Fake Lawns and Indoor Outdoor Rooms

In this blog we report on one of the hottest garden trends which inspired many garden designers in the last couple of years and looks set to become mainstream in 2016 – Indoor Outdoor Rooms. As fake lawn suppliers, we’re always interested in new garden ideas and we spotlight Romford as one of the areas where we feel this newest trend is likely to take off.

The Trend

The idea of “bringing the outdoors indoors” has been around in interior design for the past 20 years or so, and involves the use of conservatories, glass roof extensions or full width patio doors to bring light into the house. It also often involved a slow transition to the outdoors, extending the “floor” outside via paving or decking. But the end result was, typically, a wood, metal or plastic garden furniture set sitting on a patio.

Now, the concept has been taken further, so that truly outdoor spaces are furnished with furniture that looks very like indoor furniture, complete with upholstered sofas, coffee tables and rugs. The furniture supplied for these spaces is made from weather resistant materials so you don’t have to grab your cushions and bring them inside at the first spot of rain or at the end of the evening.

Just like an indoor living room, these areas are intended to be much more than just dining sets or sun loungers for occasional use. Instead they are places intended for hanging out and entertaining, and are often given a focal point such as an outdoor fireplace or fire pit (another strong garden trend for the last 3 or 4 years). They can even include heaters and lighting to complete the look and make the space usable at all times of the day and even in cooler weather.

Outdoor Rugs and Fake Lawn

However, a quick search online for images of Indoor Outdoor rooms shows that the “flooring” for these spaces is almost invariably the usual choice between stone (paving or concrete) and wood (decking) – not a very welcoming surface for truly comfortable living, especially for young children.

There are a wide range of waterproof outdoor rugs now available to address this need, but they do not completely solve the problem. Some are made from completely non-absorbent materials such as plastic, which makes them nearly as hard to the touch as the surface they are covering. Others are more like the texture of indoor rugs, made from materials such as polypropylene. This type of material will inevitably require regular vacuuming or washing to keep clean as, inevitably, people will be wearing outdoor shoes and possibly transiting between the seating area and other parts of the garden, and dirt is likely to get trapped in the fibres.

Perhaps most importantly, stone and decking, even with a rug on it, still has the feel of an urban space rather than being in a natural environment.

There are a few images online showing furniture placed on natural lawns, which is certainly a far more appealing prospect, and a lot softer underfoot, but is obviously impractical for a number of reasons. Firstly, as any garden trampoline owners will know, placing a large item over grass for more than a week or two results in the grass being starved of sunlight and turning yellow. Secondly, the lawn underneath cannot be mown, leading to a weedy, unkempt look very quickly – unless you are willing to rearrange your outdoor furniture regularly. A further problem is water and mud, with the feet of furniture likely to sink into the turf over time.

And it’s here where we feel that using an artificial lawn could add another dimension to the Indoor Outdoor trend, helping to create a more natural looking space, while also requiring no extra work in terms of cleaning or moving furniture around. Modern synthetic lawns have a soft feel, making them a much safer play surface for children and pets, and more pleasant for adults too. Fake lawn suppliers can install artificial grass over soil (with layers of membrane and drainage material to prevent weeds and waterlogging) or over existing hard, flat surfaces, providing a solid base for items of furniture. It won’t need mowing or weeding and needs only minimal cleaning, if any.

The Romford Connection

In Romford as in many parts of inner and outer London, living space is at a premium. It’s also an area which is growing in popularity with fashion conscious young professionals interested in stamping their personality on their property as well as creating a trendy space for entertaining friends.

So the Indoor Outdoor room concept, based around a fake lawn, is likely to be a big hit with this group. Even without this particular trend, Romford residents are likely to find the low maintenance and good looks of synthetic turf attractive, as a way of maintaining a high impact, contemporary look in their outdoor space.

Fake Lawn Suppliers Romford – Request a free sample today or call us to discuss your needs.