The sun is out and shining brightly up in the sky and the outdoors are calling your name. So bring on the heat wave. However, look closely at your backyard, it might be telling another story. This year might be the year of upgradation. As people are staying home now more than ever it’s time to show some love and care towards the outdoors to enjoy the summers fully. No one wants to have a convivial get together in closed walls, right? The next best place to enjoy among the company of your loved ones, in a safe environment is the garden area of your own home, which is open and sunlit. It gives immense pleasure and joy to read a good book and chug down chilled cocktails amidst the vigor of an open-air patio. To make your experience luxurious and amusing you need to invest a good amount of time and money to make it a safe haven for retreat. Equip it with welcoming furniture and appeasing ambiance to extend your experience of leisure beyond the walls of the interior. You haven’t really given much thought to the outdoors till now, gear up, for the year ahead. To have a garden or even a terrace garden in this time and age is a blessing. You’re fortunate that you have a personal space to unwind and get fresh air. The outside of your home requires as much care and attention as the indoors, in fact more. Why do I say this? That is because if the outlook is lackluster and dull, the whole look comes down and no matter the amount of love you have shown to the interiors, it will never be impactful. Be sure to decorate the outside with the same care and attention as you do your interiors. Invest in upholstered furniture, accessories, gardening and textiles. As people are starting to show love to their gardens and outdoors more and more, new advancements and technologies ensure that the furniture is more resistant to any weather. New innovations in flooring also offer the same luxurious feel as it in the indoors to give an effect of continuity. Tough tiles and stone ware are also promising as they are very impenetrable and easy to manage.

Outdoors are the perfect antidotes to screens. With are options to relax and retreat are curtailed immensely, outdoors are the new living rooms. These al-fresco spaces can be your comfort-zone from spring till autumn, providing the much needed calm and serenity in these peculiar times. Outdoor living and entertaining are essential in modern times and life. People find solace in fresh air, wildlife, sounds and smells of the environment and sunsets. This inadvertently means it’s time to perk up the patio/ deck/ garden/ backyard. If you have no idea where to begin and want some inspiration to jumpstart your creativity, we have lined up some tried and tested ways to blow a new life to your outdoors.

Make your outdoor al fresco

Create a perfect extension of your indoors by setting up a dining place in your outdoors. To elevate it in a fool-proof way, choose customized, contemporary or antique furniture that compliments your surroundings. But with a sea of options out there, you are bound to get lost in it. You should go with something that spiked interest and goes well with your taste, theme and budget. Ideally, place a large table with glass top and rattan base, but if you don’t have a place to accommodate that then opt for something that suits well with the area. You don’t want to overwhelm the place with it and neither should it be a dwarf in the overall look. Add versatility by going with printed upholstery on the chairs. Have lounging sessions in comfy chairs and no more squashing around small tables to serve food. Make sure the table is sturdy and chairs that are comfortable. Don’t just look at the modern and sleek designing, you will enjoy it if they offer comfort with style. A table with wonky legs will not serve its actual purpose, right?

Garden sofas

With our aim to blur the lines between the inside and outside, treating outdoors with the same respect and attention, the trend is to place comfortable sofas in your patios. Imagine losing into the comfort of a cozy sofa with plush cushions and palatial furnishings, while the sun gently strokes you. Sofas have an ability to adapt to any place they are put. A sectional couch is a best option if you have a large deck. Be sure to measure your deck before going out to buy one. No one wants couches that poke the fingers and make you go blue with pain.

Outdoor kitchen

If you are someone who loves to entertain and always finding ways to bring friends and family together, this one's for you. Make a kitchen bar on your deck or patio. It doesn’t necessarily need running water, but a barbeque grill, hot plate, a refrigerator for cold drinks, a lamp to cook at night and a bar for cocktails is all you need to make it a complete crowd pleaser.

Accessorize with accent pieces

Your outside will speak for itself if you accessorize it with statement pieces. Give a hint of color and patterns with a rug to create a focal point. Throw in some pillows to give contrast to the otherwise dull, durable and dense furniture. Potted plants are a great way to create divide or to accentuate any area and it also gives a feeling of life. You can also hang them or weave them in trellis. Another quirky accessory which makes a bold statement is an umbrella. Not only does it save you from the blazing sun it also add the perfect touch of luxury and style. Twinkling or starry light is an inexpensive way to infuse glamour to your outdoors, at night.

With these trends and ideas create your very own sanctuary that oozes relaxation, peacefulness, comfort and style.