There is a particular kind of disappointment that comes with an outdoor space that cost a small fortune and still sits empty. You imagined long evenings, easy entertaining, a place to exhale at the end of the day. Instead, it feels exposed, uncomfortable, or simply not quite right.
I was recently invited to share my perspective as a contributing expert in an article published by TheCoolist, an American lifestyle and design publication with a global readership. The piece explores the five biggest mistakes designers see in outdoor living rooms, and why they are far more fixable than most people realise.
You can read the full article here: We Asked Designers What Ruins an Outdoor Living Room
The conversation couldn’t be more timely. Because here in Queensland, we are heading into winter. And while the northern hemisphere is deep in outdoor living season right now, I want to gently challenge the assumption that our cooler months are a reason to put this on hold.
Queensland winters are unlike anywhere else. Many days are genuinely warm, sunny, and still. The evenings cool down, yes. But that morning light on a beautiful outdoor setting, with a coffee in hand and nowhere to be yet? That is its own kind of magic. And the spaces that feel rejuvenating, that genuinely pull you outside and hold you there, those spaces help carry you through the quieter months with so much more ease.
In the TheCoolist article, I shared that the shift we are seeing in premium residential design is that outdoor areas are no longer afterthoughts or entertaining zones. They are true extensions of the home. Designed with the same intention, the same comfort, the same layered detail as anything indoors.
Here is what I contributed to the piece, and what I want your home to reflect:
On materials: for warmth, texture, and longevity, high-quality teak is exceptional. For low maintenance and sleek durability, powder-coated aluminium is my go-to. Performance outdoor fabrics for all cushioning are non-negotiable, because clients deserve outdoor seating that feels every bit as comfortable as their indoor living rooms.
On furniture scale: one of the most common mistakes is choosing pieces that are too small or too lightweight for the space, or overcrowding the zone with too many pieces instead of letting the layout breathe.
On making it feel like a room: an outdoor area becomes a room when you establish visual boundaries. An outdoor rug to define the lounge zone. A pergola or covered patio to create the sense of a ceiling. Structured landscaping such as built-in planters or tall greenery acting as living walls, enclosing the area without blocking out nature.
This is the kind of thinking I bring to every outdoor project at Bella Vie Interiors. And at the moment, we have access to some truly beautiful Wisteria Designs furniture, the same collection featured in our Turkish Queenslander project, available for clients looking to elevate their outdoor spaces this season. If that speaks to you, reach out and let’s talk.
In the meantime, I hope you will take a moment this week to step outside and look at your outdoor space through fresh eyes. Not as a patio. As a room. As an extension of your beautiful life.
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