Here it is guys, the final reveal of our nautical garden makeover and I cannot describe to you how proud I am of what we have created. This post will be quite heavy on images I’m afraid because I wanted you to see the space we now have from every possible angle lol! As you know, I wanted to design a space with a coastal vibe. As we live beside the sea and blue and white is my favourite colour combo, this seemed like a sensible choice. Also, the whole nautical theme is timeless and never dates or goes out of fashion.
Although I had made a moodboard of all the products I planned to use in the space, I wasn’t really that sure how it would all come together. You see, I’m not very good at visualising so I really struggle when it comes to pulling a scheme together. But luckily this nautical garden makeover turned out way better than I imagined.
*This post contains affiliate links which are marked with an asterisk*
This was the moodboard that I created and as you can see it has translated really well. We worked with the items that we already owned and added a few extras to create the look. We got our 3-seater teak garden bench late last year and we also already had the Palma Cube casual dining set from Kettler. So I just needed to add a few extra seats in case we have guests round. We opted for two folding armchairs from the *Denia range at B&Q* so that we can easily store them through the winter.
I picked up the sheep skins and blankets from IKEA. As we were delayed with this project and didn’t finish it until August, I already had autumn in mind while we were working on it. I don’t really want to wait until next year to use this space so I decided to get us fully prepared for the colder months so we can still get outdoors. Having the sheepskins and blankets means we’ll still be able to sit out on those cold and crisp autumn days. As long as it isn’t raining I’ll be dragging the family to the garden.
I also worked with a few sponsors on this project who very kindly provided some products for our makeover. I had been admiring the outdoor rugs by Dash and Albert for quite some time so I got in touch to ask them to work with me. Luckily they said yes as I’d been dying to try one of their rugs. I love the idea of using rugs outside and as you can see this beautiful denim/ivory herringbone rug has really helped to anchor the space and make it feel more like an outdoor room.
The expanse of blue has helped to cement the nautical feel and co-ordinates really well with all the other accessories we have used. The feel of the rug underfoot is indescribable. I kicked my shoes straight off and now spend most of the time barefoot while out on the decking, as do the children. Whilst it is an outdoor rug, I’m not leaving it outside. It is such a nice piece, I want to be able to use it for years to come, so I only get it out for the time we spend outside, then I pack it away again. It’s a bit of a faff, but I’d much rather keep it nice than risk it getting damaged.
I also contacted *Maisons du Monde* to see if they would be able to supply some outdoor cushions for our nautical garden makeover. I spent days searching online for something to fit the nautical theme but the choice was really limited. Until I stumbled across these gorgeous *outdoor cushions*. Exactly what I had in mind and a great price too.
A lot of outdoor cushions are really expensive but these aren’t so I definitely recommend checking *Maisons du Monde* if you’re also after something similar. I used two big square cushions for the reclining arm chairs and three bolster cushions on the bench. They really help to make the hard furniture more comfortable. The fabric also looks like it will be quite easy to clean should any sticky little fingers get hold of the cushions which is very likely.
I was approached by Jalu Ltd who wanted to work with me so I offered to review one of their outdoor lamps and provide some feedback. Luckily the Holix lamps are highly customisable as you can choose how many modules to have and what colour they will be. You can also customise the lid or choose a table top in the colours and pattern you want. I obviously stuck to a blue and white colour pallet and chose to make my lamp stripey. It looks really amazing and we’ve had so many comments on it from friends and family.
Luckily this is one of the items we have that can be left outdoors. Again, I probably won’t leave it outside to fend off the elements over winter as this is unnecessary wear and tear. I’ll be writing a separate post about this lamp with more detailed feedback so pop back soon if you’re interested to hear more.
I also worked with Festive Lights who sent me the white festoon lights. (See below for a discount code). I received an 8m string, but I actually need about 16m, which isn’t really a problem as you can connect up to five strings. So I’ll probably need to buy another set next year so that the lights can go all the way round the balustrade. (The balustrade was provided by Richard Burbidge. You can read more about that in the post I wrote about the construction of our decking)
Here I have just draped the lights over the balustrade but for next year I’ll get Mr Design Sheppard to put some hooks under the hand rail so we can properly hang them up easily and securely. He has already fitted an outdoor waterproof plug socket extension to the balustrade so we can plug in all our lighting, phone chargers, and sound system, if necessary.
I think the festoon lights look really great in the background and I can’t wait to get out in the garden at night to see how they illuminate the space. I think we’ll probably get more use out of them as autumn approaches and it gets darker earlier. We tend to pack up and go inside before it gets dark at the moment.
Festive Lights are kindly offering Design Sheppard readers a 10% discount off the whole site www.festive-lights.com until the end of the year (31.12.17). Use code SHEPPARD10 to get your discount
As you can see from the sky in these pictures, I picked a pretty stormy day to photograph our nautical garden makeover. The weather has been so changeable recently that it’s been really hard to find a day with good weather when I’ve not been at work. So last Friday, although heavy rain was forecast, I decided to get out and shoot the garden in a sunny spell that fell between downpours.
My dad came round to help me and it was like an episode of Challenge Anneka (anyone remember that?). In just 30 minutes we had unpacked all the bits, styled the decking, taken the photos and packed it all away again just in time for the skies to open up and unleash one of the heaviest downpours I have ever experienced. I got soaked to the skin whilst dashing around packing everything back in the shed again.
It was really quite hilarious when I think back. Dad kept looking up telling me how many minutes until that huge black cloud reached us, while I desperately darted around getting photos from all angles. You might notice one of the sheep skins flopped over in a few of the pictures. The wind kept blowing it down and I didn’t notice until I reviewed the photos inside. You can’t win them all.
