One outdoor look, two ways

Most of us love the outdoors, especially during the warmer months when the sun is out, the barbecues are sizzling and we can sit back with family and friends to enjoy a cool, refreshing drink.

It’s a chance to slow our pace, take time with friends and family and enjoy the home environments we have created.

If you’re fortunate to have your own outdoor area, treat it as an extension of your internal living space. Big or small, whatever size your outdoor zone is, celebrate it!

Consider what works for you and your family’s lifestyle – do you need an area where kids can entertain themselves? What will you use it for – if cooking is part of the brief then allow a safe, secluded space for a barbecue. Where does it receive the most sun? Do you need shade? Where can you place floor cushions or bean bags? If you have some old plant pots in the shed, freshen them up with some paint and replant them. Potted plants need frequent watering to survive, so if they’re under shelter they won’t receive any rainwater!

Efficient seating is key to attracting people to this space so plan your seating, even if it's with two chairs or an outdoor couch. Maybe you want to arrange it around a fireplace or garden feature? Whatever your design is, comfort and easy flow are your friends.

There are so many inspiring colours to choose from, which is why we’ve presented you with two colourways to consider. Does your heart sing when it's around the sunrise hues of soft pinks? Or are you drawn to the coastal blues of the ocean, with a nod to Cape Cod? Treat your outdoors like a blank canvas – ready and waiting for your artistic touch!

Resene testpots are the best starting point. In the outdoor light, colours can change depending on the light quality or next to certain colours. The much-loved neutral of Resene Triple Merino serves as a peaceful creamy backdrop to the pink ombre outdoor lounge. Timber finished in Resene Tiri wood stain lends a raw-look finish that resembles the rippling sand of the beach.

The ombre screen is the focal point painted in (from top to bottom) Resene Ebb, Resene Soothe, Resene Paper Doll, Resene Coral Tree and Resene Merino. The screen itself provides a decorative element, visually breaking up the space, and protection from the sun and shade if need be. Hints of rose and dusky pink pop up in plant pots in (from large to small) Resene Ebb, Resene Alabaster, Resene Coral Tree, Resene Paper Doll and Resene Merlot, a pendant lampshade – lending a truly boho-beachy vibe – in Resene Alabaster and tray in Resene Ebb. Soft cushions are inviting and welcoming. The screen can easily be painted if you decide on a new colour palette in the future.

To some, a blue-toned decor appeals, in all its calming glory. Clear-sky shades are popular choices, encouraging relaxation and contemplation, indoors or out. Again, Resene Triple Merino welcomes with its gentle creamy wall, and the deck in Resene Woodsman Tiri. Instead of ombre, the entire screen celebrates the enchanting Resene Kashmir Blue. The breeze blocks and bench top in Resene Triple Merino contrast crisply, linking with the other neutral shades in the pendant, cushions, and the plant pot in Resene Alabaster. A drinks trolley in Resene Indian Ink grounds the entire scheme, providing a place to keep those refreshing cocktails or mocktails at hand, in coloured glasses that resonate with your décor. Planter boxes in Resene Smokescreen ensure they don't take up any floorspace.

Your outdoor area is likely to be private from the street, so treat it like your own sanctuary where you can sit with the birdsong and the sunshine, stamping your own style with paint in the way you like best.

Accessories: Soft and slippers from Collect Living, bone shoes from French Country Collections, mirror from The Society Inc, mini hand from Hay, U-shaped vase from Alice Berry, endemicworld.

Project by Kate Alexander. Images by Bryce Carleton. 2021