Podcast: The curiosities of Camden Town, London
SoI have lived in London for nearly two years, and what an experience…
The post Podcast: The curiosities of Camden Town, London appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
Outdoor string light ideas – 12 easy ways to make your garden sparkle this summer
If you’re looking for easy ways to give your garden a glow-up this summer, then outdoor string light ideas are the answer. With so many styles and options available, it’s never been easier to illuminate your garden, and best of all, outdoor string lights will add instant impact without costing a fortune.
Focusing on outdoor dining spaces and seating areas is the simplest way to start when it comes to garden lighting ideas. Festoon and string lights suspended overhead will illuminate the area and create a magical mood that’s lovely on summer evenings or when entertaining family and friends outdoors.
In addition to key gathering spaces, adding illumination in other areas of the garden is a fabulous way of creating extra mood and ambience. Whether stringing lights from trees and fences or lighting up summer houses and pergolas with sparkly festoon strings.
Outdoor string light ideas
While hanging festoons and string lights is a super-simple way of adding atmosphere outdoors and giving the garden a festival vibe, easy installation is another plus point. All that’s required is a couple of fixing points, which can be the side of a house or a tree, post or garden structure. While power can be supplied by an outside socket or via solar-powered string lights.
Take inspiration from our round-up of the best outdoor string light ideas, from colourful festoons and fairy lights, to sparkly strings and clusters that will compliment outdoor wall lighting ideas and bathe your outdoor space in light.
1. Suspend string lights above a patio
Image credit: Cox & Cox
Pretty by day but magical at night, use string lights in your patio lighting ideas strung across a terrace to light up the space after dark. Festoon lights will give a subtle ambient glow that will provide just enough illumination for night-time dining or relaxed gatherings, without being too harsh or overly bright.
‘Festoon lights provide an easy and inexpensive way of adding magic to any outdoor space,’ says Dani Taylor, Creative and Product Director at Cox & Cox.
‘If you have a large outdoor area to illuminate, decorate with connectable string lights and daisy-chain multiple sets together from a singular power source,’ says Claire Bassett, Senior Product Manager at Lights4fun. ‘This simple but effective design will enable you to light up any area of your garden as you can connect up to 200 metres of lights.’
‘Start by wrapping the string lights around your garden trees, moving from base of the tree trunk up towards the branches. There are many accessories such as 3-way connectors which enable you to create an even glow throughout your display with ease. Zig-zag the strings of lights overhead on your decking or pergola to create a twinkly canopy to compliment the night sky.’
Buy now: Fabulous extendable globe festoon lights, £60, Cox & Cox
2. Create extra sparkle for garden parties
Image credit: Lights4fun
Put the focus on your garden table ideas to create atmosphere and ambience for dinner parties and outdoor gatherings. Zig-zag strings of lights above the table, using a generous amount and varying the length and height of each string to create an informal display. As with indoor dining table lighting, make sure that string lights are high enough so that they don’t block the view across the table and so that diners won’t hit their heads on them.
‘For the perfect finishing touch, adorn your outdoor space with warm white connectable festoon lights overhead,’ adds Claire. ‘Swag each string above your alfresco area and attach to surrounding trees and bushes. Add outdoor micro fairy lights, wrapping around nearby trees and surrounding foliage for an idyllic garden feature.’
3. Decorate a garden pergola
Image credit: Future PLC/Joanna Henderson
As well as providing extra illumination outdoors, overhead lighting is a good way of drawing attention to different areas of the garden and making gathering points or seating spots more obvious to guests.
Decorate a garden pergola with strings of lights to provide subtle background lighting for any garden seating ideas. Twinkling lights will help pretty-up a plain garden structure, such as a pergola, arch or arbor, and if greenery is already established, lights can be nestled in amongst the foliage for added ambience.
