Garden design solutions: 3 steps to a fantastic seating & entertaining area
What is our garden for? Is it a tranquil escape at the end of a long day or week at work? Is it a safe and stimulating play area for our children or grandchildren? Is it for growing fruit, vegetables and salad crops?
Whatever the main role of our garden, having somewhere outside to sit and rest is really important. Seating & entertaining spaces are often the first areas we plan when designing a new garden, and it is important to get them right. There are lots of things to consider, but it needn’t be complicated if we give some thought to the following three steps:
1. Location, location, location
This may sound obvious, but let’s begin by thinking about where we want our main seating area to be. Do we want to catch as much direct sunlight as possible or would we prefer some shade? Do we want to be in full view of the house, or would it be better to be more secluded? Do we need to think about privacy or are we fortunate enough to not be overlooked?
We will probably want to be relatively near to our kitchen for convenience, but we often encourage our customers to find a location within the garden rather than being immediately outside their back door. This helps our seating area to be a ‘destination’ which makes it feel a bit more special, but also because it is good to sit in a garden rather than next to a garden.
2. Size really does matters
We are not all blessed with larger garden spaces, but it is always worth considering scale and proportion. Ideally, we will want to plan around our ‘primary users’ (an ugly phrase, we know…sorry). A garden for a family is obviously different to one designed for a couple, but it is important to remember that many family gardens are actually often regularly used by just one or two people at a time...even if it is just for a quick break with a cup of coffee.
We ideally want our seating area to feel large enough for a gathering, but not so large that it feels impersonal, so let's give some serious thought to dimensions and proportions.
3. Multi-purpose?
It is also worth considering what we want the seating area to do? Is it primarily for al fresco dining or the family BBQ, or should it have a more ‘relaxed’ vibe with a couple of outside sofas and a glass of wine? We can, of course, create a space which is flexible, but it is usually a good idea to have a clear idea of what is most important to us and make that the priority.
If space isn’t too much of an issue, then we may want to consider creating two seating areas. One could be focused around food, with a table & chairs and an adjacent BBQ/outdoor kitchen area, and the other aimed at relaxation, with sofas, a coffee table and some attractive lighting. We passionately believe that a garden can't have too many places to sit, so let's be generous with this and give ourselves some options.
Getting our seating & entertaining areas right is one of the keys to a successful garden. Hopefully the three tips above will help us plan the perfect space.
Tythorne Garden Design provides professional fixed-fee garden design solutions for customers in Grantham, Stamford, Newark and surrounding areas. Let's see how we can help you to enjoy your garden more. Call us on 07900 224 239 or 01529 455 355.