With many parts of the UK experiencing a burst of blue skies and sunshine, the recent good weather may have turned your attention to the garden.
Making the most of outdoor space will create another room in your home, whether that’s for relaxation, entertaining or eating alfresco.
As we look forward to embracing warmer days ahead, the experts at the UK’s leading garden centre, Dobbies, have revealed the key outdoor living trends arriving online and instore this spring – alongside insights into the trends that have shaped them.
Not your average garden centre, the expert team has curated a collection which is guaranteed to help get the most out of your outdoor space. Blurring the lines between indoors and outdoors continues to be big, with four key themes and a smaller capsule collection, each tells a unique story and offers plenty of choice for every garden big and small.
Lynsey Abbott, Outdoor Living Buyer at Dobbies commented –
“Our vision for Spring Summer 2021 is all about getting the most from our outdoor spaces, embracing spending time in the garden and creating a practical and stylish space we can enjoy throughout the season.
“We know that one size doesn’t fit all, so we have worked hard to ensure there is something for gardens in every shape and size, from contemporary laid back functional dining sets that would look just as good inside as outside your home, to bold bright accessories to add a touch of tropical.
“Whether it’s for dining alfresco, hosting weekend barbecues or spending evenings round the firepit, our gardens are a space for fun, relaxation and enjoyment. Dobbies Spring Summer 2021 collection has been designed with this in mind, to help get the very best from our garden in the season to come.”
The all new outdoor 2021 themes:
- Country Kitchen Garden – An evergreen look filled with lush leafy foliage, subtle delicate florals and sandy tones. Pair rustic earthy terracotta, an abundance of greenery and calming neutrals. Whether you are an allotment enthusiast, grow your own at home, or are just finding your green fingers, your garden will be transformed into a horticultural haven.
- Summer Haze – Laid back, Scandi style with a focus on adaptable designs and sustainable materials including recycled glass lanterns and serveware. Outdoor lighting and firepits are key to add warmth and light, extending the time outside and seamlessly connecting days to summer evenings, moving into autumn with the addition of cosy knit throws and blankets. Furniture materials include rattan, metal and wood with contemporary clean lines in cool greys and simple bare wood.
- Global Bazaar – A celebration of colour, with sunshine shades of apricot orange and tropical greenery to create a garden getaway. A craft homespun look, using soft materials, printed tiles and decorative patterns.
- Simple Serenity – Balancing a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian design. East meets West, embracing the core design traits of each to create an outdoor oasis of calm, centring on minimalist simplicity. The colour palette for this trend includes a mix of cool grey, bamboo and undertones of anthracite. Disconnect from the digital word with a plug and clutter-free space, enjoying the sense of calm that being in nature can bring.
- Kitsch Colour – Filled with colour and fun, this look will quickly add personality to a small space. A few simple accessories will brighten up a bistro set or mix and match contrasting pastel shades for a burst of energetic summer colour.
Trends that have shaped the collections:
- Garden room – The idea that your outdoor space is another room in your home – ‘the fifth room’ – runs throughout each of the themes. Blurring the lines between inside and out, whether it is creating a kitchen garden, zen wellness space or acting as an extension to a playroom.
- Wellbeing – With many positives, being in the garden can help us to slow down, reduce stress levels and connect with the natural world that is on our very doorstep. Your garden can be a full sensory experience, from the sound of running water, the smell of flowers to the taste of homegrown produce.
- Compact living – Foldable, stackable and easy to store away items feature heavily in the 2021 range. Whether you have a balcony, terrace or patio, or just want a few extra seats for bring out for barbecues, good things come in small packages.
- Alfresco dining – The warmer months are the perfect time to eat outdoors, with rising demand for pizza ovens and outdoor kitchens, we have ensured that every theme features a range of complementing sets to ensure you are sitting comfortably, from smaller bistros, corner sofas, 6-seater sets and more.
Product trends:
- Comforting materials and calming colours – Comfort is key, with new hanging and free-standing egg chair shapes and designs.
- Space saving – Modular flexibility, with sectional sofas and low living furniture to name a few.
- Quirky benches – Giving the traditional wooden bench a makeover with new styles and statement designs.
- Accessories – Just as you would inside your home, the finishing touches of any room are completed with the accessories, from outdoor cushions, parasols and extra singular stacking chairs for extra seating. Accessories are a quick way to tap into trends and refresh an existing look.
Launching from March 2021 in Dobbies stores nationwide and online www.dobbies.com
Country Kitchen Garden
Summer Haze
Simple Serenity
Kitsch Colour
Planning a garden style transformation? Lynsey shares top tips –
“A carefully considered garden design can completely transform an unused walkway or blank canvas, to a functional and stylish living space. Not only will this provide another area in your home to enjoy but has also been reported to increase the value of your property.
“The main thing to consider if you are planning a garden style makeover is ultimately how you plan to use your time outside – as an extra entertaining space, play area for younger members of the family or a practical place for growing your own. Thinking about the end use will prioritise what is most important, helping to make decisions on furniture size, choices on lighting, outdoor heating, and accessories.”
Find out more at www.dobbies.com
For more seasonal advice and trend insights, tune into the Dobbies gardening podcast. Host, gardener and writer, Louise Midgley, is joined by a series of special guests. Listen on Spotify and iTunes for happy gardening this spring: www.dobbies.com/content/podcast.html