4. Set the mood with low-key lighting
Image credit: Lights4fun
Well-lit paths, steps and boundaries are essential when it comes to safety outdoors. But for seating areas and gathering spaces where the mood is more convivial and relaxed, look to low-level lighting ideas to help create a more laidback mood.
Integrated lights into your garden fence ideas by suspending string lights along fence panels, hedges and nestled in amongst greenery. This will help to create a subtle, softly-lit backdrop for a seating area. Supplement with table top candles, lanterns and night lights if extra illumination is required after dark.
5. Double-up with extra-sparkly strings
Image credit: Sparkle Lights
Go a little overboard if it’s a special occasion and you’re entertaining outdoors. Cluster-style string lights, doubled-up and suspended low above a dining table will twinkle extra brightly and create an enchanting atmosphere after dark.
Add an extra string of lights on the dining table, weaved in amongst candles, serving platters and glassware to make the tabletop sparkle and add an extra sense of occasion.
6. Frame a doorway with lights
Image credit: Lights4fun
Use light strings to frame an outdoor structure, such as a porch, verandah or summer house. Suspend lights from overhead beams or rafters, loosely draping the strings in arc shapes across the width of the area, rather than pulling them taut.
When suspending lights from a wooden structure, it’s easy to secure strings by wrapping them around beams or uprights. Alternatively, screw-in hooks can be used as fixing points, strategically positioned all along the display area.
Buy now: Core Connect festoon light, £26.99, Lights4fun
7. Get the garden party started
Image credit: Iconic Lights
Create a holiday vibe outdoors by opting for fun multi-coloured festoon lights to jazz up your patio ideas or outside deck. Perfect for parties and summer get-togethers, coloured lights will emit a warm, cosy glow and these rainbow-coloured party lights have mini hooks on the end of each bulb fitting making them super-easy to hang.
8. Decorate trees and greenery
Image credit: Festive Lights
While areas close to the house are the main consideration, the best outdoor lighting schemes take a layered approach around the garden so that you aren’t left staring out into darkness.
Positioning lighting in trees and foliage is a great way of highlighting favourite features and creating effects and shadows. Try winding string lights around the trunks of trees to draw attention to their form or along a select few branches to create a focal point. Avoid too many competing lights – less lighting in well-chosen positions looks much more discreet and effective.
9. Make a glasshouse sparkle
Image credit: Sparkle Lights
Deck out a glasshouse, conservatory or summer house with twinkling strings of festoon lights adorning the rafters and sparkling through the panes. When lit up after dark it will make a fabulous focal point, either at the end of a garden or adjoining the house and will create a welcoming glow that can be enjoyed from inside or out.
Drop festoon lights like these are a variation of standard strings, with separate drop-down bulbs suspended from a single cable giving the appearance of lots individual hanging bulbs dotted across the space, for a more luxe effect.
10. Create a courtyard canopy
Image credit: Lights4fun
Use strings of fairy lights to create a starry overhead canopy in a courtyard or walled garden area. Perfect for parties, the effect is easy to create using connectable strings of lights. Simply zig-zag the strings diagonally across the courtyard, evenly spaced apart, to fill the area and give the effect of a shimmering canopy of lights.
Joining up individual strings of lights is easy, with simple connectors on the ends of each string that screw together, until you reach the length desired. To secure the lights, use screw-in wall hooks lined-up on either side of the courtyard holding the strings in place.
11. Pretty-up a parasol
Image credit: Lights4fun
Instead of taking a garden parasol down after sunset, keep it as the backdrop of your seating area by adding a sparkly set of lights. A large shade will provide shelter from the elements so that the spot feels cosier, with lights adding a welcoming glow.
Achieve the effect using a standard set of fairy lights coiled around the struts, or try specially-designed parasol lights (as here) that have separate strings to run along each strut, plus an extra hanging bulb at each end.