I’d love to know what you think of my nautical garden makeover so please leave me a comment below. We’ve spent months working on this and I am now really enjoying using this space. I know it’s already nearly the end of summer and it will be September before we know it, but if you haven’t had a chance to work on your own garden makeover yet this year, it’s really not too late.
There are loads of sales on at the moment so there are some really great savings to be had. If you’re thinking about doing your own makeover next spring/summer I suggest you think about buying any garden furniture or accessories now so you can benefit from the discounts that are currently being offered. You’ll pay much more if you wait til next year. You can always store it over winter so you’re ready to get going at the first hint of good weather next spring. If you need some inspiration for your garden makeover you can refer to this post I wrote featuring some gorgeous garden spaces.
Get the Look
If you’d like to do your own nautical garden makeover, here is where I sourced all the products I used.
Rug by Dash & Albert
Holix Outdoor floor lamp by Jalu Ltd
Decking Balustrade by Richard Burbidge
*OLรRON outdoor cushion in blue stripe 30 x 50cm by Maisons du Monde*
*CรTE SAUVAGE cotton cushion in blue / white 30 x 50cm by Maisons du Monde*
*Ile de Rรฉ print fabric outdoor cushion 45 x 45 cm by Maisons du Monde*
*Mariniere striped fabric outdoor cushion 30 x 50 cm by Maisons du Monde*
*Denia Recliner chairs from B&Q*
Garden Bench by Garden Benches
Palma Cube Set by Kettler
Sheepskin Rugs by IKEA
Stockholm 2017 Blue Carafe by IKEA
Gurli Throw Blanket by IKEA
Skogsklocka Throw Blanket by IKEA
Knagglig Pine Box used as Side Table by IKEA
VQ Hepburn MKII DAB Radio
Festoon Lights by Festive Lights
Disclosure : This post has been written in collaboration with a number of brands who kindly agreed to sponsor our nautical garden makeover by providing products to enable us to create a wonderful outdoor space. Huge thanks goes out to Richard Burbidge, Dash & Albert, Maisons du Monde, Festive Lighting, and Jalu Ltd for their support. Without them this project would have been nowhere near as good. As always, I only work with brands that I know and love and believe that my readers will love too.
This looks so good, and I’m so jealous of your views! I love the nautical theme, I would never think to do it in the garden but it works so well.
Thanks Sarah. We’re very lucky with the views. Living by the coast it was a natural choice to go nautical!
I liked the furniture which you used to makeover your nautical garden. Thanks for letting us know about the discounts. I was planning to purchase next year but now I will buy very soon.
Wonderful makeover – simple and very stylish. It looks perfect for the early autumn! I like the details that you added – small tables and the lamps – it’s probably magical in the evenings.
It really is Jodie, especially watching the sun set behind the valley. I just hope we can continue to use it for a little while longer before winter well and truly arrives!
This is absolutely stunning, I can imagine just sitting back and relaxing here with a good book and a decent cuppa! I’m definitely taking some inspiration from this for my eyesore of a garden.
Thanks Sophie, I wish I could relax here with a book two, but the toddlers make damn sure I can’t lol.
Oh what a gorgeous space you’ve created and what a perfect spot to enjoy those glorious views! I had to laugh about you dashing around before the rain (sounds very familiar!) but you’ve done a sterling job. Hopefully we’ll get a much nicer September so you can actually get out there and enjoy it :) xx
Thanks Kimberly. Fingers crossed for a great September for sure. I don’t think I really noticed the views from the garden before we had this deck as we couldn’t really see them that well over the fence. Now we can see them just fine. They are stunning!
Omg, your nautical garden looks awesome! I simply love the style you added. Every object looks amazing complemented by the others. Love it!
Thank you so much Kelly. I’m so pleased with how it turned out. It’s a great family space now.
Oh my goodness how gorgeous! I love your deck, its so spacious and styled to perfection – very coastal and chic. And look at your views beyond! Amazing, you’ve inspired me to give our own little deck a makeover. X
Start now Antonia, so many great bargains to be had now. It’s very spacious actually. I wanted it large so I could create different zones and it works so well.
Stacey, it looks amazing. I hope you do get to enjoy it before autumn arrives. I love the rug, the cushions, everything in fact! Blue and white always looks lovely and fresh and that rug pull it all together. BTW I’m in awe of your view. All I can see from my garden is more houses.
Thanks Carole. I definitely think the rug is what made it look so good. Without that there would definitely be less impact.
Well done, Stacey, it looks absolutely gorgeous! I can totally relate to the hit and miss British weather causing havoc for outdoor photo shoots. I do hope we get lots more decent weather though so you can make the most of your beautiful space. I bet it will be lovely in the autumn too, with the sheepskins and blankets to cosy up under.
I’m actually quite looking forward to spending time outside this autumn Rachel. As long as it doesn’t rain we’ll try to get out. Shame we don’t have a fire pit or chimnea but a bit dangerous with tiny kids. Maybe next year.
Well done you!! It’s a gorgeous outdoor space and so very child friendly with that ballustrade. I can see why you’re so happy with it. Just need the bloody sun to come out now eh!!?
Karen, every moment that it is not raining, we are outside. And at the first sign of sun we are calling friends and family round for a BBQ. I am determined to get as much use out of this space as possible before winter sets in.
Hi Stacey – it looks absolutely wonderful. Just perfect for an Indian Summer!
The Jalu lamps look just great within the scheme – thank you. As you say, they were designed so that they can easily be brought inside in the winter to be enjoyed all year round!
Thank you so much Juliet. I can’t believe how amazing the Holix lamp looks. Thank you so much for getting in touch and letting me know about these amazing lamps.