July: Patio

acw: Eva Sonaike, Pimms, Cath Kidston, Linda Farrow, Lonny Magazine, Dedon, LSA, Homebase, Urban Garden Furniture, The Luxury Planter Collection, Ikea

We are in July and finally.... summer is here! It always amazes me how everything changes when the heat and sun kick in. Everything is so positive and happy! So we had to step outside the house this month and feature the ‘Patio’. A patio is an outdoor space generally used for dining or relaxing that adjoins a house or flat. Because of its convenient location and outdoor living feel, a patio is often seen as an extension of our indoor living space. I have black wooden flooring in my house and in order to create a feeling of continuity and space, I used a black wooden decking on the patio. In terms of patio furnishings, everything you place outdoors should be weatherproof, but that doesn't mean it can't look as good as any indoor living room. Rugs, throw pillows and chair cushions all come in waterproof fabrics. You can also add lanterns, hang solar powered fairy lights and add garden statues (we have a Chinese warrior that also acts as a plant stand). And as we are outside, go crazy with plants! I love tropical plants and therefore filled my patio with  black bamboos, a banana tree, a lemon tree ( I take my banana and lemon inside in winter), Lillies and flaming hearts. So my patio is a perfect place for alfresco dining or reading a book on a hot summer weekend in a relaxed atmosphere.