11 jazzy ways to style up your al fresco dining space
With a sunny weekend on the cards and blue skies beckoning us outdoors, chances are you’re checking out that precious patio – or gift of greenery – for eating in the open air. From prepping your garden furniture to sharpening your table-scaping skills, here’s everything you’ll need for a fun-loving summer of colourful entertaining… 1. Sienna White Speckled Glass Jug, £29; Sienna White Speckled Glass Tumblers, Set of 4, £29, ProCook Can’t wait to proffer your first jug of Pimm’s? Neither can we and this stylish speckled jug is just the job for all those tasty strawbs, sliced oranges and sprigs of mint. 2. Nectar Outdoor Sofa Set – Green, £799, Dobbies It’s not every day you splash out on a sofa to soak up the sunshine, so may as well make it one to set the tone for comfy outdoor living with a lick of luxe. This one features a single chair, large L-shaped double sofa with two cushions, single footstool and attractive terrazzo top coffee table. 3. Lemon Picnic Platter, £10; Set of 4 Summer Fruits Picnic Dinner Plates, £15; Set of 4 Summer Fruits Picnic Side Plates, £15; Large Lemon Picnic Bowl, £10; Set of 2 Lemon Outdoor Cushions, £25; rest of items from a selection, Marks & Spencer Lemons are currently basking in the limelight and trending on tableware – they not only look mouth-watering, but are an instant summery update. 4. John Lewis Salsa 2-Seater Garden Sofa, Two Tone Yellow, £165, John Lewis Surely the brightest way to pimp up a patio is with a posh polyweave statement sofa in sunshine yellow. Designed to be outdoors all summer long, it will look just as sultry in a sun room or conservatory. 5. Ooni Fyra Pizza Oven, £299, Dobbies Billed as the next best thing to a traditional stone pizza oven, this Ooni Fyra fuelled by energy-efficient wood pellets turns out the tastiest pizza – and promises to put the pow-wow into your pepperoni and nicest into a Neapolitan. Super speedy and versatile, it also loves fish, veggies and burgers. 6. Natural Slogan Straw Effect Outdoor Cushion, £14; Orange Reversible Outdoor Cushion, £14, right; Orange Leaf Outdoor Cushion, £10, far left and far right; Multicoloured String Lantern, £25, Matalan An easy update, a handful of scatter cushions in sunny shades will breathe new life into tired garden furniture… and channel some holiday vibes teamed with a colourful lantern. 7. Flamingo Plastic Picnicware: Set of 4 Tumbler Glasses, £16; Set of 4 Wine Glasses, £18; Jug, £18; Set of 2 bowls, £18; Yellow Lemon Picnic Serve Platter, £15; rest of items from a selection, Next When life gives you lemons… team them with pretty pink flamingos to cheer your friends. 8. French Pink/Antique White Stripe Large Tassel Fringed Beach And Garden Parasol, currently £220 from £235, Staycation! Vintage Style Parasols A showstopper of a sunshade, this candy stripe parasol imbibes thoughts of laid-back beach holidays and long, lazy lunches. With 32mm solid beachwood pole, multi-position tilt function and matching fabric carry bag, this A-list accessory offers UV50+ protection from the sun’s harmful rays. 9. Boutique Camping Fire Pit, currently £139 from £149, Boutique Camping Combining function with form, as we spend more evenings outside, the warming flames of a fire pit not only look radiant, but soothe the soul with their mesmerising flame. Just add wood or coals to the steel bowl. 10. John Lewis ANYDAY Mase Indoor/Outdoor Rug, Blue, L180 x W120cm, £100; Palm Grove Indoor/Outdoor Cushions, Cobalt, £12 each; John Lewis ANYDAY 2-Seater Metal Garden Sofa, Light Blue, £129; John Lewis ANYDAY Metal Garden Lounge Chair, Light Blue, £79, John Lewis When you want to slip into a relaxing, Mediterranean vibe, this pale blue seating with woven rug made from recycled water bottles is one way to visualise light breezes and beautiful views. 11. Sur La Table Bamboo Salad Bowl, £25; Bamboo Salad Spoons, £12; Green, Orange and Blue Cereal Bowls, £9 each; Pasta Bowls, £11 each; rest of items from a selection, Pure Table Top This Colour Me Happy range of striking serveware is another way to treat yourself to a colourful menu… Bon appétit! Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Why going sober could be the key to fitness success 5 of this summer’s hottest swimwear trends Teenagers with obesity should be offered weight loss drug, say experts
1970-01-01 08:00
Jallikattu: Supreme Court upholds validity of Tamil Nadu law allowing bull-taming sport
Jallikattu, a controversial bull-taming festival, is hugely popular in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
1970-01-01 08:00
Chinese Police Arrest Woman Who Defended Comic’s Military Joke
Chinese authorities have arrested a woman for insulting the People’s Liberation Army, after she defended a comedian’s joke
1970-01-01 08:00
Angry lawmakers accuse Fed of inaction in insider trading investigation
Congressional lawmakers grilled Federal Reserve Inspector General Mark Bialek Wednesday over possible insider trading among Fed officials in 2020, accusing the nation's central bank of inaction.
1970-01-01 08:00
Why Caleb Love decommitted from Michigan, explained
Caleb Love announced that he was decommitting from Michigan, despite joining them via the transfer portal not long ago. Here's the reason for this move.This offseason, North Carolina Tar Heels guard Caleb Love announced that he was entering the transfer portal. In early April, Love revealed...
1970-01-01 08:00
Caleb Love decommits from Michigan, re-enters transfer portal: 5 best landing spots
Caleb Love has decommitted from Michigan and is back in the transfer portal, so where could the former UNC Tar Heels star land now?The one thing that we know is that Caleb Love isn't going to play another minute for UNC basketball. The former 5-star guard who was instrumental in leading the...
1970-01-01 08:00
Fed's watchdog defends work before Senate amid questions over his independence
By Michael S. Derby NEW YORK The Federal Reserve’s in-house watchdog defended his agency's independence and ability to
1970-01-01 08:00
Senate passes resolution to overturn Biden administration rule that does not penalize immigrants for receiving government benefits
The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday to stop a Biden administration immigration rule that eliminates potential hurdles for immigrants using some public benefits and trying to obtain legal status, known as "public charge."
1970-01-01 08:00
'Largest underwater scanning project in history' gives never-before-seen view of Titanic
The mysterious 1912 sinking of the luxury passenger liner, the Titanic, has long served as a source of fascination for many.
1970-01-01 08:00
Braves rumors: 3 rental pitchers Atlanta should trade for at the deadline
The Atlanta Braves are expected to be without Max Fried and Kyle Wright until late July at the earliest. Who could they trade for?Alex Anthopoulos is a smart general manager. He's unlikely to overpay for a rental option, especially at pitcher. Hurlers are unpredictable, for the most part. L...
1970-01-01 08:00
'No indications' that attack on US convoy in Nigeria was targeted, Blinken says
The United States does "not yet know the motive for the attack" on a US convoy in Nigeria Tuesday, but has "no indications at this time that it was targeted against our Mission," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.
1970-01-01 08:00
The abortion access map is being dramatically redrawn this week
The evolving patchwork of access to abortion care is going through big changes this week, with the entire Southeast on the brink of imposing new limits.
1970-01-01 08:00