A sage green arbor sits behind a lilac bush

Cottage garden furniture design: how I built my outdoor office

Sage green garden arbor dappled with sunlight. Cottage garden furniture: wooden bench with lilac and green cushions.

Working from home? Work from the garden

These days, I’m lucky enough to spend a good deal of my week working from home. My job can be intense at times and I’m always looking for ways to become more comfortable. I also wanted to spend more time in the garden; I devote so much time to tending it that it seems wasteful to only be out there in the evenings and on weekends.

With decent WiFi signal and help from an extension cable, I figured I could do a lot of work from the garden. But I’d need some kind of shade so I could see my laptop screen (and not burn to a crisp – such is the pain of a redhead). I began touring garden centres and browsing websites, but all the furniture I found was so modern and…well, grey. It suits a lot of gardens, but it most certainly didn’t suit mine.

How I put together a cottage garden furniture look

It quickly became apparent that I would need to improvise if I wanted cottage garden style furniture. I focused on colours and textures that reminded me of my garden space, embracing soft pastels and natural materials. While I initially wanted a space to work, I knew it had to serve other functions, too. I wanted a space to entertain, to rest between bouts of gardening. A space that said, “sit in me, drink wine, and the rest of the world will cease to matter.” So…no pressure, then.

This is the Appleton Barbecue Shelter from Kelkay

When I came upon this barbecue shelter with a bench that just seemed to fit, I knew I was onto a winner. The bench was deep enough to accommodate some serious cushions (and along with that, some serious backsides). The rectangular shape would fit onto my small patio without dominating the space or blocking light from the house, as square arbors tend to do. This particular configuration was also a lot cheaper than your average garden sofa and, to my relief, did not require that I take out a mortgage.

But it was not yet “cottage garden” enough.

Behind chunky lilac blossoms, a sage green garden arbor emerges.

If I could do it, I’d paint most things sage green. I’m not just a shameless millennial – I’m a cottagecore milliennial who tends to forget that she lives in a three-bed semi detached house. In my head, I live on a country estate with sun bleached stone walls decked out in wisteria, bees getting drunk on towering lupins, and chickens ambling through apple trees. So the arbor had to be painted green. There was no feasible alternative in my mind.

Next, I looked to the details. A large table or desk felt too large and lacked elegance, so I chose a little teak fold-up and left it bare. When it came to soft furnishings, I wanted something that evoked an invitation: don’t just sit here, but sink in. Snuggle. My garden feels like an indulgence and to amplify that notion, the seating ought to match. I found simple, sumptuous cushions at Garden Oasis, and a matching throw in dusty lilac from Sainsbury’s TU Home.

Purple and white petunias grow in a soft green pot, positioned on the shelf of an arbor.
A rectangular terracotta planter holds herbs and delicate flowers.

Putting together cottage garden pots and planters

With the bones of my outdoor office in place, it was time to think about window dressing. I’m a big fan of multi-sensory experiences; it’s why I love to plant fragranced flowers in my garden. To replicate this on a microcosmic level, I decided to add pots and planters to the arbor, each bringing a layer of beauty and scent.

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For my cottage garden pots and planters, I chose containers made of wood, ceramics, and delightfully worn terracotta. I filled them with lavender, tarragon, trailing fuschias, delicate petunias, and a wisteria that will grow over the arbor in years to come, draping it with fragrant purple flowers. Wherever you sit on that bench, it is impossible not to be surrounded by dreamy colours and heady, bucolic perfume.

A sage green arbor sits behind a lilac bush

The outdoor office has been a hit with the whole family. My husband works out there when he’s at home – even though he’s not a huge fan of gardens(!). On his suggestion, I’ve added a second lilac cushion to sit against the back of the bench for a further layer of comfort.

The cat is delighted and, I suspect, thinks we built the whole thing just for him.

As for me: I can be found there with and without my laptop, sometimes drinking coffee, sometimes drinking wine. I watch the birds and pick flowers on my lunch break. Snacks are snap peas and strawberries snaffled right from the garden. I only wish the bench was big enough to accommodate a nap.

If you’re thinking about doing something a little different with the seating in your garden, don’t let a lack of ready made options put you off. There’s no rule that says garden furniture has to be modern or brown or grey. No matter the size or state of your space, be brave enough to imagine a different way of life for yourself. Then build that life into your garden.

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