Outdoor Living Roundup
It’s time to relax in the garden and fire up the grills. Here’s an outdoor living roundup to help you make that perfect space.
CRL STONE
The inside-outside kitchen is a growing trend, says CRL Stone, creating a flow between the spaces by using the same flooring throughout.
The flooring needs to be all-weather: frost-proof, slip-resistant and UV-resistant too, so the colour of the tile doesn’t fade from direct sunlight. Ceralsio from CRL Stone offers all these qualities as a solution for indoor-outdoor spaces. Coming in a range of thicknesses, the same surface can also be used for wall cladding, inside and out.
Combining different shapes, colours and finishes of tile can divide a large, paved patio area into several zones, depending on what it will be used for, be it cooking, dining, or relaxing.
“Outdoor kitchens are a huge trend in the UK. As an extension of our living spaces, these exterior spaces are increasingly being used for cooking, socialising and relaxing. The materials chose are often inspired by nature, creating a sense of cohesion that can be replicated indoors,” said Simon Boocock, managing director of CRL Stone.
KONIGOUTDOOR
KonigOutdoor has created a showroom of three outdoor kitchens at the Sky House Design Centre in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
The displays show a variety of sintered stone finishes, from classic marble to more industrial styles, and showcase various design options, including handleless doors and drawers, a corner unit for a Kamado grill and a bar-style seating area with a granite worktop and cedar circular support.
Each kitchen is made to order in the UK and can be designed to accept mains services gas, water and electrics.
MINOLI
Minoli, a leading distributor of Italian porcelain tiles, has seen a big uptake in interior and exterior porcelain pairings from leading housebuilders such as Hayfield, Rectory and Beechcroft Developments.
“Advancements in the design and manufacture of exterior use porcelain tiles and slabs have seen them become a sought-after alternative to traditional paving materials for outdoor areas. The technological and aesthetic qualities of porcelain bring many benefits over natural stone, concrete, blockwork, asphalt, wood and composite decking,” said managing director Jonathon Minoli.
New manufacturing processes allow for 20mm+ thicknesses to be produced, resulting in tiles with a much greater load bearing that can be installed with a variety of flexible fixing methods. These include using traditional tile adhesive, laid to grass or earth or on pedestal systems, which allow easy access and inspection of cabling, pipework and drainage.
“As such, porcelain pavers provide an ideal surface solution for other outdoor living applications including balconies, steps, pool surrounds, roof terraces, outdoor kitchens and dining areas. Of particular appeal to housebuilders, architects and interior designers, are the many indoor tile series that are available with coordinating outdoor versions to match, so allowing near seamless transition from inside to out, through patio doors and picture windows.”
HADDONSTONE
Bollard luminaries from cast stone specialist Haddonstone are designed to withstand the British weather, while also lighting up the garden and outdoor settings.
The bollards, using TecLite material, can edge lawns, pathways and drives, as well as acting as both guidance and security solutions.
This durable reinforced, reconstituted stone closely resembles traditional cast as well as natural stone in appearance, with the use of innovative technology to reduce the weight of the bollards.
The Ball Bollard is based on Haddonstone’s traditional cast stone balls and can be specified with either a hard-wired 240V or 12V power supply, with the light fitting itself fully waterproof. The Ball is sturdy enough to withstand normal gardening maintenance and pedestrian contact, as well as offering guidance down a dark driveway or path.
Meanwhile, the versatile Classic Bollard is available with solar power and features an aluminium and polycarbonate light fitting on top of the TecLite casting. It will light the way
all night, with long-life lithium-ion batteries, managing energy use through a built-in dimming sequence.
Haddonstone, leader in the design and manufacture of garden stonework and made to order in Northamptonshire, uses natural stone from UK quarries, along with cement and selected aggregates to produce an authentic appearance across its range. The two lighting bollards are available in Portland, Bath, Terracotta, Coade and Slate to suit all styles and settings.
SONOS
The evolution of the outdoor space continues apace, be it cooking, dining, entertaining, or working from home. To the al fresco mix add music.
An outdoor audio system, says Sonos, is rapidly moving up wishlists, making the garden ‘entertainment-ready’. Outdoor audio can be included at the planning stages of a brand-new home as part of a wider multi-room audio solution, or as a simple addition post-build, to seamlessly connect the music that’s playing indoors with the outdoors.
“At Sonos, we have solutions that cater for every project, from all-weather architectural speakers, to portable outdoor speakers. And, because Sonos systems are scalable, homeowners can expand and customise their audio setup to suit,” said Stephen Rhead, installed solutions manager at Sonos.
“Sonos outdoor audio contributes to an enhanced outdoor living experience. Whether hosting gatherings, enjoying a quiet evening, or exercising outdoors, the immersive sound adds to the overall ambience and enjoyment of the outdoor space.”
RAK CERAMICS
Glass extensions, bi-fold and sliding doors that open the back of the house on to the outdoor space are ripe for a different treatment to traditional patio materials of slabs or decking, says Ben Bryden, sales and marketing director of RAK Ceramics UK.
“If the idea is to create no visual obstruction to the outside with window frames or doors, then why would you want a visual transition in the flooring you use? If your flooring runs seamlessly from your garden room or kitchen extension into an outdoor dining or relaxing space, it gives the illusion of space and creates an on-trend contemporary look. And, on a practical level, there is no change of texture or height from indoors to outdoors. Opt for hard-wearing porcelain tiles that are colour safe and weather-proof,” said Bryden.
A porcelain surface as suitable for patio as kitchens is Fashion Stone from RAK Ceramics, creating a seamless and on-trend stone look from inside to out and available in six colours. The tiles can be laid on grass, gravel, sand, screed with adhesive or a raised patio.
Grand Designs Live, being held from 1-4 May at London’s ExCel, includes the Outdoor Living Showcase, an area of the exhibition featuring top outdoor brands and products.
The leading home design and innovation exhibition covers four key sectors – build, kitchens and bathrooms, gardens, and interiors – with a range of talks led by TV presenter and design expert Kevin McCloud.
Visitors will have the chance to connect with specialists, architects, building suppliers, and designers, to explore unique furnishings, designs, and bespoke artwork to inspire home projects, inside and out and bring visions to life, with eco-friendly living and sustainability key themes.
