Summer is upon us, which means BBQ season is back. With warm weather and lighter evenings, there’s no better time to create an outdoor living area that will fully enhance your al fresco dining experience. While the prospect of a home extension or conservatory might not be feasible, adding an extra ‘room’ outdoors will not only enhance your outdoor experience but can also add value to your home.
Fashionable and functional, this trend focuses on giving the garden an ‘interior’ feel that blurs the lines between the garden and your kitchen, dining room or conservatory to seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor living.
One of the most important features of this interior and exterior trend is the doorway or entrance that separates the home and garden. Large folding or sliding doors are an excellent option as they will not only allow the whole wall to open out into the garden but will subsequently bring much needed light from the outdoors in, too, meaning you can easily switch from indoor to outdoor living.
When it comes to creating a seamless look, one of the most effective ways of enhancing this space is by using the same – or similar – floor tiles in both the garden area and the room that leads to this space. To achieve this, it’s important to consider tiles are hardwearing, slip resistant, easy to maintain and can handle the heavy foot traffic of these areas.
Our top choice – and indeed one of the most popular options among interior designers – is wood-effect tiles. Not only do they give a real rustic feel of outdoor decking, minus the upkeep, treating and staining, but the selection of colours, styles and finishes of these digitally-printed tiles means that you have the freedom to create whatever look that suits your personal style and preference – whether this be glossy, rustic or urban – the options really are endless.
Another popular flooring choice – and a great alternative to decking or paving slabs – is natural stone-effect porcelain tiles. While real natural stone can be costly, high maintenance and not suitable for many rooms and outdoor areas, travertine and natural stone-effect tiles are practical, stylish and incredibly versatile to work with. They are also more consistent with colour, pattern and texture than their natural stone counterparts. Many also provide extra grip and anti-slip options for added outdoor safety, making them an ideal choice for outdoor living spaces and BBQ areas.
Our S-Dio range of porcelain tiles have a beautiful natural stone-effect and are a stylish alternative to paving slabs. Our best-selling Q-Rock tile fits perfectly into the stone-effect style and would be a perfect addition to your garden. Alternatively our Aargo tiles have a bit more of a slate-effect style and are sure to be an eye-catching feature in your garden.
Adding homely finishing touches to your outdoor living space or BBQ area will really help to enhance its ambience. A comfy outdoor sofa with plenty of pillows, a coffee table and rattan furniture pair well with your BBQ choice, a cosy, mood-enhancing fire pit or chimenea and a patio heater – it is the UK after all!