What we plan, will be restricted by the space we have available, so first of all, mark out the area you want to use. This decision may also be influenced by what access you have from your house to the garden. If you are looking to build an area for you and your family to use, then an existing back door, possibly leading from the kitchen may be adequate.

 If you are planning something on a larger scale for entertaining friends and wider family, maybe accessing the area through your kitchen may not be the entrance you want. In that case, you could look at forming a new garden access from the living area at the rear of your house. If, for example, you have a lounge with a window out to the garden, you could consider taking out that window and opening up the aperture to accommodate either French windows or if you have the space, bi-fold doors This would open out a whole new vista into the garden and give the illusion of your lounge and patio/decking area being one big space, making it easy for people to move from one to the other as the temperature changes in the evening. If you already have a conservatory, you might want to take access to your new outside space directly from there.

This may mean making another decision as many house floors are not at the same height as the garden, so you may need to decide whether you want to step down to the new area or create a raised section of garden. The next decision may be whether you want decking or a paved patio. Decking has gained a somewhat tarnished image in the market of late as many older, timber deck installations are now looking less than pristine as the wood begins to deteriorate and takes on a slightly shabby look. However, composite materials have breathed a new lease of life into the decking market and now offer a much longer lasting, lower maintenance alternative to timber. Composite decking comes in a variety of colours and finishes, accompanied with a range of accessories to finish off the job to a high standard.

A paved patio, likewise benefits from being built using good quality materials and having a good solid base as a foundation. Poor quality paving slabs are generally lighter in weight, thinner and break more easily. They also tend to need more regular cleaning. There is a wide range of colours and finishes of paving slabs available nowadays to suit most budgets. These can be made from concrete, natural stone, porcelain or granite. So, paved patio or decking, the choice is yours to make, but when selecting your materials, try to opt for a solution which will blend in with the colours and style of your existing property and always check if your favourite paving slab becomes slippery when wet. That way, your new addition will look more like an integral part of the property rather than an afterthought.

Whether you opt for paved patio or decking, this will be the basis for you to build your outdoor social area and you can now furnish and equip it in the way which best suits the way in which you be would most likely to use it. Are you looking for a daytime lounge area to sit in the sun and relax with a good book or are you looking to build an outdoor entertainment space for friends and family. Once again your constraint may be space. Cluttering up an outside space is as detrimental to that space as having too much furniture is in your lounge, so be aware when you are at the planning stage, of what you will need to put on your patio or decking to allow for its intended use.

You should also look at the boundaries of your decking or patio area with regard to shrubs or plants which would give a blend from the new area to the existing landscape, so that the social area doesn’t look like an afterthought. These will differ depending on whether you have a raised area or have opted to build your new area at the level of the existing garden. You may decide to give your outdoor entertaining area some extra privacy if it is overlooked, by erecting some trellising and populating it with some climbing plants or maybe by planting a row of hedging shrubs as a screen. Add some extra colour or interest by placing some decorative planters on or around the area.

Good quality garden furniture is always a good investment as it tends to last longer and look better. It is also more resistant to wind as it is usually heavier and therefore doesn’t blow about so much. You have a choice here of timber, wrought iron, rattan or plastic. Timber furniture will require more maintenance than the other materials, but has other advantages. The size of the table and the corresponding number of chairs will depend on whether you intend it for relaxing with a coffee or a glass of wine, or for serving food to your family or guests. Covering up your garden furniture during the winter months will protect it from the elements which in turn helps to keep it in good condition.

Barbequing on or near your outside social space during the summer months has become an integral part of British life, so at some stage, you will probably need to decide on the size of your barbeque and fuel it will require. The range of barbeques is extensive, running from small round charcoal ones through to four burner dual fuel gas and charcoal which will cater for larger groups. These can be either free-standing or built-in units. They range in cost from under a hundred pounds to a few thousand and should be chosen on the basis of how and how often they will be used.

As with most things in life, it is always a good thing to know what you want to end up with before you start your build, so do your initial planning well before you start to build. There are so many options as to the size, style and use of an outside social area so look for ideas and inspiration by looking at websites and brochures of companies involved in this market. Check out holiday brochures, particularly for holiday villas, where you will see photographs of outdoor social spaces and don’t be afraid to steal other people’s ideas. You should also consider engaging with a landscape gardener or garden designer, depending on your budget. 

Whether you engage with a gardener, builder or garden designer, always ensure that you check the credentials of any contractor you are about to use. Ask to see photographs of their past work and make sure they have the relevant experience, qualifications and insurances and check if they are members of a trade organisation or are on a Competent Persons Register.

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