Indoor outdoor: save money with products that work in home and garden
F rom colourful cushions that look as good in the living room as on the lawn to portable lamps and speakers fit for home working and garden parties, a new breed of versatile household products allows you to economise by furnishing your home and garden in one go.
Traditionally, Britons have bought dedicated garden kit but with household finances under pressure and a growing desire to shop more sustainably, retailers have turned to selling “indoor-outdoor” furnishings and gadgets. “We’re seeing customers buying products that have a dual use and look just as good inside the home as they do out,” says the John Lewis head of home accessories, Camilla Rowe.
Another factor fuelling the appeal of these products is the weather. “With the unpredictability of the British weather, it’s no surprise that many customers are looking for stylish outdoor furniture and accessories which work inside the home as well as out,” says the Habitat senior designer Dave Hutcheson, who said people sought lightweight and compact pieces that can be easily and quickly moved between spaces.
Andy Baxter, the managing director of the furniture retailer Maze Living, says the “combination of wanting to buy better and less frequently, and a lack of storage space” is fuelling demand for hybrid products, with hi-tech water-resistant fabrics making it easier for people to “blend worlds”. He adds: “Increasingly, consumers do not have garages or large storage spaces in which to put their outdoor furniture in the colder months.”
As a result of this, “natural tones are growing in popularity due to their flexibility in terms of suiting multiple indoor and outdoor colour schemes”, says Baxter, adding that the retailer had launched an oatmeal-coloured range of sofas and
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