There’s a common misconception that external groundworks only cover patios and pathways. In fact, the term refers to so much more, especially in a post-lockdown West Sussex! Over the last few months, we’ve undertaken many outdoor garden renovation projects, including one of our own.
People have been planning summer socialising in their gardens, and we’ve been preparing their spaces, installing pergolas, decks, outdoor kitchen areas and many more features.
External Groundworks & The Finishing Touches:
In this week’s blog article, we thought we would step away slightly from the subject of groundworks. With the help of Livvy, who works in business development, we’re concentrating on the finishing touches! Once your external groundworks are complete and your entertaining space in situ, there is even more fun to be had! Take it away, Livvy…
Livvy says:
One of the best ways to make your outdoor space unique is to tie it all together in a theme. When we developed our entertaining area, we knew we wanted to go for the rustic look, a sort of alpine-style hut. Christian is obsessed with skiing, and so we thought it would be nice to have that same ‘aprés ski’ feel at the end of our garden; even more so because it was unlikely that we would ski for some time. This was our way of escaping for a holiday without having to leave West Sussex!
We chose bamboo furniture over wood. Because the structure itself was wooden, this lighter look for furniture seemed a better option. The soft furnishings were fun to source. I found sheepskin rugs at Dunelm and got hold of some giant knitted throws. Hurricane lamps provide lovely warming light, but we also have some solar lanterns, so we’re not totally reliant on candlelight.
For us, the challenge was to keep that Alpine aesthetic, but without being too rustic, we wanted to balance things out so that it didn’t feel too much like a shed! To help us do this, we introduced a modern pizza oven instead of the traditional style in bricks and render. This added a little twist to the rusticness. We bought our Morsø Forno pizza oven from a company in Chichester, West Sussex, call øsoliving, we can’t recommend them highly enough! Phillip was fantastic.
Other theme ideas for your outside entertaining areas:
Baja Beach Hut:
Bring a little Californian beach vibe to your back garden. Think outside bar with wooden shutters, neon lighting and space for a hammock. This outdoor rug from Ruggable has all the colours of the beach.
Vintage Chic:
Immerse yourself in decorative country styling. West Sussex is rich in antique stores so that you can pick up vintage finds. Instead of rugs to keep warm on a cooler evening, use vintage quilts. Add pastel coloured cushions and wicker seating.
Botanical Haven:
Install a beautiful water feature as a centrepiece. Use soft furnishings with botanical prints and textures to create a hothouse space without the glass building.
If you’re ready to take the first steps towards your new outside entertaining space, talk to us about external groundworks. We’ll help you get your West Sussex project started.
