Furniture al fresco
How to cultivate your outdoor space to look as fresh as your flowers
Wow, we have just had our first heat wave since moving to San Francisco and it was intense. It hit 40 degrees (104 F) in one day and it was all I could do to lie on the sofa with the fan directly on me and an icy compress on my forehead.
For my non-british readers I’m sure you’re expecting me to now comment on the fact that it would never be so hot in rainy, smoggy London but on the contrary the past few years have seen some crazy summer heat waves which felt very similar; scorching temperatures, sizzling pavements and no home air-con to bring relief!
Not that I am complaining. My Britishness means that any sunshine, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes me, is a blessing and shouldn’t be wasted. Which is why during the heatwave you could mainly find me lounging on a blanket in the park or out on the porch soaking up the rays. The ‘porch’ in our little rental here is tiny, with only just enough room for 2 chairs (which we bring out from the dining table) and while it’s perfect for an hour or so, it does get a bit cramped after a while.
As I lay there melting into the makeshift sun bed, I couldn’t help but think about how different things would be if we had a proper outdoor space to escape to. It got me dreaming of the perfect al fresco setup—somewhere shaded, breezy, and stylish enough to feel like a retreat even in this sort of heat.
Furniture that sits outside, against a backdrop of nature, whether that's a carefully pruned lawn or a garden gone wild, can always afford to be bolder than one might think it should be. My favourite pieces have always been those that look a bit wild; wildly coloured and mismatched chairs, thrown together in a rough circle around a firepit like a beaded necklace or tasselled, patchworked awnings, pulled over at an angle to provide shade and creating a cosy seating area. Outside is the one space I feel totally comfortable throwing colours and beads around like I’m a 5-year old in the dress-up box.
For those whose design tastes lean more toward muted tones and textures, fear not, there are still ways to pay homage to our wild earth. Any furniture that has been guided by more natural shapes will look amazing in an outdoor setting; roughly hewn benches that stand Stonehenge-like, next to the bbq or sleek, wooden daybeds that provide an afternoon snooze-spot when the heat gets too much.
When trying to beat the heat, flexibility in your furniture choices is key. Adaptable pieces that can be moved around the garden to suit changing needs are perfect to help combat (or make the most of!) the weather, support social gatherings or create a cosy sunbathing spot for one. Foldable deck chairs made stylish with beautiful fabrics or modular pillow stacks that can be arranged in several combinations can be easily thrown around the garden to create whatever seating setup you need at that time and when not needed they can be stacked and stored effortlessly. They also look super chic!
Another way to create adaptability is to set up different areas in your garden that serve different purposes. My Mum did this in our childhood home, there was a little table for coffee which caught the morning sunshine, then sofas arranged at the bottom of the garden to catch the evening sunshine (did I mention we Brits love the sun!). So rather than moving furniture to suit your needs, you moved yourself. This also created a sense of space within the garden.
Much like inside your house, It’s a nice idea to delineate spaces within the outdoor area. Pretty tiling or interesting stonework can be used to showcase an al fresco dining area, or outdoor rugs can soften a sofa space.
Wherever you go with your outdoor spaces, my advice is to always go bolder and looser than you think. Nature has a tendency to be wild, so it stands to reason that our cultivation of these spaces should follow suit.