ADVERTISING
Creating cozy outdoor seating oases
Whether for brunch with friends or as a cozy spot for leisurely moments: comfortable seating is what transforms your garden, patio, or balcony into a much-used outdoor paradise, creating a special feeling of home. Often, just a few simple touches, stylish accessories, and some clever ideas are all it takes to create such relaxing outdoor spaces, independent of your main furniture, and thus create the perfect, personalized summer atmosphere. The following tips can provide welcome inspiration.
privacy screen
Beautiful seating areas for relaxation and enjoyment should not only blend harmoniously into the ambiance of the garden, patio, or balcony, but also radiate coziness and a homely atmosphere. After all, anyone settling down in their green living room wants to feel just as comfortable there as they do indoors. Therefore, suitable privacy screening is essential. Who wants to feel like they're on display? Ideally, your outdoor living room should be surrounded by a screen on at least two sides. This can be achieved with fixed installations made of metal or wood, or with botanical solutions in the form of medium-height flanking plants such as XL ornamental grasses up to about 120 centimeters tall – ideally in containers on a balcony. This way, the view isn't completely obstructed, but sufficient privacy is still created. For a largely sheltered seating area, trellis boxes, arches, or wooden frames with taut strings for perennial climbing plants such as clematis, Dutchman's pipe, climbing hydrangea, or hops are also suitable. Even annual climbers like scarlet runner bean, morning glory and starflower reach the desired height in summer.
Shady spots
Especially on hot summer days, we long for cool shade. Umbrellas and sail structures offer the quickest and most flexible way to create this kind of sun protection – quite traditionally. But nothing beats the pleasant, dappled shade beneath vegetation, because the warm air circulates much better there and is carried away upwards. Lush deciduous trees in the garden are particularly perfect for this. But those who don't have this luxury under a rustling canopy of leaves can repurpose greening trellises, pergolas, or open pavilions on their balconies as sturdy supports for vigorous beauties like alpine clematis, wisteria, trumpet vines, or climbing roses to provide shade.
Cooling water
The mere sound of gently splashing water evokes feelings of refreshment and cooling. Those fortunate enough to own a garden pond are in luck. There are also more delicate solutions that offer a similarly positive visual effect on temperature perception: mini-ponds in halved wooden barrels, for example, can be placed directly on the patio and planted with low-growing aquatic plants such as dwarf water lilies and rushes. Roughly half of the container should remain free of vegetation so that enough of the shimmering "lake surface" is visible. Sometimes, however, a simple zinc tub with a few aquatic plants is enough to transform the patio into a small wetland habitat. Add to that the steady sound of flowing water in a water feature or mini-fountain, and in the background, tall ornamental grasses swaying in the breeze, and the cooling summer idyll—which can even work on a balcony—is complete.
Taster experience
Enjoy the warmer months with all your senses – including your nose. Here, it's primarily herbs that create a Mediterranean atmosphere with their intense fragrance. For example, a potpourri of basil, oregano, rosemary, mint, thyme, or curry plant provides not only ingredients for the kitchen every day but also creates an intensely fragrant composition, bringing a touch of Provence or Tuscany to any outdoor space. Incidentally, these herbs – which also pair well with lavender – develop their characteristic aromas particularly intensely on sun-warmed walls. On small balconies, you can take advantage of this thermal effect by arranging the pots of herbs on a ladder (which can be repurposed as a shelf) and then positioning it vertically against the wall
Floral variety
Floral eye-catchers are essential around the outdoor living and dining area. Beautiful plants in high-quality, striking containers, especially when replanted with new varieties each season, can bring vibrant variety to your outdoor oasis. This allows you to create new botanical accents around your favorite seating areas year after year. This works best with fast-growing, showy annuals such as sunflowers, asters, mallows, or nasturtiums.
Accessory accents
What would an outdoor seating area with a table and chairs be without additional home accessories? They're like the cherries on the cake, completing the ensemble – just like indoors – creating a truly inviting space. As an alternative to lounging, cheerful beanbag chairs are currently very popular, and these are now available in weatherproof versions in a wide range of colors. Outdoor hammocks also fall into the category of "lounging and relaxing." They look particularly good nestled among shady garden trees, but their swinging potential can also be fully realized on special stands or two large wall hooks on patios or balconies. And for proper traction, moisture-resistant outdoor rugs are indispensable. No wonder, since these soft rugs make the outdoor area even more inviting and often exude a "1001 Nights" charm. Their designs are often reminiscent of oriental ceramics and fabric patterns. For a cozy, snug feel, especially on cooler summer evenings, stylish throws and cushions are practically indispensable. These textile decorative objects, as close companions to furniture, can add individual touches and transform an outdoor lounge into a space that truly reflects the personal style of its inhabitants.
Lighting design
Last but not least, the lighting in your favorite summer spot has to be just right. Besides string lights, classic lanterns are a top choice, available in all sizes, materials, and shapes to suit every taste. However, LED solar lights made of glass and battery-powered outdoor table lamps are particularly popular as energy-saving and modern technologies. But regardless of which models ultimately illuminate the scene, it's the interplay of light and shadow that transforms your outdoor living room into a cozy haven, even after sunset, where the surrounding darkness of a balmy summer night also contributes to the feeling of comfort and well-being.
