Garden · Terrace
10 Cosy Terrace Ideas for summer
Summer is the season when life moves outdoors. The terrace becomes a second living room – for breakfast, daydreaming, reading, and long evenings when you simply don't want to go back inside. To make this spot feel truly cosy, you don't need much: a little shade, soft fabrics, some greenery and warm light. Here are my ten favourite ideas for turning your terrace into the loveliest summer spot.
My favourite spot · the cosy seating corner under the pergola
1 · Shade to relax in
Before you think about cosiness in summer, comes the shade. A sun sail, a large parasol or an awning – a shady spot is worth its weight in gold on hot days. Only once the blazing sun is softened can you truly relax outdoors. Plan the shade exactly where you most like to sit.
2 · A lounge corner to linger in
In summer you're allowed to make yourself really comfortable outdoors. A deep armchair, a bench with thick cushions, perhaps a hammock or a hooded beach chair – something to sink into. This one cosy corner is the heart of your summer terrace. This is where you land with a book, a coffee, or simply yourself.
Something to sink into · the cosy lounge corner
3 · Summery textiles light and bright
Cushions, blankets, an outdoor rug – fabrics make the terrace soft and inviting. In summer they may be light and bright: linen, cotton, quiet natural tones with a hint of colour. Several cushions in different sizes look cosiest of all. When it rains, they simply go into a chest.
Soft blankets in delicate tones · for cooler summer evenings
4 · A green oasis of potted plants
Nothing makes a terrace as alive in summer as plenty of greenery. Potted plants, grasses, an oleander, a few herb pots to nibble from. Group the pots at different heights and the feeling of a small green oasis appears. The lusher it grows, the cosier it becomes.
A small green oasis · plenty of green makes it cosy
5 · Summer flowers in full bloom
Summer gives us the loveliest blooms. Lavender, hydrangeas, geraniums, daisies – in pots and boxes they bring colour and scent to the terrace. Lavender also hums with bees and smells wonderfully of summer. Place the flowers where you often pass by, so you enjoy them most.
6 · A place for eating outdoors
A summer without eating under the open sky? Unthinkable. A table with a few chairs, nicely laid, invites breakfast in the morning sun and dinner at dusk. It needn't be a big table – what matters is having a place where you sit together.
Eating outdoors · the loveliest summer luxury
7 · Strings of lights for mild evenings
As soon as the sun goes down, the cosiest hour of the summer day begins. To keep it lovely, strings of lights, lanterns and tea-light holders provide warm, soft light. Strung overhead, fairy lights instantly create a little festive mood. Solar lights charge themselves entirely on their own during the day.
As dusk falls · small lights create great cosiness
8 · A little cooling-off on hot days
On hot days, cooling off is half the happiness. A bowl of cool water for your feet, a small tabletop fountain, a bucket of ice and drinks within reach. Even the gentle trickle of water or a cool glass in your hand makes the terrace far more pleasant on a warm afternoon.
9 · A screen for a sheltered feeling
Cosiness has a lot to do with feeling sheltered. A screen – of plants, a trellis, a light panel of fabric or a folding screen – turns an open terrace into a sheltered little retreat. You sit far more at ease when you feel a little enclosed.
10 · Summer decoration with personality
And finally, what makes the terrace truly yours: a few decorative pieces with personality. A lovely lantern, a favourite maritime piece, a vase of meadow flowers, a patterned cushion. Display only a few things you truly love – then it doesn't look cluttered but tells your summer story.
Five things that make your summer terrace cosier right away
If you don't know where to start – these five things turn any terrace into a lovely summer spot.
- A shady spot · a sun sail, parasol or awning
- A comfortable lounge corner · to sink into
- Light summer textiles · cushions and an outdoor rug
- Plenty of greenery & summer flowers · for the green oasis
- Strings of lights & lanterns · for mild summer evenings
Pick one point and simply start there – step by step, your terrace becomes your favourite place.
“A cosy summer terrace isn't measured in square metres, but in the hours you want to spend there – with a cool drink, a good book and the warm light of evening.”
You don't have to do it all at once. Choose the idea that appeals to you most – perhaps the string of lights or the first potted plant – and start there. Bit by bit, your terrace becomes the place where summer is loveliest for you. And then there's only one thing left to do: sit down, breathe out, enjoy.
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