We caught up with our in-house stylist, Sally to chat about her garden, outdoor DIY projects and to get her tips for creating the perfect outdoor space to relax and entertain this summer.
Image courtesy of Sally Norman
We love getting an inside look at your garden! It seems ideal for alfresco entertaining. Could you tell us your favourite feature of the space?
It has to be the outdoor kitchen we completed earlier this year; especially the Belfast sink which we grabbed super cheap off Facebook Marketplace and the patterned worktop tiles, which we had left over from our hallway – I love the pop of colour and it makes the outdoor space feel coherent with inside the house.
Image courtesy of Sally Norman
Your outdoor kitchen looks beautiful. Could you talk us through the DIY process?
Yes! It was definitely a labour of love, but it feels so good now it’s complete to say we designed and built it from scratch ourselves! We’ve used it so much already.
(In very little detail) We started by building a frame out of strong timber as a base shape of the kitchen, whilst building in space for a Belfast sink to sit, as well as a space for the BBQ. We then covered the top with Aqua board panels to ensure it’s watertight, before tiling the top with lovely patterned tiles – the perfect heat resistant and easy to clean surface for using our pizza oven!
We popped the sink in place and plumbed this into existing external pipework. We then clad the structure and made doors from tongue and groove timber, which we painted in the same weatherproof paint as our fence panels (a lovely deep blue) to bring continuity from the rest of the wooden surfaces and to make the blue of the tiles ‘pop’.
As a final touch we added brass handles to the doors!
Image courtesy of Sally Norman
We know you love hosting guests. Do you have any tips for creating a lovely summer table?
- This summer I’m loving using bold colour to create a beautiful alfresco tablescape. Eating outdoors is such a rare occasion here in the UK, so I like to make it feel super special with joyful hues. Our lemon tableware has the perfect sunny yellow for this season.
- For the ultimate ‘wow-factor’, it’s best to prep your table before guests arrive and don’t be afraid to layer it up! Start with a beautiful tablecloth, then for each place setting begin with a patterned or textured placemat as a base, adding a dinner plate, side plate and bowl. Then top it off with a napkin, napkin ring and of course your cutlery. Add your guests’ names onto place cards for an extra personal touch!
- Finally, make sure to add a centre piece; whether this is a vase of fresh flowers, foliage or even just a large bowl filled with lemons or limes. Then you can sit back and enjoy your beautiful table in the sunshine!
Image courtesy of Sally Norman
Do you have plans to make any more changes to your garden?
I’d absolutely love to add some extra seating, a pair of Wave Faux Rattan Sun Lounger’s would look fab, alongside a HKliving Pink & Khaki Striped Parasol and outdoor rug! In the long term, I’d love to perhaps add a raised bed for extra veggie planting space, as I’ve loved getting the hang of growing them in my little greenhouse so far this summer. We’ve planted some lovely roses this year, so I can’t wait to see them continue to grow and bloom for years to come!
You can find more of Sally’s garden on our Instagram @roseandgreyinteriors, or follow her own account @athomewithsally to follow her interiors journey.
