Chill Out!
As the weather heats up on the Costa del Sol, we will be spending most of our time outside. Our balconies, terraces and gardens become our summer living rooms and decorating them can make all the difference. But what style to go for?
Plan
It’s always best to have a good plan in place before looking to make radical changes. Ask yourself how you live and relax at home and see how that will translate to your outdoor living space. Look at the size of the space you have to work with. Do you want a more formal dining area for example or a place to simply lie back and relax after a long day’s work? Do you want lots of colour or everything in pure white?
Start Small
Once you’ve got a basic plan in mind, first look at furniture. Being in Southern Spain, it’s important that you select furniture that will hold up to the rigours of the heat and sunlight. Cushions are important – you could go for a faux-leather look -ensure again that you use Nautical quality – or fabric that is coated to be sun resistant. After all, you want your new look to last longer than just one summer!
Next look at the surrounding areas – do you have space for loungers or for a built in seating area to relax after dinner or during lazy afternoons? Daybeds or large loungers are all the rage now – every trendy beach club has them so why not have one at home? Alternatively huge cushions scattered around a low table will create a perfect chill-out area.
Embellish
Once you have your main features in place look to embellish your look. Lighting is important for evenings – free standing or hanging lanterns. Candles in glass for table tops or gas torches. You might want to complement dining areas with floaty curtains to create a gazebo look or hang sail shades so that you can eat without the glare of the sun. Decorate your tables, chairs and loungers with scatter cushions to complete a colour scheme. Plant pots with colourful flowers that will bloom all summer.
And, finally, sit back, pour yourself a long, cool drink and relax!
