External lighting adds a completely new flavour to your garden or your home’s façade. Extending the daylight hours is only a small part of the idea when it comes to light fittings that will be based out of doors. Creating some areas where the light intensity is relatively high is a good idea for any spaces that you will be using during the evening. For instance, this might be under a pavillion or a porch, where you want to hold a cook out during the evening. In such places, it is a good idea to keep the level of light as uniform as possible so that no areas or perceived to be more dark than elsewhere.

There are external lighting products available specifically designed to create this level of illuminated uniformity. However, lower levels of light with less uniformity work in a more architectural sense in other external situations. Splashes and washes of light can create great theatrical flourishes. They can also be highly functional, assisting with way-finding and pointing out trip hazards. When it comes to designing your own external lighting, it is best to blend these different sort of effects.

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There is little that is more appealing than al fresco dining in the summer months. Indeed, there is something quite liberating about dining outside of your usual setting. Whether you prefer picnics, informal barbecues or fully blown cook outs, eating outside should feel like a different experience from the norm.The trouble with many out of doors dining experiences is that the food on offer can often be limited. This is usually because of available cooking equipment.

Of course, it is possible to prepare your food in the kitchen and bring it outside. However, this is not so much fun for the chef. Outdoor cooking should be a sociable experience for all involved; friends, family, and the hosts. So, to improve your next al fresco get together why not invest in some new cooking equipment that is suited to exterior dining? And at the heart of your selection should be an outdoor oven.

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With the changing of the seasons and the warming of the weather, many of us turn our focus from decorating the interiors of our homes to the great outdoors. Our lawns get some much-needed TLC, our porches get cleared of debris, and our patio furniture makes its annual debut. This is the year for your patio furniture to shine! Forget about having tired, old, sorry-looking furniture outside this spring and summer. Think fresh, inviting, and fun…so you actually want to sit and enjoy the beautiful yard you’re working so hard to create. Here are some inspiring ideas for having fresh patio furniture this year:

A Bold Paint Job.

Paint it all in a single bold, fresh color. This particular patio set could be 100 years old, for all we know, but it looks like it came from the store this morning. Even if you have a hodge-podge set of patio furniture, but painting them the same color will transform them into a unique and delightful unit. This strategy works particularly well with wrought iron pieces, although make sure you scour off any rust and clean the pieces beforehand. I like how this creates an instant outdoor colorway.{found on familyleisure}.

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Japanese gardens are considered to be extremely beautiful and they are very appreciated for their design and for the atmosphere they create. The tranquility and peace that envelops you when you’re sitting in a Japanese garden is unreal. It’s why lots of people want to take all this beauty and peace close to their homes. But there are a few basic elements you need to know before starting such an elaborate project.

The pond in a Japanese garden usually has koi fish

The key feature behind a Japanese garden is its natural look. The garden shouldn’t include shapes and elements that aren’t normally found in nature. For example, if you want a pool or a pond, it should have an organic shape and it shouldn’t feature straight lines or a square form. If you prefer some other kind of water feature, maybe you could opt for a waterfall.

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The spring has just arrived and Easter is right around the corner. During this time of year, the weather remains warm which is just perfect for enjoying outdoor events such as wedding parties, pool parties, and brunch/lunch/dinner parties. So, you can easily enjoy your Easter brunch by setting a dining table at any suitable outdoor space. A sunny spring day sets an ideal atmosphere for having Easter brunch with family and friends.

Prepare your Easter outdoor brunch with plenty of spring colors

Set up the Eating Area

If you already have an outdoor eating area at your patio or backyard garden, it is time to clean off the table and chairs and sweep away the filth and muck that the winter storms left behind. Otherwise, you can also create a natural outdoor eating area very easily. Choose a suitable place that is not exposed to direct sunlight. Construct a wooden arch and use a mounting vine flower to cover the arch. It will appear as a shade of vines and greenery. To complement the natural look, you can choose wooden table and chairs besides bamboo- or canvas-made placemats.

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Getting from one place to another is rarely a problem when it comes to exterior design because, unlike interiors, you seldom have to worry about permanent structural elements, like walls, getting in the way. However, more consideration needs to be given to exteriors if there is an incline. Slopes and hills mean you will have to think about an inclined pathway or outdoor stairs.

Steps and stairs have advantages over sloping paths since they are able to cope with steeper inclines. They are also capable of connecting the architecture of a home with the rest of the landscape design. Exterior stairs need to be hard wearing and resistant to the elements.

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Topiary as an art refers to the ornamental shapes that are created by trimming and training shrubs and trees. It’s a form of art for the garden. Using this technique you can basically create any shape you want. Of course, a professional would do it better. The most common topiary designs include those of animals. Of course, there are many more other designs and shapes that can be reproduced. They range from simple forms such as globes or pyramids to more complicated designs such as birds or human body shapes.

You can work with simple shapes and combine them in various ways

As you may have imagined, this art is not new. It has been around for nearly 2000 years and it has been developed and adjusted in tine. There are recorded examples that date back to the Roman times and that describe topiaries shaped like obelisks and animals. After that, this art almost disappeared for a long period of time. It was revisited during the renaissance period. Then, in the 19th century, a garden was created in Wellesley, Massachusetts and it had trees shaped like cones, globes and pyramids.

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