Homes Antiques

ABOVE Choose robust woven or macramé

textiles for casual outdoor furnishings. ‘Diendra’

fringed oor cushion (foreground) £128;

‘Marisol’ tasselled oor cushion (striped) £148

both Anthropologie RIGHT These Bolivian soft

furnishings are made from traditional llama wool

blankets. ‘Frazada’ cushions £125 each; ‘Frazada’

rugs to order from £280 all Raj Tent Club

W

ooden benches and low walls

convert instantly into comfortable

garden seating with the addition

of rugs throws and cushions. Opt

for those made from hardwearing

fabrics that won’t show marks. Generous piles of

oversized cushions and flat weave rugs soften hard

surfaces and set the scene for relaxed gatherings and

easy conversation. This bohemian look works most

eectively on a patio or deck where walls or wooden

panels enclose the space creating an intimate feel. A

strong colour scheme gives any group cohesion and

this informal style relies on an eortless uncontrived

arrangement and a feeling of spontaneity.

CHILLING OUT

Expert tip

‘Traditional ethnic rugs and

artisanal blankets thickly woven

from strong natural bres are

ideally suited to outdoor use. A

palette of earthy colours produced

using vegetable dyes is practical

too and reects the changing

seasons.’ Nicky Marks managing

director Raj Tent Club

T

hink of flames flickering over a pile of driftwood on the beach or a

campsite barbecue and it’s easy to understand the appeal on a warm

summer evening of a fire in the open air. If you rarely have the chance to

take a trip to the coast or countryside fire pits and barbecues allow you

to enjoy the warmth of a real fire or the taste of food grilled over flames

closer to home. Fire pits consist of a metal or concrete bowl in which you can burn

wood or charcoal and often they come with accessories such as a grill and ash scraper

so you can cook over the embers. More conventional barbecues are widely available

giving you a choice of fuel size and sophistication from simple charcoal grills to

gas-fuelled cook centres equipped for serious barbecue chefs.

PATIO HEATERS & COOKERS

LEFT A neat solution to outdoor cooking the Dancook kettle barbecue trolley has a preparation surface and storage

shelf £500 Debenhams FACING PAGE Weathered steel ‘Bol’ re pit (106.7cm diameter) can be tted with a grate

or a gas burner from £2300 Paloform

100 H&A SUMMER 2017