Colour
Creating the Perfect Outdoor Space
Injecting colour & personality with outdoor furniture to create impact
manufacturer, but do check to make sure it is
the same colour which usually has a number
and name. The effect can actually look like
a carefully curated collection of gorgeous
junkyard classics particularly if close attention
is paid to the chair legs.
Dramatic gardens and landscapes really boil
down to a successful combination of three
elements; texture, contrast and of course,
colour.
Naturally, this does not stop at the planting,
with hard landscaping, art and water all
potential components to be thrown into the
mix.
But a quick ‘open gardens’ tour soon reveals
that many outdoor spaces are often seriously
let down by the poor selection of furniture
within them. Perhaps the budget got spent
before that element was decided upon or the
brief studiously ignored it, however the choice
of furniture and in particular the colours,
should always be part of the weaponry used
to make a desirable impact.
Some outdoor furniture manufacturers such
as the Lyon-based Fermob (so much more
these days than the ‘iron manufacturer’ that
its name derives from) offer a wide choice of
standard colours, virtually off-the-shelf (23 in
2016). Combine this with diverse styles and it
powerfully enables a wide variety of options
to mix and match or contrast with the planting
and landscaping scheme.
But how to use it?
Perhaps the easiest and safest option of all
is to choose furniture of one colour or a even
monochromatic blend of different shades.
Dramatic effects can still be achieved with this
approach. But to carry it off successfully and
really add to the outdoor space, the colour
choice really needs to be bold and preferably
not a neutral shade unless the rest of the
space is a riot of colour.
If your client wants to play safe with colour,
try mixing different chair styles of the same
colour. Often a colour pallet is available
across many different styles from the
However, more adventurous souls can opt for
a combination of colours just as you would
in a bed or border. If you still want to play
safe, choose darker neutral shades such as
shades of russet, greens or greys for the table
(particularly if large) and then use the colour
wheel to combine chair colours for maximum
impact. Analogous colours or complementary
colours work well as the palettes
manufacturers use are often designed to work
together. For instance, all the colours within
the Fermob palette can be found in nature.
They are refreshed every year with one or two
new ones and thus it is not difficult to ensure
that the furniture sits beautifully at home in
its space.
In winter time when much of the brighter
natural colour has gone, the furniture is then
a beacon of hope to remind one of spring and
summer bliss to come.
Use your furniture partners experience much
as you would a plant nursery to advise what
works well in specific spaces and ask them to
create 3D visuals of the combinations for you.
Using the right colours throughout your space
will make an ordinary scheme a great one.