Afternoons in the shade in total relaxation, aperitifs with friends at sunset, swimming laps in the pool that’s just a few meters away. Who wouldn't want to experience the same feelings that one experiences at a high-end resort in their own garden? Outdoor spaces can be transformed into real open-air luxury living if certain basic elements are not neglected.
Too often, in fact, terraces and gardens are only partially cared for, paying the utmost attention to the design of the greenery but giving little importance to the furnishings. In these cases, outdoor furniture is not very homogeneous and placed almost randomly throughout the location.
Instead, applying the right design principles and choosing the elements with taste, you can create an elegant and comfortable outdoor living room, studied in detail with the same care used for the interior of the house. The outdoor space should be equipped and decorated in the best way possible, making it a corner of paradise, where you can relax and enjoy happy moments with friends and family.
Therefore, creating an outdoor luxury living area is an objective at your fingertips: it is enough to know how to design it to the fullest. To help with this task, in this post, we have proposed some useful tips to obtain the perfect outdoor space in which to relax and spend leisure time alone or in the company of the people we love, free from the daily chaos and frenzy.
Study the luxury outdoor living space to the fullest
If you pay attention, you will notice that the most comfortable and luxurious outdoor stays are almost always characterized by a simple and well-measured harmony, which starts as soon as you set foot outside.
The first piece of advice we want to give is precisely to create a solution of continuity with the indoors, studying the furniture in a similar way as you would if you were setting up a room inside the house. In this way, the living area of the dwelling will be increased, making it larger.
Everything must be calculated in advance , to manage the necessities better. Is it a sunny area? It will be better to provide covers, such as shading, a pergola, or maybe a gazebo. Is it a windy area? Then it is necessary to design the luxury outdoor living area in a sheltered corner, for example, against the walls of the house.
Even privacy is a matter to be taken into consideration; sometimes it is preferable to set up your outdoor living room far from prying eyes. On the contrary, those who have the pleasure of seeing and enjoying the relaxation space mustn't be excessively limited by barriers, fences, or poorly positioned furniture. If there is a beautiful view, let them admire it.
The choice of furniture for the outdoor luxury living room
The most important elements for creating the perfect luxury outdoor living room are the furnishings. Choosing the right models of adequate size and arranging them correctly are factors that determine the level of comfort and pleasure more than others. At the same time, from the point of view of style, they unequivocally characterize the general aesthetic impact and taste of those who have selected them.
Seating and tables are fundamental elements that define the living area. Benches, chaise lounges, and loungers can also be added to these. Everything must be chosen to find the right balance between comfort and elegance. The Dolcefarniente products, for example, effectively combine comfort with a seductive design, with fine details.
The simplest look to follow is the one that matches the interior style of the house, in a mutual enhancement between the exterior and interior. Even more important, however, is that the furniture is well-coordinated, perhaps chosen from the same product line.
The ultimate luxury is handmade furniture with unusual finishes, such as those designed by Samuele Mazza —glamorous and timeless pieces that come from meticulous craftsmanship. This kind of productive approach allows attention to detail that cannot be obtained in industrial products and, at the same time, preserves in itself a part of the intuition and personality of those who designed and built them.
Place the furniture in the space of the luxury outdoor living room
The difference between improvised furniture and an effective and well-studied outdoor environment also passes through the correct arrangement of furniture in the space. Surely the distribution of furniture should be planned at the project level by the designer if they want to create the perfect luxury outdoor living room.
On-site, clients can use adhesive tape to mark the shapes and proportions of the furniture on the ground to realize the proportions, to have a more concrete idea of how to organize the space at a glance. Walking through this simulated surface also helps to perceive any critical issues such as obstacles in the passageways that were not foreseen and which can be remedied by choosing the furniture that fits best.
A very practical rule of thumb for lounge areas is to place the longest piece of furniture, such as a bench, along the longest wall or side. The furniture should preferably be facing the center of attention, which may be the swimming pool, a captivating glimpse of the garden or the house itself.
In creating the outdoor relaxation space, it is preferable to arrange the seating in a way that facilitates conversation and socialization naturally. If the area is large and open, it must be divided into several zones. Usually, the largest seat is used, such as an outdoor sofa, to define all or part of a single area. We must not forget to insert tables in the middle or to the side and maybe some ottomans or footrests.
