Winter inspiration

For those in the North, the winter chill is definitely around, so with blankets pulled up to your chin, take time to focus on you...

Winter is the perfect time to indulge and surround yourself with your favourite things, to rest, reflect and take it slow. The following tips will help you transform your outdoor room to echo this peaceful calm.

Plants

Our suggested plants for this time are flowering orchids, magnolia soulangeana and azaleas.
Plant now: strawberries, onion, garlic, peas, lettuce, asparagus, rhubarb
Bulbs: tulips, daffodils, hyacinths
Tip: float fallen camellia flowers in a bowl of water. They make a graceful statement.

Materials

Sympathetic to the eye and soft to the touch, timber is a lovely material for all seasons, including winter. A much-loved building material, timber looks great when used for decking.

For an environmentally responsible purchase choose a stockist that supplies FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-approved or recycled timber. A wide variety of recycled timbers are now available, and its well-worn look has character all of its own. It can also be milled down to look brand new.

Timber decking will need to be maintained by oiling it a couple of times a year. If the natural colour and grains are not to your liking, they can also be painted or stained. The Jamie Durie Signature by Porter’s Paints range can give you some ideas on timber stains and oil to colour and treat your decking.

Paint

Intense deep colours create an intimate and secure feeling, so this season enhance your space with calming and meditative blues like Rain Cloud and Blueberry Ash from our Jamie Durie Signature by Porter’s Paints range. Introducing highlights of a warmer colour, like Quandong from the same range, will provide a hearty and rich atmosphere that will lift the spirits and make hibernating through winter a pleasure.

Furniture

Our accessory tip for this season is to think about outdoor heating. There’s plenty of choice out there from fireplaces and gas heaters to fire pits and braziers. You may like to make your heating selection the focal point of your outdoor room. Pull your furniture into tight clusters for warmth and cosyness— combine a large day bed with smaller bench seating or single chairs that can be moved around depending on the number of friends you have with you, this way everyone will be able to enjoy the warmth.

A sleek electric radiant heater can be placed under wood awnings, eves or flush-mounted into the ceiling. One of the major benefits of radiant energy is that it is only absorbed by solid objects and is not wasted heating the air.

Another option is a gas Patio heater—there is a great range of these for big and small spaces, even for table tops. They resemble the look of a floor or table lamp and can either be permanently fixed or portable. The benefits of gas heaters are that they are easy to obtain and install and can heat a circle as large as 6 metres in diameter. 

There is nothing more enchanting than sitting around an open fire. For more low-tech and inexpensive options, consider outdoor fireplaces and fire pits as they are a fantastic way of keeping warm and comfy outdoors while creating a lovely focal point for your entertaining area. Of course, it’s always wise to keep children away from open flames.

If you want a guilt-free outdoor fire you can’t go past the Ecosmart Fire. Instead of logs for fuel it runs off denatured ethanol, which is one of the cleanest burning fuels. They come in an array of contemporary freestanding units or you can build one into your garden as it is flue-less and one of the most innovative heating solutions on the market.

Soft furnishings & accessories

A wonderful way to transform your outdoor lounge furniture for the cooler months is by introducing rich, warm, soft furnishings. Think about taking woollen or velvet cushions outside and have plenty of cuddly throw rugs on hand, even throw a sheepskin rug or cowhide under foot for a spectacularly luxurious feel. Place a sheepskin on your daybed or a faux fur blanket over the seating for extra snuggle-factor.  When you are entertaining, give each of your guests a hot water bottle that you’ve slipped into a pillowslip as an inexpensive way to keep your guests feeling warm, toasty and nurtured. Place loads of lit candles around for added ambience, and all you'll need is a nice warm glass of mulled wine!!