RANGE REVIEW: OUTDOOR LIVING
“You don’t have to have a generic garden. You can have little personal touches that you will notice when you’re sitting outside enjoying the space... Everybody’s garden can be different.”
SPOGA GAFA’S OUTDOOR TRENDS OF 2018/2019
Explosive red kick: The hip colour of the summer Attention-grabbing colour red has snuck its way into the garden and onto the balconies this year. Gaudy benches, cool dining chairs or elegant pillar- shaped pots set signals in the home outdoor landscape. Hip open-air carpets for the floor with a dash of colour are also taking off. Among the palette of red shades, above all cherry tomato is en vogue, whilst the muted shade chili oil is also frequently gaining in popularity. The red shades are always combined with discrete colours, such as grey, white or black.
Slim silhouettes for the open-air dinner Graceful design, visual lightness and high functionality are all part of the trend for the coming season. Minimalist at the first glance, many seating options are equipped with practical features, including adjustable backrests or extra comfortable covers - using fine synthetic fibres, for instance. XXL high tables, frequently square in shape, are on the increase, and are often rounded off by matching bar stools. Manufacturers are introducing attractively-designed benches in beer garden look onto the market for those who prefer to enjoy the outdoor dining experience at traditional heights. Soft upholstery ensures comfort while dining. The products are oriented on the three-colour combination coral, blue
and green or are produced in muted colours, such as grey, brown or taupe. Overall there is a clear tendency towards filigree design language in the dining section, whereby the materials and fabrics are of increasingly high quality and are oriented much more on their indoor role models.
Gourmet grilling
Fully equipped outdoor kitchens with a gourmet factor are the absolute trend for open-air cooking. Many high-quality, modular solutions where the barbecue, sink and work top can be combined as desired or required, are on offer. The trend for smoking is also still all the rage and these are often integrated into the appliances that often offer multifunctional handling options. Smart solutions, such as app-controlled thermometers are on the advance. What’s more, the BBQ market is impressing this summer with creative accessories such as cool leather aprons, robust wooden boards or fine knives, turning barbecuing into a lifestyle experience.
Refined wickerwork
The frames of a lot of lounge furniture are knotted and woven this summer. Thanks to innovative high-tech materials, designers are betting on exciting structures that reinterpret classic wickerwork that is inspired by nature. Rattan is still extremely popular among the materials; enhanced by creative creations out of metal or novel plastics. Striking patterns and bright cushions are used to add colourful highlights, because the furniture is traditionally produced in muted colours such as grey, brown or beige. The rocking chair is experiencing a revival, albeit with a modern design. Wicker and chain patterns are also gaining in popularity for accessories in the outdoor section, particularly in the case of lanterns.
Open oases to chill out and relax Pure relaxation is the motto in the garden this year. Pouffées that invite users to chill out are ideal for unconventional sit-ins. The trend towards sitting at ground level particularly targets young people, for whom flat outdoor chairs in dark-blue, as well as cosy daybeds will prove appealing. The Hollywood swing is also seeing a comeback and extravagant design items, such as looping loungers, are guaranteed to pep up the open-air oasis
30 DIY WEEK 20 JULY 2018 Oxide yellow provided a striking backdrop on Alan Rudden’s garden
says Peter, giving an example of removable bridging trays that
turn
dining chairs into a love seat. “People also love a two or three-seater bench. They like filling a gap in the garden and it also gives them somewhere to sit to admire their space.” These items were doing really well on stand, as were the full dining sets but the biggest sale in volume terms was Riverco’s new Frogsuit wood treatment. The simple spray-on, wipe down product was flying off the stand and may well help clinch the sale on occasion.
“People like wood but they hate looking after it,” Peter explains. “We now sell one bottle of Frogsuit with every set of furniture. If people think they’ve got to sand the furniture down and treat it in a couple of years, it puts them off. They’re probably still going to buy the piece anyway because they like the look of it but when I tell them about Frogsuit, it makes it sound more appealing.” With the nation’s love of houseplants showing no signs of abating, there is a renewed interest in succulents; something Simply Succulents owner John Chandler has seen first hand. “Succulents are very popular at the moment and I think it’s probably because people haven’t got the time to look after them. With these, you can plant them and then go on holiday.” Tapping into the wellbeing trend, he adds: “Arborescens is the new cancer-fighting plant. It’s much better than Aloe Vera. A lot of people love Aloe because it grows so quickly, so it’s easy to farm.”
Reality check
Meanwhile, Polly Wilkinson’s tongue-in-cheek Concept Garden, titled A Very Modern Problem, which was sponsored by Worx, explored the role social media plays in the garden and how we compare our ordinary lives to the often-filtered and unrealistic images we see online. The garden set out to explore both the positive and negative influences social media has on people’s wellbeing – how it can provide support and inspiration but how it can also promote feelings of isolation and inadequacy. A giant smartphone divided the garden in two, with one half depicting an ordinary, suburban family garden with weeds, toys, haphazard planting, a washing line and all, whilst the other side, through the lens, represents the images of social media; attractive but impractical and misleading, with artificial, pest-prone and non-hardy plants and super stylish outdoor planters and furniture. Visitors enjoyed the exhibit and it was certainly thought provoking. Overall, a good show was had by all and, as always, exhbitors relished the valuable interaction with visitors. The Garden Furniture Centre’s John Haimes says: “We have a massive 10,000sq ft and we also do online but we go to all of the RHS shows to get out and meet people.” He adds: “We will sell here a lot but it’s really about that unique feedback about our products… It’s a very special thing coming to an RHS show. There’s nothing quite like this organisation.”
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