Ask the expert: How do you create a stylish outdoor living space?

Angela Moffat of Pots and Pateriors shares her top tips to transform your garden

Consider how you’ll use the space before buying furniture... If it’s for entertaining, built seating under a pergola or dining tables with fire pits are great. For relaxing, low seating like sofas and armchairs with coffee tables or even outdoor beanbags work well. Consider quality and durability (aluminum doesn’t rust) and make sure it fits - always measure your space first. Check out John Lewis or Dobbies for some quality styles or visit wayfair.co.uk for a huge selection in every price range.

Mirrors create an illusion of space... Contemporary, simple shaped mirrors can be hung on a dark wall to add light in a seated area or styles that look like windows make a great feature. For a wide selection, try primrose.co.uk.

Highlight trees and bedding with outdoor spotlights to bring your garden to life... They can be mounted in an elevated position to downlight or placed into the ground on a spike and pointed upwards. Solar lights are a great alternative option to mains powered lights. thesolarcentre.co.uk has a great range and lots of other lighting ideas. 

Make it feel like an extra room with outdoor rugs, picture frames and canvas art... Polypropylene rugs are weather proof and come in all sorts of colours and patterns. Canvas art can create illusions with views to landscapes. You’ll find a great selection at outdoorcanvas.co.uk and blackcountrymetalworks.co.uk. Just remember to check it’s suitable for outdoor use.

Plants hide ugly walls and hard fences... There are hundreds of plants suited to sunny and shaded areas. Choosing them is down to aspect, soil type and aesthetic. For sunny areas, clematis, honeysuckle, jasmine, and wisteria are great. For shaded areas, I like roses, climbing hydrangea and ivy. Create year-round interest by carefully choosing plants with colour throughout the seasons. 

Raid vintage shops for interesting objects to use as planters and accessories... Create a pretty hanging plant by placing a small pot with a trailing geranium in a vintage birdcage and suspend from a tree. Or fill an open drawer of a bedside cabinet with colourful bedding plants and use as a side table to place you drinks. Use your imagination.

Paint the garden shed to make it a feature and add accessories such as an outdoor clock, fairy or festoon lights... A pale yellow colour can add warmth and light, a darker grey blue can be a subtle, sophisticated look. Water-based paints are matt and less intense compared to oil based which also take longer to paint. For the most fantastic selection of colours, try Little Greene.  

For more tips and styling advice, visit potsandpateriors.co.uk.