Over the past two years, those of us lucky enough to have outside space have really made the most of that precious extra square footage, treating it like an extension of our home — whether we have a generous garden, a chic roof terrace, a bijou balcony or just a patch of greenery to call our own. This has given rise to one of this year’s biggest garden trends: exteriors that are every bit as stylish and comfortable as our interiors.
From outdoor rugs to sofas that look good inside or out, here’s how to turn your outside space into an extra room.

Create a stylish lighting scheme
Layered lighting helps bring atmosphere and ambience in our homes, so why not use the same trick outside? Think pendant lights hung from pergolas, and outdoor floor and table lamps used to illuminate seating areas. You can then add accent lighting with garden lanterns and fairy lights wound around trees or strung over tables, letting you stay out long after the sun goes down.
Make the perfect lounging area

To create the ultimate outside living room, think about your furniture in the same way as you would indoors. DFS offers a range of outdoor sofas that would look just at home in your lounge as they do on your patio. With the same stylish design credentials as the indoor range, the sofas are made with fibre wadding and luxurious, woven upholstery fabrics that are water-, UV- and stain-resistant. We love the modular Salvia sofa, which comes in light grey and slate, and has the perfect laid-back vibe for summer.
Be smart with your flooring
A really effective way of merging your indoor and outdoor spaces is to use the same flooring across both. Brands such as Topps Tiles have ranges of durable porcelain tiles that can be used both inside and out, so you can have one surface that stretches from your kitchen or dining room out to your garden. Adding bifold, sliding or double doors will also help to make it feel more like one seamless space.