Original article featured in Cambridgeshire Agenda June 2010. Photography courtesy of Marston and Langinger.

As the days get longer and the weather warmer, it’s time to emerge from your home and embrace the great outdoors. Whether you have a spacious garden or a city roof terrace, a little planning will make the most of your own outdoor space. Cate Burren of Angel and Blume Interior Design provides some ideas for Al Fresco living.

One of the great pleasures of summer is having all doors and windows thrown open and wandering freely between the home and garden. Creative planning of outdoor furnishings and lighting will make your home seem to double in size as you make the most of all your outdoor spaces.

Consider where the sun and shade is during the day and put in some informal seating for relaxing and making the most of the sunshine. Tables are generally best placed near to kitchen in a shady spot for comfortable dining and remember that you don’t have to have to invest in outdoor tableware, your everyday china and cutlery will work just as well in the garden as it does in your dining room. This glass roofed kitchen extension opens onto a small formal city courtyard and creates the perfect place to enjoy the summer, whatever the weather!

Top Tips for Alfresco Living

A well designed conservatory is a great asset to any house, allowing you to enjoy the garden all year round. Invest in good heating for the cooler weather and heat resisting glass to keep it cooler in mid summer. Pale colours in neutral or green shades will enhance the views of the garden.

Outdoors fabrics are readily available and make attractive yet practical outdoor cushions for garden benches. These eye-catching stripes make an attractive statement in a country garden.

Summer garden flowers make a lovely centrepiece for any table – inside or outside. Keep the arrangements informal in a simple vase or drinking glass.

Hurricane lamps or tall glass jars are perfect for lighting the garden with candles. They look great and stop the breeze blowing the flame out. Put a collection together on a table or ledge for a great evening centrepiece.

Create a romantic outdoor dining spaceby grouping a selection of hurricane lamps and other candleholders together and placeing them near to water. The reflections will create a lovely atmosphere, ensuring you will never want to go back inside.

Creating an indoor gardening workspace and store in an extension, garage or outhouse is always a useful space and with a little imagination, can look great too.