How to maximise your outdoor space for summer living

Summertime, and the living’s easy, but if you’re enjoying time outdoors entertaining or simply soaking up the rays, have you considered how to make the most out of your home’s outdoor space?

Here’s all the need-to-know information that will make your garden or backyard somewhere you’ll never want to escape from, including the products that’ll get you there. Staycations are in this season anyway, right?

Beat the heat

A backyard or outdoor space is obviously exposed to more air and light pollutants than indoor areas, so it’s important to suitably prepare - beyond slapping on the SPF50 and digging out the pool noodles from the garage.

We’re talking about materials that will help you beat the heat, such as the Milli Inox range of showers. Crafted from 316 marine grade stainless steel - the hard stuff - these showers can withstand the changing elements. Depending on how industrial your vision is, you could opt for a freestanding floor-mounted shower, or a wall-mounted one.

With salt, sun, wind and rain protection all packed up in one superb profile, you’ll also be able to more adequately match your interior vibes with the mood outside. Win-win.

The BBQ glow up

While the hero of any outdoor kitchen is undoubtedly the BBQ, think about what else might be useful to have. Is it a bar fridge, with easy access to ice at all times? What about an outdoor tap to grab a drink of water from?

Made from the same sturdy stuff as our outdoor showers, Italian brand Nobilli has a fabulous pull-out sink mixer that is more than capable of being up to the task. It also has a range of spray patterns such as a veggie cleaning spray, so you can avoid running in and out of the house with the right outdoor set up.

Milli Inox also has an outdoor-appropriate sink mixer, so you could even match the outdoor fixtures if style is an important factor for you.

Bring the indoors out

Round out your outdoor living experience with a snazzy sink. Rust-resistant 316 marine grade stainless steel is again your best friend here, with the AFA Infinity inset sink ready for occasional rinsing off, or everyday usage. It’s available in a soft square or circular model so you can pick the shape that you prefer.

The durability of a quality finish - as marine grade suggests - is what’ll keep your outdoor space being useful and up to the task, whether you’re feeding the family tonight, or hosting the grandkids down the line.

Making sure it all works

Summer days should be lazy, and effective planning will get you to poolside bliss one step sooner. The best position for your outdoor shower depends on a couple of factors. The distance water has to travel from your hot water unit being one, and privacy being another.

The great thing about a privacy wall or screen is that it can become another opportunity to showcase your style, such as using feature geometric breeze blocks or cladding. Read our top tips on selecting the perfect outdoor shower.

When planning an outdoor dining and entertaining space, the same water prompt applies, especially if you’re keen on having hot and cold water available. While we’ve covered the durability of fixtures, it’s also worthwhile making sure that your benchtop is suitable for the elements, especially further south where you may be prevented from living your best outdoor life in winter.

Ultimately, your outdoor area needs to work hard for you at all times of the year, so speak to your plumber early on about a hot water unit that could service outdoors, as you’d need to make sure there’s enough water - and that the water can reach - everywhere.