Buy now: Battery-operated parasol lights, £16.99, Lights4fun
12. Try an easy-up option
Image credit: Cox & Cox
Suspending festoons and string lights requires several fixing points, which can be on the side of a house or outside structure, from trees or posts, garden fences and even tall hedges. If none of these are practical or you want to put lights up further away from the house, consider standalone festoon holders. Simple, sturdy metal poles that are staked into the ground for stability in strategic spots. Unlike fixed posts, they are easily moveable if you want to take lights down, move them to a different location or use them to illuminate garden path ideas.
‘Alternatively, place festoon poles or shepherd’s hooks along your pathway and use connectable festoon lights, swagging each string from one pole to the next for a stylish classic display that will lead the way in,’ says Claire Bassett, Senior Product Manager at Lights4fun. ‘You can also adorn string lights to the side of your house, drooping each string along to create a warm atmosphere and illuminate your outdoor space after dark.’
Buy now: Festoon holder, £35, Cox & Cox
Can you leave outdoor string lights out in the rain?
Festoon lights should be waterproof in terms of rain showers and should have an IP rating over IP44. Always check the IP (Ingress Protection) rating before buying any outdoor lights. The IP rating ranks the light source by how effectively it is protected from exterior elements such as liquids or solid objects and will dictate where your lights can be installed and how much moisture or external force they can safely come into contact with.
This could include being accidentally touched or stepped on, tampered with, accidental force from tools and spades, wildlife activity, dust, dirt and wiring, in addition to rain, wind and water submersion. All of which can cause damage and malfunctioning to outside lights if they don’t have the correct level of protection.
With standard garden lights such as path lights, uplights and string lights, you should aim for a minimum rating of IP44 or higher. The ‘4’ ratings will ensure your lights are protected against splashing and forceful water contact, while also protecting them from all levels of physical contact from objects. You also need to ensure that any extension cords you use for outdoor lights are rated for exterior use.
What do you use to hang string lights on a patio?
It is possible to suspend string lights from the side of a house or other outdoor structure or there may be trees or other tall supports outside that could make suitable fixing points. Metal hooks, eyes or C-clips can be attached to act as fixing points, just make sure that any hooks or clips are sturdy enough to hold the weight of lights and any support wires. Fixing points should be less than 8m apart if you’re not using support wires.
If your patio area doesn’t have any suitable fixing spots, it might be necessary to create your own. Freestanding metal support poles can be used, staked into the ground, or for a more permanent fixing, wooden posts can be cemented into the ground with hooks at the top added as anchor points. For smaller patio areas, it’s easy to make your own support posts. Just use a couple of large garden pots and cement your wooden posts in, though this isn’t suitable for larger areas where something sturdier should be used.
What special effects do string lights have?
‘For a distinctive decoration choose connectable string lights with an assortment of lighting functions,’ says Claire Bassett, Senior Product Manager at Lights4fun. ‘Options include static, twinkle to perhaps compliment a twinkly night sky, chase and flashing so you can match your lights to any celebration! Elevate your garden lighting even more by using Twinkly lights (available at Lights4fun).
‘You’ll be able to create a fantastic unique display as you can control the string lights through the use of the Twinkly smart app. Choose from a huge range of designs, colours, effects and even connect the lights to a music source and make them dance along with the beat for the ultimate garden feature.’
The post Outdoor string light ideas – 12 easy ways to make your garden sparkle this summer appeared first on Ideal Home.
Reading time: 10 min
Extending out and up created a stunning new kitchen for this family home
When a family of four found they had outgrown their Edwardian home and needed an upgrade, they opted for a smart solution to make the most of there space by extending their home out and up.
When your space is at a minimum, the obvious solution is to build an extension on a house. But by extending out and up, you get more for your money, as well as a larger living space.
‘The family had outgrown the spaces and longed for an open-plan space for modern-day living, explains the lead architect Ester Corti, who is also co-founder and director of Mitchell + Corti Architects.
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
‘We needed to maximise the property’s internal headroom while incorporating the difference in level between gardens as the road is on an incline,’ continues Ester.
