Monthly Archives: April 2014

How to create the perfect outdoor entertaining area…

April 29, 2014

How to create the perfect outdoor entertaining area…

Are you looking to spruce up your soulless outdoor area? Do you imagine yourself being able to chill in the comfort of your own backyard on a spacey lounge setting, or entertain family and friends with barbeques and dinner parties around a large outdoor dining setting? With these considerations of creating the perfect outdoor area it’s easy to make your backyard a place to relax and entertain.

Deck it out!

There are many options out there for the right patio flooring for your outdoor area. As well as having a cosy grass area, add a deck or paving to your backyard. Stone and paving can give a real contemporary look to your space, with the use of natural coloured stones and paves. Patterned paves can make your flooring look like an outdoor rug!

Decking is a great option for outdoor flooring. By varnishing and polishing your decking you can really bring it back to life and make your outdoor area look as good as new!

Give your grass some love. There’s nothing more comforting than sitting amongst a lush, green grass area, rather than that dirty unloved look.

If you are lucky enough to have a beautiful large tree in your backyard, use this as the centre point for your chilling or entertaining area. The feeling of sitting in the shade of a great large tree is always comforting.

Selecting the right furniture for your space

First thing is work out how much space you have to put in a lounge setting or dining table. With larger areas, you have the space to go for a long or L-shaped setting, such as the King Modular Lounge, or go for the natural look with our Tinamba Modular Lounge. Modular lounges can be a great option for large areas, and for those who like a change of scenery at times; you have the freedom to move the separate chairs in whichever form suits you!

For small spaces and courtyards it’s best to go for something cute and quaint. Balcony settings and smaller lounge settings are the go, usually with one small table and a few chairs to fill the space. We have a large range of cute balcony settings such as the Mirabel Swivel Balcony Set and the Eva Balcony Set which come with two comfortable, unique armchairs and one small table. If you are after something with a bit more room, go for something like our Breeze setting, which comes with a large coffee table, two armchairs and one two-seater lounge.

Check out our large range of outdoor lounge settings and balcony settings on our website, or come and visit us at our showroom in Melbourne.

You could also add something a bit different with a hanging pod chair such as the Kakadu Pod Chair. You can hang these pod chairs from their pole or from a large tree or frame; the ultimate comfort!

What’s your colour?

Selecting the perfect colour scheme for your outdoor space is probably the hardest decision of all. Are you into a bright, bold, colourful area? Or are you more of a natural and neutral type of colour enthusiast?

If you’re going for the tropical look, go for bright colours and bold furnishings. Quirk up your space with colourful cushions, throws and rugs; you could even paint your pot plants to add a special touch of your own! A colourful and bright area will be great for entertaining family and friends with parties and dinners.

Natural and neutral looking areas are great for creating that ultimate relaxing feel, and will also give the space that modern look you are looking for.

A few more things to consider…

There is now a huge range of outdoor fabrics to choose from nowadays, using top of the range weatherproof fabrics. Outdoor rugs, cushions and throws can add a special touch to your space, and create a greater feeling of home.

Create decorative groupings as you would indoors! By grouping pot plants together, hanging lanterns or interesting lighting will give the space your own special touch. You could even make your own little herb garden! Candles and flames can bring out the feeling of comfort in just one light of a match!

Accessorise your space with cute beanbags or outdoor fabric curtains to add that quaint touch to the space. Everyone loves sprawling around in a comfortable beanbag! Check out our awesome colourful range of weatherproof outdoor beanbags on our website.

How cute could adding some outdoor fabric curtains to separate your area from the rest of the backyard or the house? If you are looking to divide a space without spending hundreds, go for some weatherproof fabric to hang in your space.

So, stop dreaming and start planning your soon to be beautiful, comfortable and relaxing entertaining area.

Come and check out our large range of outdoor furniture at our warehouse in Melbourne or go to our website.

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Sandra’s Gorgeous Backyard Makeover

April 16, 2014

Sandra’s Gorgeous Backyard Makeover

Contemplating a new outdoor entertaining area but don’t know where to start?

You could do a lot worse than look at Sandra’s fantastic new courtyard for inspiration.

Frustrated with the cramped and claustrophobic feel of the old courtyard, Sandra and her husband James decided it was time to go out with the old and in with the new! This bold makeover took them the best part of a year, started from the ground up, and left little untouched. It began by turning some of their garden bed area into living space, followed with some attractive new paving, was punctuated with a new water feature, and then finished with a well chosen set of furniture that complements the area impeccably, and provides a wonderfully liveable space that the whole family enjoys.

