Lydia Thammavong
Head Designer, Styles and Trends
With a passion for design and art in all its forms, Lydia travels the continents to stay on top of all the latest trends. She draws inspiration from them and adapts them to update every living space.
TRENDS
Our Designer’s Tips About Outdoor Decor
Our head designer answers all of our questions on outdoor fashion and the 2022 backyard and patio decor trends, from colour palettes and ambience, to style and functionality.
What are the latest trends in outdoor decor?
In 2022, outdoor decoration focuses on three major themes: well-being, escapism, and slow living.
We’re looking to create a comfy cocoon, a place where we feel good—and this desire influences all our decor and design choices.
Since travel has been restricted for over two years now, we’re looking to escape the routine right in our yards. How can we do this? With the seaside style that’s reminiscent of the Mediterranean and makes us feel like we’re at a luxury hotel. Or with a boho decor straight out of Bali.
Finally, going back to basics is also very popular, with colourful vegetable gardens the whole family can enjoy.
Scroll-through to discover our three 2022 outdoor collections that pair style with comfort!
Designer Tip
To support the style and create a vivid environment that takes you to far-flung shores, choose plants and flowers that match the decor. For example:
- Mediterranean style: lemon tree, olive tree, lavender, sage, succulents, etc.
- Exotic/boho style: palm tree, agave, hibiscus, yucca tree, bamboo, etc.
Which colours are trending right now for outdoor decor?
Which colours are trending right now for outdoor decor?
- Shades of blue—especially azure, denim, and indigo—which are perfect for creating a seaside or Mediterranean vibe.
- Green, as omnipresent inside as it is outside with the biophilia trend.
- Terra cotta, a colour that represents a material found in tropical and desert countries.
- Black, especially when it’s worked into textures and finishes that modulate light to create an intriguing visual effect.
What are your best tips to make outdoor spaces a natural extension of the home’s interior?
We want to do the same things outside as we do inside: cook, eat, relax, read, watch a movie, work, and even take a bath! To that end, tons of products were developed so that we can make the most of the outdoors.
Over the past few years, we’ve been seeing the boundary between the indoor and outdoor living spaces fade away.
Here are some ideas:
- Surround yourself with things that let you be as comfortable outside as you are inside, such as cushions and pillows, outdoor lighting, and candles.
- “Vegetalize” your indoor spaces (with plants and natural materials) while dressing the outdoors (with patio and outdoor furniture, ambience lighting, and carpets).
- Use the same decoration style both indoors and outdoors for a consistent, seamless look.
- Add a pergola as an extension to your home. Inexpensive and easy to install, pergolas let you spend time outside, shielded from the sun—and even from the rain with hard-roof models. They’re also perfect to define an area in the backyard and create a more intimate living space.
Pro Tip
Check out our step-by-step guide on how to build a wooden corner pergola yourself!
Do you have any quick and affordable solutions to revamp an outdoor space?
To enhance the look of an outdoor living space, I love working with natural materials like stone and gravel. There’s nothing better than replacing a damaged or stained stone path with beautiful grey stones to add a touch of peace and elegance.
We can also create new zones to add to the backyard’s look and functionality. For example, you could simply add a lovely hammock to create a reading nook!
How can you optimize the space on a small balcony?
For small spaces, it’s very important to always keep functionality in mind, avoid clutter, and create a clean look.
Here are my best tips:
- Measure twice before shopping.
- Use the walls and ramps to free up the floor as much as possible.
- Get storage, lots of storage!
- Choose smaller furniture that’s light and easy to move.
- Focus on furniture and accessories that stack or fold.
Do you have any ideas for improving outdoor privacy without compromising on style?
There are options for every taste and budget to make your deck or backyard even more private, like privacy screens. However, I also like to use vegetation to create privacy, give a fresher look to a space, and spruce it up. As functional as they are decorative, plants have a very calming effect, just like the sound of a water fountain. You can use vines on a trellis, or even high and full plants (like ornamental grasses) in a nice planter. Plus, the rustling sound of the leaves helps dampen ambient noise!
SHOP PLANTS AND FLOWERSCould you give us a few ideas for a porch or front yard?
A porch is a place for quick meet ups or talks with neighbours. To make the space more inviting, I love adding a conversation set and an outdoor carpet along with a few lovely cushions and pillows.
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