lewis has a whole department dedicated to Outdoor Living. If you are truly going to enjoy your outdoor space then a BBQ is a must. Over the years we have owned many BBQs but last year we invested in a Big Green Egg and have finally nailed it with outdoor cooking.
It is the supremo of BBQs – handmade, NASA-inspired ceramics. All weather, lid-down cooking. The ability to cook anything, anywhere. Fast lighting and epic burn times. Ultimate airflow control, and unprecedented ease of use. This is the recipe for the best and most versatile outdoor oven in the world. We totally love it and even cook with it in the winter. My OH really enjoys cooking on it and one of our favourite evenings with the family is when we make lots of pizza bases and everyone adds their own toppings. You can buy the pizza stone separately.
Nowadays an outdoor sofa extends your living space. It has to be one that you can lie out on as well as sit and eat a meal at.
There are so many of these outdoor sofas available but John Lewis sells a great range that can be relied on to be sturdy and longlasting.
Of course as I write this post the weather has gone decidedly downhill but I am confident the sun will return and we will once again be spending many hours lounging in the garden.
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