Sandra's Outdoor Living Area 1

For Sandra and James, this backyard remodelling was a long time in the making:

“My husband and I are retired and purchased our unit about 15 years ago. The courtyard was never designed professionally and was rather small with large garden beds taking up valuable space. It was looking tired and needed a complete makeover.”

Growing weary of such a cramped courtyard, they both decided it was finally time to completely remodel the area:

“We redesigned the area ourselves with new paving and a water feature as the main focus.”

With the new paving in place, their space issues were sorted, and it was time for some furniture! After all, what’s an outdoor entertaining area without somewhere to sit, relax, converse, and enjoy some finger food or refreshments?

“After visiting Outdoor Living Direct we knew exactly what outdoor furniture to buy to enhance the area.”

Sandra's Outdoor Living Area 2

Having worked out what the space needed, their shopping list included a pod chair, a swivel chair, outdoor tables, and a sofa set:

“The Hanging Pod was placed in the corner near the water feature and a Cupcake in the other corner, which complemented each other while being different. We then added small outdoor tables and a three piece lounge which made the courtyard perfect.”

It turns out that this stunning new space has some very wide cross-generational appeal, as Sandra and James are far from the only fans in the family:

“We also purchased a sun rocker chair which the grandkids love.”

Sandra's Outdoor Living Area 3

So what does Sandra have to say about shopping at Outdoor Living Direct?

“Over the past few months we have purchased from Outdoor Living Direct – Cupcake, Pod, 2 small tables and a beautiful outdoor 3 piece lounge together with a variety of cushions and features. You have also supplied weather covers for most of the items.”

“These items have complemented our Backyard Makeover which we have been working on for nearly 12 months.”

“We shopped around but always came back to you for variety, quality and price.”

“Thanks again for your great service and extensive range of outdoor furniture.”

Sandra's Outdoor Living Area 4

Thank you very much Sandra for showing us the stunning work you’ve done with your backyard, for taking us with you into the story behind it, and for your permission to share it with our readers! It looks amazing and we wish you all the best for all the many splendid mornings, afternoons and evenings to be enjoyed in this spectacular outdoor space.

Have you done anything special with your outdoor area lately? Feel like showing off something you’ve done with our furniture? Feel free to get in touch with us at customerservice@outdoorlivingdirect.com.au to have a chat about featuring your outdoor entertaining area on our website!

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Extending the life of your furniture with an outdoor cover

April 8, 2014

Extending the life of your furniture with an outdoor cover.

Here at Outdoor Living Direct we pride ourselves not only on our outdoor furniture knowledge but in helping our customers create an outdoor area that they will enjoy for many years. In order to maintain this area and your outdoor furniture we recommend purchasing a cover which will not only save you in the long run, but will extend the life of your furniture so you’re able to enjoy it with your friends and family for many years to come.

Outdoor furniture covers ensure that your outdoor furniture is protected from the Australian elements and kept clean, dry and ready for use anytime of the year. A good quality outdoor furniture cover will also extend the life of your outdoor furniture, preventing the rattan and cushion/s from rust, dis-colouring, mould or residue.

We have a wide selection of covers available and are able to custom make covers depending on your needs. Our custom furniture covers can be made to order for outdoor furniture ranging from lounges, dining sets, hanging chairs, sunlounges to BBQ’s, outdoor televisions and just about anything else you can think of.

We support local businesses here at Outdoor Living Direct, therefore we entrust the quality craftsmanship of a local cover manufacturer to design and create these covers. Handmade from top quality waterproof, UV resistant fabric our covers are made to the highest of standards and will be a permanent solution to maintaining the longevity of your furniture.

For rectangular or square covers; please email us at customerservice@outdoorlivingdirect.com.au with the exact dimensions of the item/s that need covering – length, width and height (drop). For items purchased directly from us we ask that you re-measure once you receive your item. We require this information as some shipments of new stock can differ slightly in measurements from the last. We also want to make sure you are completely satisfied with your purchase and with the exact dimensions we can ensure you will be.

For furniture where more than three measurements are required (non-rectangular) please email a detailed diagram with all dimensions marked.

Our cover manufacturer will also add 1.5cm to the length and width to allow for the cover to slip on and off easily, and will also ensure that the cover stops short of the ground – as the material is waterproof moisture can travel up the cover if it’s touching the ground.

Also please note payment in full is required before placement of custom cover orders can be made. Once a cover order has been placed we generally say production will take approximately 3-4 weeks.

So if it’s a cover you’re wanting be sure to check out our cover section on our website here or contact us on 1300 067 138 or customerservice@outdoorlivingdirect.com.au for more information.

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