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Create An Outdoor Room on a Budget

Written by The Plastic People
30/04/2018 15:03:45



We've made it! The summer has officially begun and our gardens are calling us. Whether you are looking for a space to relax or entertain guests, you cannot be the garden when the sun is shining. We all wish to optimise and expand our garden, which is why we've put together this blog. Follow these ideas from The Plastic People team to create a liveable, usable and magnified space in your garden without overwhelming cost or time commitment.

Defining Your Outdoor Room

You need to start by thinking what sort of space you want to create outside. Perhaps entertaining is priority for you, and so you want to create an outdoor kitchen and dining space. Maybe you are keen to continue working from home, and so want to invest in a garden office or working space. Whatever your goals, a clear plan is important to help you make the most of your space. 

If you are in need of some garden design ideas and tips, make sure to check out our blog on garden design trends. We have selected the top trends of the year to ensure your garden makes all the neighbours jealous! Click here to read more today. 

Furniture 

The furniture you choose can help define a space. Soft furnishings are perfect for a cosy and relaxing feel, while you will obviously need a table and set of chairs for a dining area. Whatever furniture choices you make, be sure to protect your outdoor tables with acrylic furniture protectors. These plastic panels are available in clear or coloured and a range of finishes. We make all furniture protectors to measure so they sit snugly atop your furniture and prevent damage. 

Planting

Use plants to soften any hard edges around your flooring. Choose plants which evoke the feelings and colours you want for your room. Strategically placed acrylic mirrors can also be used to cover wall areas and reflect planting, providing a softer more ambient feel.  Use tile shaped or different sized acrylic mirrors to reflect features in your garden, plants or flowers at interesting angles. 

Features

Water is recognised as one of the important elements to create an outdoor room. Table top water fountains and container water gardens are more budget friendly, easier options than ponds and waterfalls.  Any water feature can be further enhanced with a surrounding of acrylic mirror which will reflect the feature and add to its effect by magnifying its scale.

Using an acrylic garden mirror

Shatterproof, flexible and 17x stronger than glass, acrylic mirrors are an ideal choice for any garden space. They flood your garden with light and make it appear brighter and bigger! Here’s six ways to utilise garden mirrors: 
 
1. Use your acrylic mirror to gain the feeling of the space you’d like. You can create an illusion of length by mounting long mirrors horizontally along garden walls. Or, go for an illusion of height by mounting long mirrors vertically up garden walls.

2. Use tile-shaped acrylic mirrors to reflect features in your garden, plants or flowers at interesting angles.You can buy acrylic mirror cut to the size and shape you need. If you do so via our site we can deliver exactly what you need next day to your chosen address.
  
3. Test out mirrors in random corners of your garden – they can produce surprising lighting effects and enhance your garden by adding a sculptural element to it.

4. Create a waterless water feature! Position your acrylic mirror on the ground and surround it with river rocks/shrubbery.

5. Position your acrylic mirror next to an outdoor eating/dining area to create ambience and double glow of lanterns.

6. Fashion a doorway by putting a full-length mirror level with the ground.

Choosing a garden mirror

The garden mirror you choose will depend on the effect you wish to create.  Mirrors can create many different looks, from a full-length illusion (which will appear as if you can walk through it from a distance) to the appearance of a small window. Because acrylic mirror can be cut to size and shape, you have flexibility to use mirrors which will fit your space perfectly. 

Acrylic mirrors are produced in sheet form and can be bought cut to size as a neat way to bring reflection into your garden and help create the feeling of the space you are wanting. To get an instant quote on garden mirrors today, use our outline calculator. Click for more information today. 

Where to position a garden mirror

The key to placing your mirror in the garden is to check what will be reflected back.  So, take your mirror into the garden. (Or another mirror you have if you want to test out sizes first before you buy a garden mirror.)  Position it in different spots to see where the best place is that gives the reflection you enjoy the most. For example, you may be thinking of hanging your mirror at the bottom of your garden, but if your house reflects back then that may not be the view you were hoping for. 

If you’re struggling to get a good reflection you can always angle your mirror and see what that reflects back. Put something like a piece of wood behind the mirror so it angles up, down or to the side and check out your new reflection. Placing your mirror at an angle also means you (and others) won’t be reflected back into it when you walk to and from it too, helping to provide the appearance of more garden or a view beyond.

In hotter climates, be sure to place your mirror in a shaded area. Mirrors placed in direct sunlight can cause accidental fires.
 
How to fix a garden mirror

Be sure to fix the mirror solidly to the background. Because acrylic mirror is more flexible than glass it must be fitted to a flat surface for a perfect finish. If you are fitting it to a wall which is not flat, it is best to fit it first to something rigid such as a piece of wood. Make sure to use an adhesive made for plastics to avoid damaging your garden mirror. We offer a wide range of acrylic adhesives on our website.

Further Help

For more information about acrylic and polycarbonate garden mirrors cut to your specific size and/or shape visit The Plastic People or email our friendly team for help. Plastic experts, The Plastic People, favour acrylic mirror over glass mirror because it is shatter-proof, flexible and 17x stronger than glass whilst being half its weight, making it a safer, more practical choice.

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