How to design your outdoor room

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Project Overview

Creating an outdoor living room is the perfect way to make the most of your entertaining areas, our great weather and it will increase the value of your home. This guide gives you advice about drawing up a plan, choosing outdoor furniture, lighting and storage space.

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Step by Step Instructions

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1 The size of your outdoor room

2 Draw a plan

3 Plan your budget

4 Choosing outdoor furniture

5 Protection from the elements

6 Outdoor lighting

7 Think storage

8 Outdoor heating

9 Think green

Step 1. The size of your outdoor room

To be able to properly plan the design of your outdoor room, you need to know how big a space you’re working with. This will help you decide what you can fit in the space and where it will go.

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Step 2. Draw a plan

Sketch out a plan of how you want your outdoor room to look. Think about what you want in your room, how big it is and then mark it out on the floor to make sure it fits. Also, think about what you want to use your outdoor room for, whether it’s cooking, eating and entertaining or simply relaxing.

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Step 3. Plan your budget

This will help you decide how much you can spend on each new piece for your outdoor room, whether it’s on a bbq, pizza oven, furniture, plants, artwork or lighting. A small budget doesn’t mean you can’t have a great outdoor room, just be creative and clever.

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Step 4. Choosing outdoor furniture

Consider location and size when it comes to outdoor furniture. Will the furniture be undercover or exposed to the weather? Knowing this will help you choose what your furniture will be made of – wood, glass, granite or a range of other materials. When it comes to size, how many people are you going to be seating when you entertain and how large is your space?

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Step 5. Protection from the elements

When designing your outdoor room, consider protection from the sun and wind. This might be by building feature walls, or installing alfresco blinds, awnings or shade sails.

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Step 6. Outdoor lighting

There are two types of lighting to consider for your outdoor room, task or feature. Task lighting, is practical lighting for over the bbq, pizza oven and dining table. Feature lighting, highlights aspects of your outdoor living area like water features, plants and trees and artwork.

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Step 7. Think storage

Just like inside your home, you need lots of storage outside. Whether it’s for soft furnishings that you need to protect from the weather, wood for the pizza oven or cooking and cleaning utensils for your bbq.

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Step 8. Outdoor heating

With a range of different heating options to choose from, don’t leave them out when planning your outdoor room. An efficient heating system will increase the amount of time you can spend outside.

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Step 9. Think green

The easiest way to decorate an outdoor room is with plants.

Pot plants come in all shapes and sizes and add colour and brightness. Plants can also add warmth and texture to your outdoor space, making it more liveable. For smaller spaces, think about a vertical garden.

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More D.I.Y Advice

Outdoor Living Create your own playground at home With a bit of imagination and some D.I.Y., you can set up a whole world of fun and adventure for the kids in your own backyard. Whatever size space you have, check out these great ideas that will get the kids outdoors and active.