From the romantic to the playful, the elegant and the easefully everyday, these enviable outdoor dining spaces add an extra dimension of wellbeing and charm to the lifestyles of the homeowners who relish spending time in them.
Summer lunches with the family are regularly taken in this alfresco dining area. Shaded by a vine-covered pergola that ensures the space is sheltered from the intense summer heat – and fills it with dappled, green-tinted light – this dreamy space is redolent with heritage elegance.
This formerly forgotten urban backyard was transformed into a sun-splashed, terraced garden and outdoor cooking and dining area. Its renovation, which was accomplished on a strict budget, included adding a built-in barbecue and creating a shaded dining zone. Painting the floor a crisp white has also added to the box-fresh feel of the space.
At this Mediterranean holiday home, the outdoor living area is a study in texture: natural stone, poured microcement, timber, river pebbles and a variety of vegetation come together to create an integrated and welcoming space. For alfresco eats, a large cast concrete built-in table is provided, which its designer says will “weather and age so beautifully – in ten years’ time it will look even better than it does now”.
This boldly colourful, extensive veranda really is an outdoor room: it includes both dining and lounging areas, and via the use of glass folding doors on two sides, can be closed up during more inclement weather – or completely opened to the elements in the summer months. It adjoins a compact, formal garden and an inviting swimming pool, and as an added bonus, the views from the space are spectacular.
The stylish owner of this historic villa says its outdoor living area – which features a swimming pool as well as this delightful vine-covered gazebo – is like “having an extra room”. And located close by is a wood-burning oven that’s as perfect for pizza-making as it is for a long, slow roast. Situated at the heart of a large, lush garden that includes mature trees, water features and vegetable boxes, this space is all about rustic charm.
In a climate where year-round outdoor living is very much an option, this large covered patio is in constant use by the homeowners. It’s a much-used entertainment area too, with spaces set aside for both dining and lounging. A clean-lined dining table is paired with a mix of simple wooden chairs and a slatted bench, making dining arrangements easy to reconfigure depending on how many guests need to be accommodated.
Tucked discreetly away behind a stone wall in a lush, landscaped garden, this island holiday home is a perfectly private retreat for its celebrity owners, who love to linger over meals in this outdoor dining area. The tranquil scene is completed by a pair of pendant lights sourced by the homeowner and hung from the branches of the tree that shades the space during the day.
The Karoo landscape heightens the senses because there’s no clutter,” says the homeowner of this contemporary farmhouse. “There’s a simplicity there – openness and a sense of freedom.” All these elements are heightened in this outdoor dining space, which is glassed in on one side to protect it from strong prevailing winds while still allowing its users to enjoy the expansive vista.
