How to Plan an Outdoor Living Room
There's something uniquely Australian about extending your living space outdoors. Whether it's weekend BBQs with mates, lazy Sunday mornings with the paper, or balmy summer evenings, we live for our outdoor spaces. But creating an outdoor living room that's genuinely comfortable year-round—from scorching January afternoons to crisp winter evenings—takes thoughtful planning.
Here's your guide to planning an outdoor living room that truly works for Australian conditions.
Assess Your Outdoor Space
Before buying furniture, evaluate what you're working with. Australian homes offer diverse outdoor opportunities—covered alfresco areas, timber decks, compact courtyards, or sprawling backyards.
Walk through your space at different times of day and note:
Sun and shade patterns. That perfect morning spot might be unbearable by 2pm. Understanding where natural shade falls is crucial in Australia's harsh climate.
Weather exposure. Do you have protection from rain and wind? Coastal properties need to account for salt spray, whilst bushland areas might prioritise ember protection.
Indoor-outdoor flow. The best Australian outdoor rooms create seamless transitions from inside. Consider access from your kitchen or living areas.
Ground conditions. You'll need level, stable ground. Decking, pavers, or concrete work beautifully. If working with lawn, consider adding a defined base to anchor furniture and protect frames from ground moisture.
Design Your Vision
Before shopping, gather inspiration that reflects how Australians actually live outdoors. Browse local landscape publications and notice how successful spaces handle our climate whilst maintaining style.
Focus on what matters here:
Colour palettes that work under intense sunlight—neutrals like warm greys, taupes, and muted blues age gracefully
Materials featuring powder-coated aluminium, all-weather wicker, and UV-rated fabrics
Your lifestyle—quiet retreat or entertaining space? Your moodboard should reflect actual use, not Instagram fantasies
Create a Pinterest board or save images to establish a clear vision before shopping.
Choose Furniture Built for Australian Conditions
Here's where many go wrong: prioritising aesthetics over durability. Six months later, cushions have faded, frames have rusted, or wicker has cracked under UV exposure.
Australian conditions are punishing—some of the world's highest UV levels, coastal salt spray, temperature extremes, and sudden storms. You need furniture specifically engineered for these challenges.
What actually works:
Rust-proof aluminium frames are non-negotiable, especially coastally. Steel will eventually rust—even when galvanised.
UV-stabilised HDPE wicker resists fading and won't become brittle. Cheap plastic wicker cracks within seasons.
High-resilience foam cushions with solution-dyed fabrics where colour is embedded in the fibre, ensuring genuine fade resistance.
Practical features matter:
Look beyond static seating. Reclining functions for afternoon naps, swivel capabilities for conversation, and gliding mechanisms add comfort for extended outdoor living.
Game-changing for Australian conditions: integrated weather protection. Traditional covers are bulky and stored away when needed. Built-in covers that deploy in seconds mean you can protect furniture the moment storm clouds roll in.
Start with core pieces—a well-chosen pair of recliner chairs and quality side table creates a perfectly functional space. Explore our collections to see furniture engineered for Australian conditions with rust-proof construction and integrated weather covers.
Create Your Australian Outdoor Sanctuary
Planning an outdoor living room suited to Australian conditions requires more thought than simply copying overseas trends or buying the cheapest furniture at a big box store. Our climate is unique, often harsh, and demands furniture and design approaches specifically engineered for these challenges.
But get it right—choose furniture built for our conditions, incorporate genuinely Australian design sensibilities, add those personal touches that make the space yours—and you create something special. An outdoor living room that's comfortable in January heat and July chill. A space where cushions don't fade within months and frames don't rust within seasons. A genuine extension of your home where you can relax, entertain, and live outdoors the way Australians have always wanted to.
The investment in quality furniture designed for Australian conditions pays dividends in longevity, comfort, and daily enjoyment. Cheap furniture is expensive when you're replacing it every few years.
Ready to create your outdoor sanctuary? Explore our collections at Outdoor Nook—furniture specifically engineered for Australian outdoor living, with features like integrated weather protection, rust-proof construction, and materials built to handle everything from coastal salt spray to outback sun. We understand Australian conditions because we're designing specifically for them.
Your backyard is waiting.