BROUGHT TO YOU BY THREE BIRDS STYLING SCHOOL

Spring has sprung in the Southern Hemisphere and before we know it summer will be here so, now’s the perfect time to get your alfresco spaces summer-ready. A new season is always a good reason to refresh your home and changing up the styling is a great way to do it.

When we’re styling houses, outdoor areas are actually some of our favourite spaces because we love seeing the transformation of underused and neglected parts of outdoor areas into heavenly little escapes.

Our amazing Aussie climate is a major reason why the rest of the world looks to us when it comes to alfresco design and indoor/outdoor living. We Aussies pride ourselves on doing alfresco living well, whether it’s outside enjoying family barbecues, having drinks on the patio or watching the kids play in the pool. Even when we’re inside the house, chances are we’ve got all the doors and windows thrown wide open.

Creating good indoor/outdoor flow in your home has the power to be life-changing. It can affect how you feel about your home, how often you want to be there and how you interact with your family and friends. In fact, we’d go so far as to say a good alfresco area can be therapeutic.

So, let’s show you how to turn those outdoor areas into spaces you’ll be running to spend time in…

first up, identify your zones

One of the things we love to do when designing outdoor areas is to think about how we can break them up into distinct zones. This means that there are areas suitable for different groups of people, activities or even seasons - think, Dining? Lounge? Firepit? Pizza oven? Cricket pitch? All of the above? #yesplease

Think about which zones you want to include in your outdoor area. You may want ALL the zones – it’s hard not to – but the number of zones your yard can accommodate will depend on the size and configuration of the space. If you only have one alfresco area, you need to assess what your home needs the most. For example, if your indoor dining area is small or not your favourite spot in the house, an alfresco dining area might become an important addition to your home. If you love relaxing outdoors and watching the kids swim in the pool, then a lounge area might be the best option. Working out what you want from alfresco life will help you decide which elements to include.

create a seamless indoor/outdoor connection

An alfresco area is a perfect opportunity to bring your style, vision and vibe to life. It should be a wondrous and seamless extension of your indoor style – only executed with outdoor-worthy products. Colour palette, patterns, shapes and textures all help to create this all-important design connection, so ensure you pick options for the outdoors that work with whatever is happening inside. And yes, a little matchy-matchy is a good thing when it comes to creating this indoor/outdoor flow. #twinningiswinning

OUr go-to alfresco styling pieces

✔️ Outdoor cushions - Using cushions in your alfresco area would have to be our #1 styling tip. It’s the quickest and easiest way to zjoosh up the space and make it feel like home. Keep it simple by using the same colours and patterns you’ve used inside.

✔️ Outdoor rugs - A rug may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re styling an outside space, but we absolutely love using rugs in these areas. Whether they’re inside or outside, rugs are the glue that holds different pieces together and makes them a ‘zone’ rather than a collection of individual items. And because rugs are traditionally indoor pieces they are really effective at making an outdoor space feel warm, inviting and like an extension of the home. Our only rule? Make sure the rug is an ‘outdoor’ rug so it can withstand all that nature throws at it.

✔️ Lighting - Lighting is often the forgotten child of alfresco styling. Not for us! The right pendant light can be the final piece of the puzzle when it comes to nailing your vision board. Also, if you’re one of those lucky people with big windows looking out to your yard, you need to think about how best to light your garden, otherwise, it could be like looking into the abyss once the sun sets. Light it right and you’ll be able to enjoy your garden after dark too.

✔️ Greenery - We’ve never, ever come across an alfresco space that doesn’t look better with some greenery – it’s a must! Refer to your vision board so you know what type of look you’re trying to achieve, and don’t let the pot be an afterthought. Pots can be as important as the plants, and there’s nothing worse than a great plant in a crummy little pot. Bigger is usually better when it comes to pots.

✔️ Shades & awnings - Your window coverings inside the home are a key styling item, right? Well, so are your exterior rain and shade coverings. There are a few options when it comes to outdoor coverings, and your styling choice here will take you closer (or further away) from your vision. We love adding awnings to our outdoor spaces for extra character and cover. Some of our awnings are fixed and can’t be moved, but most are retractable.

✔️ Fire pit - In the cooler months, there’s nothing better than styling your yard with a fire pit to keep the good times rolling when it’s chilly out. You can do this by creating quite an elaborate fire pit area or you can keep it very low key and simply arrange chairs in a circle around the fire pit. We’ve done both.

✔️ Front entry - Last, but not least, take a look at the front entrance of your home. This is an alfresco space too, and one of the most important ones because it’s the first impression any visitor will have of your home. It needs to feel the love. Looking back at how we’ve styled the entries of our houses, there seems to be a pretty basic formula we use most of the time - pots + greenery + a spot to sit with cushions. The same 3 things always make an appearance: If your front porch or entrance doesn’t have room for seating, just work with the first two items. That can still look stunning.

THREE BIRDS WATCH OUT - Perhaps this goes without saying but we’ll say it anyway: only use furniture that is designed for the great outdoors. Don’t put indoor furniture outside – it won’t end well. Go for quality outdoor furniture and fabrics that will go the distance (think all-weather wicker or aluminium bamboo).

There’s no denying that outdoor entertaining is synonymous with the Australian way of life and having a beautifully styled alfresco space that looks great and functions just as well really ups the enjoyment factor.