10 ways to up your al fresco game
Eating in the open air is one of life’s greatest gifts, says Sam Wylie-Harris.
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Your support makes all the difference.With blue skies and some long-awaited sunshine spurring us into the great outdoors, now’s the time to get your outdoor space sorted for summer soirées.
From casual cookouts, to prosecco parties and laid-back brunches, these stylish furnishings and fun finds are geared to gardens, pretty patios and even a teeny terrace…
1. Bright Striped Multi-Coloured Wine Glasses, £40 for six glasses, Talking Tables
Summer spritzers and rum punches will really hit the spot in this funky glassware.
2. VonShef 16-piece Leaf Print Melamine Dinner Set, £24.99, Vonhaus
Think avocado on toast, summer salads or BBQ ribs and plating up on this palm print will channel all those beachy, holiday vibes. Includes 4 x dinner plates, side plates, bowls and tumblers.
3. Small Stoneware Serving Bowl, £4.99, H&M Home
If you’re fishing for a cute snack bowl, this glazed stoneware has the feel-good factor.
4. La Hacienda Steel Oxidised Finish Firepit, £55, B&Q
Firepits are having a moment in the sun and when it comes to flaming firewood, this budget-friendly model wins hands down in the style stakes, with the added bonus of underneath storage for logs.
5. TruGlow Waterproof Outdoor Candle Trio, £29.99, Perth White Garden Lantern with TruGlow Candle, £21.99 (was £29.99), 200 Lisse Solar USB Flower Starburst String Lights, £29.99 (nestled among the greenery), rest of items from a selection, Lights4fun
Ambient lighting is the icing on the topping for tablescaping. Moveover, garden lanterns, pillar candles and sweet clusters of white petals lit with LEDs will crown your creative endeavours.
6. Frizz Black Expandable Wine Cooling Sleeve, 23cm – 9in, £24.99, Peugeot Saveurs
Better than the fuss of an ice bucket, this wine cooling sleeve will chill a bottle in 20 minutes and keep it cold for two hours. Ideal for BAB (bring a bottle) parties and celebrations, it’s suitable for both sparkling and still wines with expandable design. Cheers!
7. Gozney Arc Pizza Oven, £599.99, Gozney
Cited as the world’s most compact and advanced pizza oven, for restaurant-style 14” pizza in 60 seconds, Gozney is your go-to. The lateral rolling flame and state-of-the-art burner replicates the flame of traditional wood-fired ovens with five-star results… hot, freshly made pizza with a good measure of pizzazz.
8. Black Helsinki Garden 8 Seat Extending Dining Set, £1,850, Next
It’s not every day you splash out on an eight-seater table but with its stylish good looks, bang up-to-date black aluminium frame, rope effect chairs and shower-proof seat cushions, this is entertaining al fresco with the X-factor and look of luxe.
9. Fortnums In Full Bloom Outdoor Cushion, from £30 (45cm x 45cm), Claire Louise
One for quickie makeovers, this whimsy cushion will make bench seating or an accent chair that much more comfy – and pretty up stacking outdoor chairs. Water-resistant and UV resistant so florals won’t fade.
10. Emma Bridgewater Vegetable Garden Collection: Artichoke Medium Oval Platter, £70, Carrot Soup Plate, £25, Aubergine & Flowers Medium Pasta Bowl, £27, rest of items from a selection, Emma Bridgewater
The closest thing to tending to your very own vegetable plot, this striking serveware will fire up those five-a-day recipes and make you feel full of beans.