If you are conscious of changing trends and fashions, it can be incredibly limiting to plan your garden designs. Thankfully, there are some things that you can install that will transcend fickle design changes. In this article, we will outline some timeless design classics that you can implement into your garden space, from curving your decking, to installing fire pits and opting for modern fencing upgrades. Let’s look at some of our favourite ideas.
Curve Your Decking
A relatively simple change you can make to your garden space is to alter the overall shape of your lawn instantly transforming both the look and feel of your area. On a subconscious level, softer, more curvilinear lines can help to create a feeling of calm and relaxation. Pairing a rounded lawn with a curved decking space or curved planters, or with round stonework, can create a more considered, naturalistic feeling space.
Thankfully, both timber and composite decking can be cut down to size with appropriate woodworking tools, meaning this can be achieved with relative ease. The result can bring a new sense of character, in contrast to the look of straight, uniform, parallel lines. A curved garden design has practical applications as well as aesthetic ones, as it can help your garden feel much more spacious, making the most out a minimal area, and navigating out of awkward pinch points.
Install Modular Fencing
When you invest in any new material in your garden space, it can be difficult to determine whether it will last, or still look good in a couple of years. Though a timber fence looks fantastic, unless it is properly painted and stained at some expense, it can rapidly deteriorate because of moisture, and fade when exposed to UV from sunlight. The problem with many types of long-lasting fencing, such as concrete or brick borders, is that once installed, it’s permanent, and can be an incredible chore to remove it should you want to change it. Concrete too can appear drab and lifeless and may not inspire any sense of character and personality into your garden space.
However, thankfully, advances have been made with alternative kinds of fencing in recent years, that allow for greater customisation and personalisation. With certain brands of composite fencing, you can even retrofit any existing timber of concrete posts, allowing you to build new, long-lasting fencing panels into the framework that you already have. This means you don’t have to completely abandon a previous investment to secure a breathtaking, brand new garden border.
Buy Metal Screens
There are many metal screen designs available on the market, which help to create an interesting addition to any garden wall, proving a decorative sense of flair. Metal screens with intricate cut out designs can create interesting shadows and lighting effects all throughout your space. Metal screens can also have a practical advantage too, on top of simply looking great, allowing lighter and airflow to enter your garden, whilst still maintaining that much-desired sense of privacy.
Some fencing solutions even include metal inserts which can be slotted into the fencing post, allowing you to easily slide a metal screen into place as part of the completed panel. This means your screens are interchangeable, should you choose to swap out your cut out screen with another cut-out design further down the line. If you choose timber, concrete, or brick borders, you can fix your metal screens to the surface of the panel itself, serving as an interesting, much needed bit of texture against a potentially flat, uniform fence.
Create Fire Pits
There is nothing more elemental or timeless than the simple joy and sensation of huddling around a fire, either alone or with friends. A fire provides warmth, security, and an ambient backdrop for any late-night conversations. There are plenty of ways to effectively – and safely – install a firepit into your own garden space, so you can enjoy this primal deep connection with nature as the nights draw in. You can opt for a man-made pit, simply by digging a slight hole, filling the base with sand, gravel, and stones, before building a small receptable around it. You can then add pieces of kindling on top of the stones and set them alight. Please note do not use any stones that have been submerged in water to line or border your pit, as this can be incredibly dangerous when they are put into the fire.
Should you want something slightly more bespoke, or do not have the DIY confidence to build your own, there are plenty of ready-made fire pits available on the market. The two most popular variations are large, metal wood burning disks, or a gas fuelled burners. Make sure that any material you place a fire pit or outdoor chimney on top of is properly fire rated. We would recommend putting your fire pit atop stone patios or fire rated composite or aluminium decking, as opposed to flammable timber or a lawn space.
Choose Garden Furniture
A perfect garden space needs somewhere to put your feet up! There are plenty of different material options for garden furniture, including metal, plastic, traditional timber, and fabric rattan. Timber furniture has an undeniable visual aesthetic, and many designers specify the material due to its rustic texture and natural feel. However, unfortunately timber is susceptible to the damaging effects of moisture, which could cause problems when people sit upon the chairs or use the tables! Metal has the bonus of immediately appearing more high-end and premium, however, it is important to remember that unless treated or covered properly, certain types of metal furniture can quickly become damage because of rust.
Other kinds of garden furniture material include plastic and rattan. Both these kinds of furniture are increasingly popular due to the ease of assembly and maintenance, as well as how simple it is to store them should you want to move them out of the way. Unlike timber and metal which can absorb water into the material, any water can be simply wiped down from plastic or rattan tables and chairs. Recycled plastic particularly completely locks out moisture, and is scratch resistant, allowing it to last far longer and offer a greater strength.
