Whether you love it or loathe it, there’s no denying that the Love Island villa oozes contemporary luxury outdoor living. With all this glorious weather we’ve had in the UK, we’re getting more of a taste for outdoor living ourselves. So now is the time to start planning your outdoor space makeover to make the most of next year’s summer.
The 2018 Love Island garden style is minimalist with its mainly white palette and clean lines. The pops of colour give it a vibrancy and energy. But whether the colour palette is for you or not, getting the Love Island garden vibe s easier than you think. Once you have the basics in place, you can have fun playing with fabrics and colours that reflect you and your family. So let’s get started with our 7 Love Island garden basics:
Image credit: ITV
Fire pit
The fire pit is the centrepiece of the Love Island garden. It’s where the drama happens, the conversations but it’s the atmosphere that a fire pit creates that provides the real energy. It’s no coincidence that people have always been drawn to sitting around a fire. Like the kitchen is the heart of the home, a fire pit is the heart of the garden.
Lighting
Outdoor lighting is a fundamental element to garden design and something that needs consideration before any landscaping takes place. I’m not going to go too deep into lighting design as that’s another blog post! For a quick fix, string lighting like those in the Love Island garden are contemporary, atmospheric and really easy to install. What I love about them is that they can be hung from trees, fences or walls and strung pretty much which ever way. For the clean lines of the Love Island garden, hang them in straight lines though.
Image credit: ITV
Raised planters
The Love Island garden is full of raised planters creating a contemporary a structured outdoor space. Wooden planters not only look great, but are also much easier to maintain (check out my own raised beds here). If you don’t have the time or the inclination, this is something that most gardeners can put together for you. It can cost less to hire someone to build a raised bed then to buy them off the shelf. If you’re not afraid of a bit of DIY then check out the talented Pati’s DIY tutorial – she makes it look so easy!
Day bed
You don’t necessarily need a full-on double bed – anywhere you can lay down and take a snooze or read a book will do! An outdoor sofa, egg chair or sun lounger will offer the same indoor comfort in the garden! What you opt for is really down to the size of your garden and your budget.
Image credit: ITV
Bistro table
When I had a larger garden, I had a big outdoor dining set but also a small bistro set right outside the garden door. A small bistro set is so much more intimate and comfortable for a coffee or glass of something when there’s just one or two of you. I always feel strange sitting at a big table on my own and so I totally get why the Love Islanders used these little table sets.
Image credit: ITV
Canopy
Garden shelters are great to keep off the direct sunshine and even better if it starts raining! Check out this blog post (that I wrote 4 years ago!) with loads of garden shelter ideas. I do love the white draped fabric on Love Island though. It really softens the straight lines and hard wood and gives that fresh holiday vibe.
Image credit: ITV
Outdoor cushions
And now for the finishing touches! Outdoor cushions are so much more affordable now that many high street retailers have cottoned on to their popularity. Mine are all black and from IKEA but I’ve found a selection of really colourful ones at various price-points.
You really don’t need all of these to get the Love Island garden vibe, the most important is actually the lighting as it creates atmosphere. The second most important is the outdoor soft furnishings for comfort and style. Raised planters would be 3rd on my list to create those clean lines and minimalist vibe.
Have you been inspired by this year’s Love Island? I’m afraid that the set design is about as far as it goes with me! Must dash, I’ve got a text!!!!
Natalia xo