‘So we suggested adding a side and rear extension with an asymmetric pitch and skylights and rooflights to both sides. This would allow for both early morning and evening light to the new living/kitchen/dining space.’
‘This new extension would add space both to the side and the rear of the property,’ explains Ester. ‘It would also create an open plan feel and connection to the more formal living rooms at the front of the house.’
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
To add colour to an all-white kitchen, they painted the wall a sage green shade below dado level. The warming colour unifies the room and adds interest to the family space.
Extending out and up to create a new kitchen
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
The kitchen, with its flat panel, modern style doors was sourced via DIY Kitchens. A central kitchen island brings everything together giving the family a meeting point to gather around.
By extending out and up, this afforded the family more space to introduce clever built-in storage. This ensured their home didn’t feel too cluttered with all the kids’ toys, scooters, coats and shoes etc.
The Surfaceco worktop material is composite quartz, it was chosen for its durability because it’s less prone to staining and scratching, unlike marble. A bank of full height cabinetry makes great use of the available space by occupying an entire wall.
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
The shades that have been chosen for the space help make it feel bright yet practical. The off-white paint colour to ensure the ceilings and walls retain the ability to reflect light.
Matching wall and pendant light fittings help bring the scheme together. Their simplicity complements the muted tones within the space.
The clean lines of the modern cabinetry pairs well with the induction hob and concealed appliances, such as the cooker hood that blends into the wall. Open wall-mounted shelving offers space to display items, too.
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
Opting for a combination of fixed and openable rooflights allows for passive ventilation and airflow without needing to open up the back doors.
Extending out and up provided larger ceiling heights within which to install roof glazing. The smaller rooflights are by Velux and the larger ones are made-to-measure designs.
The formal dining area
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
A more traditional wood dining table and chair set also brings in more warmth to the room. These provide another area to gather together, which is bathed in light that enters through the roof windows above.
The informal dining area
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
In a perfect example of a modern kitchen flooring idea, the homeowners have used engineered timber floorboards. This was a cost-effective solution that has enabled the architects to incorporate the use of a natural material internally.
The shade also works with the rest of the scheme to bounce natural light around the room, making the space feel bigger and brighter.
The window seat
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
A must-have window seat idea is perfectly placed by the oversized window. Made-to-measure in pale oak, it was designed to be an informal seat/reading nook.
It offers uninterrupted views out toward the garden, and a place for people to sit and relax when not seated at the dining table. Practical built-in storage allows the owners to maximise the available space and also to keep the open-plan room free of clutter.
The extension exterior
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
‘We chose to clad the extension in dark charred timber,’ explains Ester, ‘in order to ensure longevity and minimal maintenance, and to avoid any issues around discolouration that can occur when using a pale timber. We also wanted to acknowledge the contemporary nature of this addition to the house by using a material distinctly different from those of the host building.’
As well as extending out and up, the exterior space now has a fresh appeal with the asymmetric roof design allowing for the strategic placement of rooflights internally. The homeowners opted for a stylish black-framed glazing that let in copious amounts of light.
The property before
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
Focus on: Shou-Sugi-Ban cladding
Architect Ester Corti shares her top tips and ideas on this classic cladding:
- Shou-sugi-ban is an ancient Japanese technique of traditional wood preserving art/technique of charring timber.
- It enhances the beauty of wood by making the timber grain more prominent.
- It requires very little maintenance and doesn’t need to be sealed. The carbon layer protects the wood in the same way that a stain or sealant would.
- The entire process is chemical free. There are no chemicals used in the charring process. This makes this material suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
- It’s naturally weather resistant. The charring process prevents rot, decay, infestations, and also improves levels of fire retardancy.
Image credit: Luke Weller/Mitchell + Corti Architects
Additional words by Ifeoluwa Adedeji
The post Extending out and up created a stunning new kitchen for this family home appeared first on Ideal Home.
Reading time: 5 min
Advertisement
