JLife loves any excuse to get out in the garden and, as the warm evenings arrive, it’s time to start dining al fresco again. Consider these ideas to help create a space for your outdoor dinners…
Outdoor eating spaces are becoming increasingly popular. An easy way of extending your living space and making the most of spring and summer sunshine, a flexible outside dining area provides a unique way of entertaining guests and can be easy to incorporate without forking out a fortune. JLife has an array of ideas for how to turn your garden into a great hosting and feasting area.
On the Panel
Garden panels are expected to be one of the top trends for 2018 and this decorative collection from Stark & Greensmith featured at a Royal Horticultural Society show. For those wishing to tame the great outdoors and make the garden an extension of their home, this weatherproof and wind resistant range of panels is both practical and stylish.
Laser cut and featuring a range of botanical designs or bespoke commission options, these maintenance-free panels can be used for boundary fencing, to provide shade or screening, or used as garden dividers or placed on terraces or decking to create a dining area with added privacy. What’s more, at 11cm above ground, they’re also hedgehog-friendly!
From £250
Starkandgreensmith.com
Pull Up a Chair
Eat out Italian style and opt for a sit down dinner or weekend brunch with this combination of a Beach garden table and Duke dining chairs, all available from furniture retailers, Barker and Stonehouse.
Crafted from teak and providing a statement finish, the weather-proof table wouldn’t be out of place at a Tuscan farmhouse and can seat up to six – ideal for fitting in the extended family. Sitting outside doesn’t have to mean compromising on comfort either, as the eye-catching, rope woven and aluminium dining chairs come complete with foam-filled seat cushions.
Beach table £1,295
Duke Dining Chair £285
Barkerandstonehouse.co.uk
Grab a Slice
This La Hacienda Firebox pizza oven from Wyevale Garden Centres is portable and durable enough to be taken to a picnic, to a party on your own turf, or further afield. Simply place it onto a barbecue and impress your guests by whipping up a slice or five at full speed. Fully assembled, ready to use within five minutes and with a double skin insulated cavity for even heat distribution – it may have everyone wondering where you’ve hidden the pizza delivery boy!
£85
Wyevalegardencentres.co.uk
In the Spotlight
Do your dinner parties tend to go on into the night? Ensure everyone gets their moment in the spotlight with a BrightSounds 2 portable Bluetooth speaker. Available from online retailers such Lava Accessories and Amazon UK, the vertically mounted Bluetooth device features built-in dimmer controlled ambient light so that your guests all get even lighting as well as even audio when sat around the table. There’s also a run time of 36 hours, so there’s no need to rush!
£39.99
Lavaaccessories.co.uk