Outdoor spaces: style over size

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10 March 2025

Whether your garden is a pint-sized patio or a balcony big enough for a deck chair, our outdoor spaces are so important to us.

Hailed as the ‘extra room’, these areas are being designed to work smarter and provide a multi-functional extra space for the home.

Now that spring has arrived and we’re able to think about enjoying our outdoor spaces again, and to mark the launch of Lights4fun’s first ever garden furniture collection, they have asked Brits what matters most when it comes to outdoor spaces.

Style superiority

Their research has proven the style is superior to size as 44% of Brits prefer a smaller outdoor space as it requires less maintenance.

In fact, 52% of those surveyed would rather have a well-lit, well-furnished small outdoor space over a large, empty one.

Plus, 66% of Brits say that outdoor lighting can make a space feel bigger, while 70% agree that a smaller outdoor space can feel more spacious with good design – proof that investing in fairy lights and clever storage trumps a house move for a bigger garden.

It appears we have some work to do – 72% of us would like our outdoor spaces to look better, with 8 million Brits avoiding hosting due to uncomfortable garden furniture.

Rathlin 4-seater round dining set, £980 from Lights4fun – buy here

Outdoor migration

Spring marks the moment we emerge from hibernation according to 58% of us, with April being the magic month we reclaim the extra room and reinvigorate our gardens for summer.

Having said that, 9% of us are early starters, using outdoor spaces from January. But once October rolls around 56% of us have retreated back indoors.

What do we do in our gardens? Top of the list is BBQs (38%) and family meals (36%), but one in five have hosted Birthday parties in the garden, and 5% have even used their gardens to hold work meetings.

Londoners hold the crown for the biggest fans of outdoor offices – who needs Zoom when you have a sunny patio to enjoy?

Of those who prefer to host outside, 65% say its because of the fresh air, while 58% enjoy the change from indoors and 42% like to have more space for children and pets to run around.

In contrast, those who prefer hosting indoors have stated it’s due to unpleasant weather (55%), while others cited easier food prep and serving (48%).

The Barra Firepit Sofa Set, £2,635 from Lights4fun – buy here

Regional results

London and the East of England are the most enthusiastic outdoor hosts, with 40% regularly entertaining outside.

Londoner’s are the most flamboyant hosts with the most Eurovision parties (5%), Pride flags (9%) and even life-size celebrity cut outs (10%).

London also has the largest amount of people using their outdoor space in January (15%), and also has the highest percentage of balcony users in the UK.

Wales is at the other end of the spectrum, with 44% of those surveyed from there admitting they don’t host at all.

Meanwhile, the Welsh have claimed the crown for the most likely to have outdoor fairy lights, with 12% also having fire pits so they can enjoy a cosy glow during the evening.

Northern Ireland is the BBQ capital of the UK, with 52% firing up the grill compared to the 38% national average.

The North East is the most practical, with 16% of residents hosting children’s parties in the garden, and maybe that links to why 18% of North East gardens have a fire pit to keep warm from that chilly north sea breeze!

The Scots are in their own lane with 36% of them believing that a garden needs to be large to be comfortable.

Only 14% of them host Birthday parties outdoors in contrast to 31% in the East Midlands.

In contrast, in Yorkshire & Humberside, 52% of people enjoy hosting outside so that they can avoid the messy indoor clean up operation.

Finally, the East of England are the last ones standing, not giving up their outdoor spaces until as late in the season as possible. In fact, a third of those surveyed continue to use their spaces in November and December.

The Jura 6-Seater Round Spider Leg Dining Set, £1,595 from Lights4fun – buy here

Special Occasion Spaces

Half of Brits have spruced up their spaces for a special occasion, and lighting is the top choice.

Fairy lights, whether classic white or multicoloured, are the nation’s go-to.

Luxury goods are still important, with a hot tub topping the list for outdoor luxe goods (18%), followed by a full lounge set (14%) and then fire pits or swing chairs (both at 13%).

Shared and communal gardens are also getting a look in.

17% of those with access use them for outdoor dining or working, while 11% of those surveyed have used them for stag or hen parties, 10% for wedding parties and 9% for funerals.

Fairy lights for the win

Regardless of whether your garden is mansion-worthy or a micro balcony size, Brits love to make the most of their outdoor space.

Lighting, that was once an afterthought, is now one of the most crucial elements to a garden.

A well designed garden isn’t just for personal enjoyment, it also brings kerb appeal and social value to your home.

With the right lighting (and perhaps a hot tub), even the smallest space can be transformed to a comfortable and inviting extra room.

Outdoor spaces: Let’s go shopping

Feeling inspired to pimp up your garden? Here are some of our favourite outdoor area buys ready for a weekend of getting yours spring-ready!

Fairy lights

As discovered in the research, fairy lights are crucial for improving the design of your space, and can also help to make it appear bigger.

Not only that, but lighting is also game changing to making sure your evenings spent in the garden can last even longer.

Colourful festoon lights, £49.95 from Sparkle Lighting – buy here

Lounge set

If a hot tub is a bit out of your budget, or outdoor space size, a lounge set will provide the chill vibe.

We love this gorgeous set, it’s lovely to look out without compromising on comfort, and is small enough that it will fit into the most compact garden.

Nettleton garden lounge set, £899 from The Cotswold Company – buy here

Garden mirror

Another item that will make your outdoor space appear bigger, whilst also boosting the aesthetics of your garden is a mirror.

They can decorate a garden fence or wall, and are a great way to check your appearance while you’re catching rays, too.

Stone effect textured garden mirror, £99.95 from Melody Maison – buy here

Garden chair

Brighten up your space with these stunning new brightly coloured deck chairs.

They’re perfect for adding pops of colour to your garden and updating your furniture at the same time – at less than £40 each, they’re also a bargain.

California garden chair in green, £39 from Peppermill Interiors – buy here

Secret storage

If your garden is smaller, secret storage is a great way to save on space.

This garden bench is ideal seating for a compact garden, and doubles up as a place to store cushions, toys, lighting, outdoor speakers or anything else.