The Coco Målé blog - your daily dose of interior design inspiration! » Garden

Fresh Ideas for a Summer BBQ

Katie — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 06:00:40 +0000

I love this time of year- being able to sit outside in the garden of an evening with a relaxing glass of chilled wine. Long summer days are lush, so make the most of the good weather and invite friends and family round for a barbeque! I’m not just talking plain-old burgers and sausages though… it’s time to experiment and impress your friends. I’ve picked some starting points for you, below, which I’m sure you’ll agree look delicious! Let us know if you have a barbeque recipe you’d like to share?…

spiced mushroom ‘burger’, Channel 4 Recipes

Thai fish cake skewers, Channel 4 Recipes

beetroot, red apple and watercress salad, Jamie Oliver

marinated halloumi cheese kebabs, Delia Smith

posted by Emily

A taste of Scandinavia…

Katie — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:47:21 +0000

It’s springtime now and we really ought to be planning a few garden parties, although the current weather is delaying plans somewhat! Nevertheless I am making Nordic House Shop of the Week this week, because I am in love with their beautiful outdoor candles!

Nordic House is a lovely online boutique specialising in Scandinavian inspired home accessories and gifts. Many items are limited edition pieces, sourced from Sweden, Denmark and the UK, so don’t wait around if you see something you like!

clear glass bowls, from £30 each

outdoor candles, from £10

hanging tealight bottles, £11.95 each

rusty metal hurricane lamps, £24.95 each

posted by Emily

Owls with Attitude!

Katie — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:40:20 +0000

Just spotted these owls over on Sunday Times columnist, India Knight ’s blog and had to share the image with you! How fantastic do they look? Unfortunately no one is sure where this is located- any ideas?

Hours and hours of jigsaw fun

Katie — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:10:04 +0000

One of my favourite pastimes is doing puzzles (jigsaws), but it inevitably leads to a mess in our living room and no dining table for weeks on end, so I’ve decided that until I move to a huge house where I have a dedicated jigsaw-solving (!) table, I’ll stick to doing them online. Of course, it’s no way near as fun, and there is the option of a jigroll some of you will say, but that involves sticking the pieces on the velcro, rolling it up and putting it away every tine (which I’m sure will result in some pieces falling off or moving around), which frankly takes away all the pleasure, so the online ones will have to suffice for now…

The best I’ve found so far are on Jigzone. There’s quite a good selection and many unusual cuts like squares, triangles, and even stars!!!

I started off with an easy one today, this gorgeous tulip in a 100 piece classic cut and it took me 21:41, which is abysmal considering the average is only 13:46!!

Do you enjoy solving puzzles? Click on the image above to give this one a try. It would be great to know how long it took you guys!!! I’ll be doing a different puzzle every weekend, so if you feel up for it, we can start a mini competition…

posted by Katie.

Image of the day – kick back and relax!

Katie — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:35:19 +0000

I found this lovely sign in a tiny shop in Key West in Florida and just had to have it!!! It now hangs merrily in my white-washed patio and reminds me daily of my sun- filled bachelorette trip…

Going Potty

Katie — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:58:29 +0000

My grandma is guilty of this one- not so much of going potty, more that her entire garden is cluttered with potted plants. The garden becomes too ‘busy’, untidy and difficult to maintain.

Below is a solution. The red boxes below from Barbed are attached magnetically to the wall, ingenious! Apart from the height being more convenient when caring for the plants, the bright red pop of colour adds interest to the garden. Another interesting idea below is from Steckling- colourful plant pots which slot on to the balcony edge! Great space-savers.

The first (small!) signs of Spring

Katie — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:22:03 +0000

Okay, so it may not be hot enough to fry an egg on your car bonnet just yet but what a lovely week of sun we are having here! Finally, after what feels like months of dreary weather teamed with the gloomy plight of the recession, a little bit of happiness is peering through those dark clouds. It’s amazing how a bit of sunshine can lift your mood and put a spring in your step.

Call us optimistic but the girls at Coco Målé are already thinking of those yummy summer barbecues, relaxing afternoon tea gatherings and luscious garden parties! Well, there’s no harm in planning!!

Take a look at these images below from Country Living, which offer endless outdoor inspiration!

Note the use of different coloured chairs, which, apart from being fashionable, adds interest to the overall look. Finishing touches such as the cake stand, delicate china tea cups and floral napkins really make a difference. I love the fabulous chandelier, although how it has been suspended like that I have no idea! Very cute.

The image below is very Cath Kidston. The gentle use of pastel colours here is very appealing. Ther overall feel is quite kitsch but not in a sickly, stuffy way!

Layering is a innovative way of creating a whole new look and making the best of what you already have! Set a base of place mats or charger plates and layer with a combination of different dinner plates, going smaller as the pile goes upwards to catch a glimpse of the plate beneath. Try mixing fabrics, patterns and colours you wouldn’t dream of putting together and see what surprisingly beautiful results you get. Be daring! Simple but so effective…

Another simple but effective idea. Cover an empty jar with colourful beaded bracelets and fill with fresh flowers. Beading catches the light and will add a bit of extra sparkle! Take a look at our new Moroccan beaded coasters here at Coco Målé, we love them and are sure you will too!

Not totally convinced with this idea from Pondable, but who am I to argue with Alan Titchmarsh?! Let’s just hope it isn’t fish for dinner….

Keep drinks chilled for all of your guests in a large beverage cooler like this one from US interior company, Frontgate

As the evening draws to a close, keep the spirit alive with beautiful outdoor lighting. Lanterns and pretty fairy lights add a subtle warm glow, along with the relaxing flicker of a candle. You might want to invest in an outdoor heater too!

Chinese garden lanterns, set of 10 $26.99, Wrapables

above: Blue glass candle lantern, $9.95, Japanese Pagoda garden lantern, 43″, $49.95, Arabian Palace candle lantern, £44.95, all Backyard Fancy

Outdoor oasis

Katie — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:58:27 +0000

Refusing to acknowledge that it’s nearly the end of the summer and given that August really didn’t feel like it, I’m continuing to do research on outdoor spaces (in view of renovating my own at some point!) and have found tons of inspiration both off and online. The below rooms (from dominomag.com) are really gorgeous and so easy to replicate I thought I’d share them with you…

The rustic chairs and pergola combined here with simple pastel cushions give this garden a cosy, Mediterranean flair. To achieve a similar effect, try our Usha cushion, or our Antiqued white lantern!

This daybed and hammock provide a great retreat for reading and relaxing whilst the beautiful floor lantern not only gives that all-important lighting in the evening but also adds an exotic touch to the room and seems to bring the whole scheme together.

Colour rules in this patio – I love the combination of bright blue, yellow and lime green… The colours really seem to blend in perfectly with the plants at the back. And the cushions scattered on the sofa look very much like our own Cuba cushions! The owners have also been quite clever with their lighting effect, opting for a fire and lots of lanterns and candles instead of proper lights, really helping to create a romantic mood.

In fact, I have concluded that the simple trick to a perfect outdoor space is luscious planting, comfortable furniture, bright textiles and romantic lighting.