If your outdoor space is feeling dull and uninspired, it’s time to bring it to life with these beautiful outdoor living space ideas.
Whether you have a large, sprawling garden or a small, cosy outdoor space to work with, this guide has everything you need to make your space feel relaxing, sophisticated, and like an extension of your home. Add personality to your space by choosing the perfect colour scheme and accessories, or install a stylish awning to keep you sheltered and comfortable on hot afternoons.
At Open Space Concepts, we’re experts in creating the perfect outdoor living space and have installed stunning structures for a diverse range of clients up and down the UK.
Find out how to create the ultimate outdoor oasis in your own backyard with expert insights from the Open Space Concepts team.
Outdoor living space ideas to transform your garden
Sit back and let us inspire you with these simple yet stunning outdoor space ideas:
1. Create an outdoor dining area to enjoy alfresco mealtimes
A charming outdoor dining area can truly bring your space to life, allowing you to take full advantage of warm weather by dining alfresco. These spaces offer the perfect opportunity for socialising with friends and family and are ideal for hosting summer dinner parties, barbeques, and much more.
There are plenty of ways to create the perfect outdoor dining area, but ultimately, choosing the right location is everything. Some people choose to put their dining space just outside of their house for ease of access and comfort, while others opt to construct a dining area at the end of their garden to be fully surrounded by nature and make the dining experience feel more like an event.
If shade is required for your outdoor dining space, a sophisticated awning might be just what you need. Locating your outdoor dining area under a retractable patio awning gives you the option to shelter yourself and your guests from the sun when the heat becomes too uncomfortable so that you can still enjoy alfresco dining on even the hottest summer days.
When you do want to bask in the sunlight, your remote-controlled awning can easily be folded away at just the touch of a button, which means you won’t even have to get up from your seat to enjoy the weather to its fullest.
2. Choose a vibrant colour scheme that reflects the sun
Choosing the right colour scheme for your outdoor living area is absolutely essential to give the space personality and make it attractive to both you and your guests, no matter the time of year.
One way to make your outdoor lounge area inviting is to pick a vibrant colour palette that includes peach pink, lilac, and yellow hues. These sun-loving colours elicit a sense of happiness and ensure your space is bright and alluring all year round, even when the clouds appear.
If you prefer a more minimalist colour palette, you could opt to incorporate bursts of colour through outdoor accessories such as cushions and rugs, so your outdoor living space can still avoid looking washed out but in a more subtle way.
3. Accessorise to breathe life into your outdoor space
Your indoor space wouldn’t be complete without the perfect accessories, and your outdoor living area is no different.
Adding outdoor furniture to your garden makes the space feel ready for entertaining, but it may look dull and lifeless without the addition of decor. One easy outdoor living space idea to make the space more inviting involves placing objects around the seating areas or decorating nearby walls or partitions.
Your garden space can be decorated in the same way that you’d decorate your indoor lounge, especially if it’s covered by a modern and durable awning to prevent anything from getting damaged by the elements. Think mirrors, vases, clocks, sculptures, and hanging artwork to make your outdoor living area totally unique.
Mirrors in particular are a great addition to any outdoor living area because they open up the space to make it seem bigger and reflect areas of the garden that you might not usually be able to see. Just like you would in your indoor living room, hang a mirror at a central point above your seating area for the best results.
Remember that the key to creating the ultimate outdoor living room is cultivating a comfortable space that you can relax in. You should also aim to create continuity between your interior and exterior design choices so that the spaces seamlessly flow into each other.
4. Illuminate your space with outdoor lighting
Lights designed for outdoor use can be left out all year round and provide an easy and inexpensive way of making your outdoor space even more beautiful.
By strategically placing outdoor lighting throughout your outdoor space, you’ll be able to keep your summer garden parties going on well into the night. From magical festoon lights to dramatic solar stake lights, there are countless options to choose from when it comes to illuminating your garden living area.
Most modern awning styles such as the sleek Markilux MX3 awning and Erhardt K awning can have LED dimmable spotlights or a recessed line of LED lights suspended under the cassette to create the ultimate evening ambience, making this the perfect outdoor space idea.
5. Include a privacy screen
It’s hard to relax when prying eyes are watching your every move, which is why privacy is so crucial to the success of any outdoor living space.
Installing a privacy screen in your garden can be a great outdoor living area idea if the space is quite exposed to create a more cosy and chilled-out atmosphere. What’s more, these screens can help to shield your living area from any strong winds that might otherwise prevent you from enjoying the space to its fullest.
