Make your backyard feel like a luxury resort!
Resort style luxury in your own backyard. Australians are renowned for living and loving the outdoor lifestyle. From the time we take our first steps we are introduced by our parents to the great outdoors. It has long been a tradition and a dream of couples and families to have a house with a pool or live near the beach. Just look at the amount of us that live within an hour of the coast and you get the drift.
Another long held tradition is to have some outdoor furniture to be able to fully enjoy the tranquillity and socialising that comes with the outdoor living lifestyle.
Not too far back, we had to content ourselves with a limited choice of what we could buy to dress up the outdoor area of our homes. Choices were quite limited and backyards were full of either a one size timber rectangular table with matching chairs or a small round table with hard back aluminium framed chairs if you hard a courtyard or smaller space to sit outside.
Choice was then introduced by way of wicker and canvas sofas and chairs. While it was an improvement to the timber and pre moulded outdoor settings, style, colour and material choice was still limited. In other words, it was basic.
We first noticed the real change in sophistication, choice, style and range about three years ago when we went to live on the stunning Sunshine Coast in Queensland. We were fortunate enough to live in a house on a canal as a backdrop and the pool area was a feature along with a patio that gave us enough space to decide it was time to upgrade our own outdoor setting – yes, the timber rectangular version – that had been a loyal servant but was getting on in years. It was time to turn our backyard into a luxury resort style chill zone!
Making the decision to upgrade your outdoor furniture into a resort luxury style area!
Once we made the decision to buy and upgrade our outdoor living furniture, our online search revealed a plethora of options, prices and styles. Yes, things had certainly changed and improved since we were last in the market.
Through word of mouth feedback and a chat with some manufacturers and retail outlets, it quickly became apparent that quality was the most important consideration given the furniture effectively ‘lived’ outside 24/7. Sounds simple in theory and it was our major consideration however, when there are options aplenty in any market, there are many who are happy to claim their product and service is the best.
The quality consideration becomes more apparent when, despite the fact the outdoor furniture setting would be housed under a wide awning and protected from the elements, we know how severe and harsh our wether can be in this country.
Weighing all this up – quality, choice, range, service and price – our three months of detailed research both online, face to face and via word of mouth recommendations revealed we would be best served getting our outdoor furniture for Queensland from a Melbourne based retailer. We are happy to report it was a great decision.
Outdoor Living Direct and its proprietor John Strahan simply provided five star service and a range that gave us the opportunity to create our own little slice of luxury resort living that we still remember fondly. To this day we add little bits and pieces to complement our original setting and wherever we are located, it becomes a luxury feature of our house and entertaining area.
Our original outdoor setting is still the hero of the backyard and has grown with little additions of cushions, ornaments and plant colour. What has been noticeable is the furniture just has not weathered or aged a bit. And that is a point of difference for Outdoor Living Direct. All their furniture is built to suit Australian conditions. Having been through several south east Queensland storms and the tail of a cyclone, we can guarantee it came through with flying colours. It is certainly made of sturdy stuff.
John was proud to explain his philosophy of operating this success business that has been the go to brand for several well known television programs in Australia.
“We believe in our products. We understand that furnishing an outdoor area is about more than just acquiring objects: it’s about enjoying the good life outdoors. It’s about making the most of great weather and the best of company. We do our bit to make this experience all that it can be by specialising in high quality items that offer the finest in comfort, style, durability and convenience.
This means we stock products we’d like to have in our own backyards. In fact, many of us on the Outdoor Living Direct team have bought items from our range for our own backyards, as have our friends and family.”
And what about those TV programs that have called on John and his team to showcase outdoor living areas under the critical gaze of well known stylists and designers?
Our products have appeared on TV programs such as The Block, Better Homes and Gardens, and The Living Room. 2011’s winners of The Block, Polly and Waz, purchased a black Kakadu Premium Pod Chair, and 2011 contestants Josh and Jenna bought a black San Martin lounge setting. In 2014 our brown/mushroom Kakadu Premium Pod Chair appeared in Darren and Dee’s winning room on The Block Glasshouse, and our three piece Killara balcony setting in black/black appeared on Channel 10’s The Living Room.
Our seven piece Tinamba modular lounge has also featured on an episode of Better Homes and Gardens: the show’s presenter Tara Dennis was so impressed with our Tinamba modular lounge set she bought one for herself! Most recently our scatter cushions and bench cushion appeared in Karlie and Will’s outdoor terrace on The Block 2016. Karlie and Will were fortunate enough to win The Block 2016 and it was a pleasure working with them both throughout the series.
Having created our own little piece of luxury resort living in several homes and locations, we can attest to the brilliant product and accessories range, the peace, tranquillity and classiness that it has added to our outdoor space. And it appears the designs and desire to create a beautiful outdoor space are continuing to evolve.
The outdoor room
A trend that’s showing no sign of slowing down is the creation of a permanent outdoor living space that extends and flows on from the rest of the home. Outdoor rooms are a wonderful way of extending your living space and with a bit of planning and design you can instantly turn your garden or deck into a luxurious outdoor living space.
John gave Luxuriaus his tips for creating a luxury outdoor room.
“Creating this outdoor space need not be hard. We have a few a few tips to help create an area that flows on from the inside of your home creating a dynamic unity between the two.
Firstly a little planning will go a long way. Considerations to make note of:
- How much space do you have and where is it situated in relation to your home?
- Where will the area start and finish is relation to your home?
- Are there any structural elements needed or already existing which will affect your design?
- What is the purpose of your outdoor space? What do you intend to do within the space?
- What will the area look like?
- What aspects from the inside of your home do you intend to recreate?
Space
Consider how much space you have to work with and if need be create different zones within the area. If you plan to build a deck or a pool consider their location in comparison to your house and the rest of your outdoor space. It’s also important to work out at this stage what other structures you would like included within the design such as walls, steps, decking, concrete, grass, blinds, sheds, plants or water features.
As well as thinking about the structures you would like to include also consider any existing structures that may impact your design.
Purpose
Importantly, ask yourself ‘what will this area be used for? Is your intention to create a relaxing outdoor oasis to sit back and unwind or do you intend to use the space for entertaining family and friends or maybe it could be both. Whatever the purpose may be consider all aspects and use this time to plan and design wisely.”