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4 Ways to jazz up your commercial outdoor living space

These days, your outdoor living space is just as important as your indoor.

One thing to consider if you have a vast outdoor space is how you utilize such an opportunity. Putting the wrong feature in a large outdoor space can look clumsy and awkward. Get smart with your ideas and create a thoughtful haven that suits your business and also impresses any potential visitors.

This can be an exciting opportunity to spice up your outdoor living space and there are plenty of things you can do to achieve a variety of distinct areas. So whether it’s an area to entertain, a safe spot for children to play freely or a tranquil space just for visitors or guests to take a moment – it’s ultimately a place everyone can come to enjoy.

The below ideas aren’t so much prescriptive but more a case of inspiring you to think big and let your imagination run riot!

A Maze or Labyrinth 

Not sure what the difference is between the two?  A ‘maze’ is a route to a goal which gives route choices and dead ends, whilst a ‘labyrinth’ is a single path that is meandering and has no choices. Basically…if you want to find yourself, create a labyrinth and if you want to lose yourself create a maze.

We are not expecting you to construct something like the famous Pineapple Maze in Hawaii but some well-tended topiary at knee level can be great fun for children and adults alike and make a great creative talking point for visitors.

Your maze or labyrinth can be as elaborate or as simple as you desire – the ‘choice’ is yours!

A Treehouse

This one’s for the kids – but if you make it roomy enough a few of those ‘big kids’ can make use of it as well.

Things have come a long way since the time of a few planks of wood nailed to a tree and it being declared a ‘den’.

There are plenty of experts on hand that can erect a sublime piece of ariel real estate from the traditional glorified birdbox to the whimsical fairytale.

Giant Chess Set 

Want to go a little bit quirky and classical? Well if you want to play chess on a grand scale then this might be for you. You’ve all heard that saying, ‘Go big or go home’. 

A hand-carved giant chess set would be a great way to ‘go big’ and is a perfect distraction for any chess lovers, plus a fun way to get the young ones excited about the game.

Firepits & Chimineas

Extend the use of your outdoor space throughout the season to those chillier nights with an outdoor firepit. This is a wonderful way to introduce a glowing ambience and get that cosy factor going on.

If you want something steeped in history, a Chiminea might be an interesting feature. With origins dating back to 16th or 17th Century Mexico, Chimineas are generally made from terracotta and can be a beautiful awe-inspiring piece adding a touch of character to any surrounding.

Mini Crazy Golf Course 

Well of course! How could we miss out the possibility of some golfing fun? We’re obviously not suggesting you start competing with the professional capabilities of the Royal County Downs, but you can have a lot of fun with themes and designs. 

So before you begin, it is imperative you start with a plan. Think about what you want to use the space for. Do you want to create zones? How many regular visitors are you planning to have? Also try to consider what might work well long term – make your spaces easy to adapt and refresh or go for the longevity option cultivating an idea that will grow better looking with age.

Make this the opportunity for your outdoor area to take you on a journey, making your outdoor space an extension of your business.

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Great Plant Ideas With a French Flair

The French are known for their dramatic interior spaces, using clever furniture designs, sumptuous fabrics and colours. French designers know that the perfect ambience in restaurants, office spaces and homes can be achieved using versatile ideas. These features include beautiful faux plants that are lifelike and lush, but easy to maintain.

Canny design features are beginning to appear this side of the Channel too because the French style is casually elegant and perfect for softening formality. Using plants for interior decoration is fun and innovative. The bonus of working with quality faux plants is that they can maintain their lifelike look for a long time to come.

Make a Statement!

If you have a large space, fill it with an equally large plant. The French use huge beautifully maintained house plants to be the focus of a room. Make sure you choose the right size – monstera deliciosa and the various ficus plants are all ideal. Ensure the plant does not look squashed, faux plants should be displayed in the part of the room where it would thrive if it were natural – such as near the window but away from direct sunlight. Trailing plants can give an air of elegance draped over the edge of a statement furniture piece.

Choose the Ideal Plants for Each Location

If you have a large plain wall, choose a variety of big plants with large leaves and consider a couple of wall baskets too, filled with tumbling trailing plants. Faux plants can look stunning and so life-like that it is hard to tell them from the natural variety, but clever selection is important – if your plain wall is somewhere shady, choose plants that would happily grow in such a position.

If you have large bare looking windows, treat them with some true Parisian style – a line of large flower pots in front, each with a tall plant with numerous small leaves. Choose varieties that normally love plenty of light and choose ones that complement each other to create a similar effect to a lace curtain – letting plenty of light into the room but relieving the starkness of the bare windows.

Clever Ideas for Bannisters

Bannisters are essential, but unless they are beautifully styled, they can look bland. The French way to deal with this is to use them as a blank canvas with a dramatic arrangement of climbing and trailing plants in a rectangular planter in front of the balustrade.

The selection of plants should include plenty of different shades of green and a variety of textures too. Plants such as faux ivy and vines can look delightful interwoven in the bannister rails. The focal point of the arrangement can be a beautiful live or faux flowering plant, this feature can regularly be replaced to mirror the passing seasons. 

Leafy Stairways

Wide staircases look elegant and appealing, but they can look a little stark. The easy way to add some interest is to have a different faux houseplant on each stair. The plants should be different heights and textures with a range of leaf colours – adding some with variegated leaves and others such as Crotons with rich red and gold leaves. Provide additional colour by introducing indoor roses and cyclamen – you can add these as seasonal highlights. It’s fun to add some dramatic plants that can be ‘talking points’ for visitors!

The plant pots and saucers can be simple terracotta ones to give a welcoming rustic feel or they can be various designs and shapes – either antique or contemporary in style- with a colour theme.

Gorgeous Screens

Sometimes, there is a need for subtle screening, either to offer privacy between tables or to mask a plain-looking doorway. An easy way to achieve the ‘wow’ factor is by the clever use of plants. Tall leafy plants in stylish easy move planters are a versatile way to define areas – a fun choice is a large vine. A colourful myriad of ferns and trailing plants hanging down from the top of a doorway is the perfect way to obscure it from view.     

Stunning Flower Arrangements

The French love nothing better than a huge and vibrant flower arrangement. They love tall vases which they fill with huge colourful heads of hydrangea or with arum lilies at Easter time. Flowers are always arranged very simply in a vase. The most interesting and natural arrangements are made using a variety of wildflowers, interspersed with ears of wheat or barley and wild grasses – with plenty of French style!