Ways to style your outdoor living space

Author Sally CullenInterior freelance designerWritten 25/04/2025Updated 25/04/2025

Sally Cullen sat on a chair in her garden under an awning

Top tips for styling outdoor spaces with an awning

Awnings and pergola awnings are the go-to choice for garden living. Here are my top tips for bringing style and function to your outdoor area.

Make your garden a destination space

There are plenty of ways you can make the most of your outdoor space or decking area, whether it's with plants and flowers, a comfy garden set, water features or stylish garden storage. Watch the video for my top design tips on how to transform your outdoor space with a stylish awning.

Hillarys awning, opened over a garden furniture

Relax in style

My first tip for outdoor styling is to think about how you want to use the space. Perhaps you want to entertain, enjoy al fresco dining or create a relaxing outdoor retreat. This will give you a focus for the furniture and accessories you will need.

An awning or pergola awning will create a lovely shaded area throughout the day. Keep things cosy with soft and textured furnishings and garden-friendly cushions, rugs and throws. Layer them up for comfort and a pop of colour.

Two people sit drinking on a patio. The area is decorated with plants, string lights, and cozy furnishings. The interior, visible through glass doors, is warmly lit.

Sundowner cocktails

An awning or pergola awning can create a welcoming environment and is great for continuing your outdoor entertaining later into the evening, providing the perfect adult space for socialising with friends.

To create a space like this, it’s all about cosy layers and textures. Start with outdoor rugs for the floor, and make sure there's plenty of seating and a few tables so guests can put their drinks down. A cocktail cart saves nipping in the house for more drinks and adds a sophisticated, adult feel to the space.

A person stands smiling with a remote near a brick house, surrounded by a patio setup with a table, food, cushions, and plants. A wooden fence and buildings are visible.

Simple touches

Lighting is often overlooked in a garden, but you can easily achieve a soft glow with lanterns or festoon lighting strung about the place. It will make everything feel nice and cosy

When it comes to the fabric of your awning, choose one that complements the textures and colours of your interior décor to create symmetry between the two spaces.

A green retractable awning shades a patio with wooden furniture outside a brick house, near a green fence and garden plants.

How our service works

Book an appointment with your local advisor. It’s really quick and easy to do and there’s never any pressure to buy.
We’ll visit you at home to show you our awnings range and help you decide what’s right for you. We’ll measure up and give you a quote.
When you're happy to go ahead, one of our team will visit take a survey of your outdoor space to make sure your awning will fit perfectly.
We’ll take care of the fitting. Once your awning has been made we’ll be back to fit it and we’ll tidy up after ourselves.

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

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