Home visit: bring a holiday vibe to a city balcony
Holiday at home this season. These sunny ideas will bring a relaxed holiday vibe to any outdoor space – even in the heart of a city. We went up to the roof terrace of interiors stylist Ashlyn Gibson for some outdoor living inspiration.
Fold and carry furniture
Summer is the season of spontaneity – no plans or lists, just doing what you feel on the spur of the moment. It’s a season to take advantage of the good things when they come – especially sunshine. So be at the ready with lightweight furniture and accessories you can pick up and carry to your outside space – and just as easily fold up and pack out of the way of the weather’s fickle temperament.
Sounds of summer
“That summer feeling of sitting out with friends long after the sun has gone down and the music’s playing is wonderful. We love to play music when we’re out here on the roof,” says Ashlyn. Portable Bluetooth speakers like ENEBY give you the freedom to carry a whole sound system to wherever you need it, and set up with no effort!
Outdoor kitchen
Upgrade your cook-outs by adding a cook-and-serve station outdoors. If space is limited, plan around a compact trolley that has room to BBQ up top, plus storage built-in for crockery and condiments, and handy hooks for tea towels and BBQ tools. Even better if it has wheels that mean you can move it around easily!
Think of your outdoor space as an extension of your home – make it a space you want to be in by decorating it the same way you would a room indoors. If you love colour, make it colourful, if you love an eclectic mix, do that outside.”
Ashlyn Gibson
Potted garden
Container gardens are a space-smart way to bring nature to the heart of a small outdoor space. Include fragrant plants, grow herbs and, in the city, have a few big plants to screen your space and create privacy. For a roof terrace or balcony, invest in some lightweight pots that are designed to be durable but also less weighty to offset heavy soil.
Long-lasting crockery
Bring the carefree nature of picnicking to your outdoor entertaining at home. Guests will walk about with plates full of food and cups will get left in odd corners. Instead of worrying about breakages, or buying throwaway plates, get a set of durable plastic crockery – unbreakable, good-looking and reusable!
We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.