If you’ve got the space for it, why not consider adding a stylish glass room to your outdoor space? These bespoke structures can be fitted with built-in drop-down screens that can give you total privacy at just the touch of a button, allowing you to fully relax and unwind.
6. Add shade for year-round comfort
If your outdoor space is exposed to the sun, you should incorporate an element of shade to ensure the area can be used even during the hottest parts of the day.
One of the best ways to do this is by installing an awning, as these structures will allow you to comfortably use your outdoor living area at any time. A remote-controlled awning offers you the option to extend or retract the structure as and when you choose, so you can easily switch between soaking up the sun and relaxing in the shade depending on the temperature.
And awnings don’t just protect you from the sun, either – they can also be used to shelter you in rainy conditions so that you can still enjoy your outdoor space whilst staying cosy and dry. Modern awnings are incredibly weather-resistant, so you won’t have to worry about them becoming damaged when bad weather hits.
When your awning isn’t in use, simply fold it away to keep it in pristine condition.
7. Decorate your outdoor space with plants for a natural appearance
It might seem obvious when we say that you should embrace nature in your outdoor living space – it is already surrounded by greenery, after all. But being deliberate about the plants you choose to add to your outdoor seating area will ensure that this space and the rest of your outdoor space seamlessly flow into each other, making the entire garden feel like a curated oasis.
The types of plants you should incorporate will depend on the size of your outdoor living area. If space is limited, it could be a good idea to use any available vertical space to avoid taking up too much precious floor space. Think hanging planters, trellises, or wall-mounted herb gardens to add a beautiful hint of greenery to your outdoor living room.
These vertical elements will also add a sense of depth and visual intrigue to your outdoor space, transforming it into a luxurious haven of relaxation.
8. Match your exterior aesthetic to your internal aesthetic
Your outdoor space should be an extension of your indoor space, with one seamlessly flowing into the other through the use of similar textures, colours, or styles.
Keeping the aesthetic of your outdoor space consistent with your indoor space will give your outdoor living area a more comfortable and homely feel, allowing you to fully relax and unwind when you use it. It will also make your interior feel larger because both spaces will appear to merge into one.
One of the easiest ways to extend your indoor space into your outdoor lounge area is through thoughtful furniture and accessory choices. Simply choosing an armchair that matches the style of the armchairs in your home or using the same cushions indoors and outdoors can be enough to make the spaces seem like one cohesive whole rather than two distinctly separate spaces.
9. Keep things cosy with a bespoke awning
Awnings are great for blocking out direct sunlight during the day, but they also help to keep things cosy and intimate in the evenings.
These structures act as a little roof over your outdoor living area, keeping in the warmth of candles, firepits, or patio heaters after the sun goes down. They can also act as protection should an evening shower hit, making them one of the most simple yet effective outdoor living room ideas.
Contemporary awnings can be tailored to match the rest of your outdoor decor, providing a practical yet stylish shading solution. Consider matching your awning to your chosen colour scheme, or use it as an opportunity to add a pop of colour to your outdoor living space if you’ve opted for more muted tones with your furniture and decor.
Open Space Concepts offer over 250 fabric options for our bespoke modern awnings, allowing you to customise them in whatever way you please to match the exterior aesthetic of your home.
10. Consider compact seating
You should aim to make your outdoor seating arrangement as flexible as possible to ensure it is quick and easy to set up. Although big outdoor sofas can look great in large outdoor areas, they can take longer to set up for use, which might dissuade you from using the space as often as you would like to.
More compact seating options, on the other hand, can be easily tucked away when not in use to give you more floor space and allow you to quickly get your outdoor living area arranged for impromptu days in the sun.
If your outdoor space is limited, bistro sets, stools or folding chairs are all great space-saving options. Because they’re smaller than sofas and can be strategically placed to optimise your space, these compact furniture pieces can also help to break your garden up and make it feel less crowded.
Create your dream outdoor living space with awnings from Open Space Concepts
No matter which of our outdoor living space ideas you choose to take inspiration from for your own garden, any outdoor space can be improved with a sleek and stylish awning from Open Space Concepts.
With 8 contemporary styles and more than 200 fabric options to choose from, your awning will be a completely bespoke structure that perfectly matches the aesthetic of your outdoor living space and the external facade of your home.
Our team has over 25 years of experience in the outdoor living industry and is trusted by customers across the UK to deliver outstanding outdoor spaces where comfort, style, and practicality are all top priorities.To find out more about how one of our modern awnings could transform your outdoor space, simply get in touch by filling out our online contact form or discover our range of case studies for more outdoor living space ideas.