The right materials for a luxury outdoor living room
The materials used to make outdoor furniture have evolved in recent years. The choice is really vast; the important thing is to choose options that guarantee greater durability and resistance to temperatures, atmospheric agents, and wear and tear.
Historically, they were made of natural materials. Among these, we can mention rattan, wicker, and parchment.
Rattan is a vegetable fiber that is weaved and characterized by being robust and flexible at the same time. Wicker is formed from thin filaments obtained from the inner part of the rattan. Parchment, on the other hand, is of animal origin, a precious material obtained from untanned leather. It is used both for ligatures and making wide textures. All these materials fear light and direct rainwater, so it is better to use them in protected environments such as verandas or porches.
As robust and flexible as they are, natural materials, if exposed to the elements as it is in the spirit of outdoor furniture, lose their beauty over time, so in recent years, new synthetic fibers have become widespread, which are now the most popular choice when a luxury outdoor living room is designed. Among them all, we would like to mention synthetic rattan, which has a very similar appearance to natural rattan but is resistant to rain, ultraviolet rays, hot or cold, and mold.
Another option is metal furniture: wrought iron, stainless steel, and powder-coated steel. Often used for the load-bearing structures of furniture, they are in any case treated with substances that protect against rust and oxidation.
Finally, more and more frequently, outdoor furniture is equipped with large and generous cushions that even become predominant over the structures and create the appearance of upholstered furniture. This trend, which we find, for example, in the Canopo line by Samuele Mazza, is due to the desire to make the furniture for outdoor living rooms increasingly similar, from the point of view of comfort and style to that of interior living spaces.
Final details for a perfect luxury outdoor living room
Outdoor furniture is the most important part of an outdoor living room, but to have a dream environment, you need to focus your attention on the final details, which can really make a difference. These finishing touches include:
- The choice of a focal point
- The lighting
- The cushions
- Outdoor accessories
The focal point
This feature, rather than a final detail, is something that would be better to include in the design phase of your outdoor luxury living room. In a nutshell, it is the point that immediately attracts most of the attention, a real center of visual attraction, necessary for guests to linger to admire, with it, even the splendid high-end furniture selected.
Sometimes the focal point is trivial: if the house is located on the beach, it will be the sea itself, or if there is a swimming pool, it is natural to focus attention on it. Other times it is necessary to insert an iconic element, for example, an iron cage-shaped gazebo.
The lighting
Very often it is the evening that is the most pleasant time to enjoy an outdoor stay in good weather. Therefore, effective lighting is essential to allow use even in the dark and to create an atmosphere. Luxurious outdoor lamps, candles, and lanterns are among the most appreciated solutions.
Decorative cushions
Decorative cushions add color and comfort to the outdoor furniture and make the environment very similar to that of an indoor living room, both in terms of comfort and style. It is important to ensure that not only the fabric used is resistant to bad weather but also that the padding is protected in the event of rain.
Among the most precious advantages of using decorative cushions is the possibility of changing them with great ease, giving a completely new look to the outdoor living room in a few moments.
Other accessories
The possibilities of giving personality and freshness to outdoor living, thanks to the choice of accessories, are unlimited. Outdoor rugs, for example, very effectively recreate the atmosphere of an indoor living room. The Zibal series by Samuele Mazza offers high-quality decorative rugs, made with technical waterproof yarns, coordinated with the furniture from the Siderale collection.
Plants and flowers are essential elements. It’s better to choose light planters, easier to transport and reposition, while vases are an optimal choice to give a further touch of design to the whole environment. It is important to remember that even the appearance of the flowers is in some way harmonized with the furniture, so it is good to choose the right shades wisely.
Another high-impact accessory is the fire pit, which provides warmth in cooler periods and enchants guests, illuminating the evenings. A good alternative is outdoor braziers and bioethanol fireplaces, which in many cases, can also be used for grilling.
We have just mentioned a few ideas to create the perfect luxury outdoor living room. A good designer will be able to find endless alternatives to make the outdoor environment unique. Whether it's a designer fire pit or an outdoor lamp, creativity is the key.