The first space I wanted to get started on when we bought our house, was our roof terrace. After spending a year in lock-down with little to no outdoor space, we couldn’t wait to transform this trapezoid terrace into a cosy outdoor space.  Since we didn’t own any outdoor furniture yet and I desperately wanted to start decorating and furnishing our house, this clean slate seemed the most logical option to focus my energy on.

In the three months between buying our house and receiving the keys, I started making mood-boards, comparing prices, trying out chairs and sofa’s and researching plants, hoping to enjoy our new and long-awaited outdoor space as soon as possible. The goal: turn this urban terrace into a green oasis where we could lounge, enjoy meals and have friends over from (not so) early in the morning until late at night. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the Ever Given fiasco and last year’s rush on outdoor furniture, many items were sold out and delivery was often delayed. Sadly our terrace was only fully furnished in October (let this be a reminder for you to order your outdoor furniture now!), so my plan didn’t really work out… However I’m still very happy I decided to be patient and stick to my first choices, and with sun gracing our terrace from morning until evening, we have definitely caught up on “terrace time” during the sunny weeks we’ve already had this year! Now, let’s have a look shall we?

During my hunt for an outdoor table, I quickly fell in love with Maisons Du Monde’s Dolmen table and lucky for me, Maisons Du Monde was kind enough to gift us our outdoor dining set. With its sculptural shape, the Dolmen table is the eye-catcher. A circular table is always a space- saving option, so despite its compact size, the table can host up to six people. (In case you are wondering: the table is delivered in two pieces and we hired two people through RingTwice to carry them up to the third floor. We easily assembled the table ourselves.) Choosing our chairs was a more difficult affair, as Maisons Du Monde has so many good options. In the end I chose their Beckett wicker chairs, which contrast nicely with the concrete table and tie in with the arm chair that I already owned and the bamboo screens. (They were placed by the previous owner and generate privacy and shade.) Even though the table can host six people, I decided to limit the chairs to four, to make sure the terrace doesn’t feel to crowded. With folding chairs, we can easily make room for more if necessary!

For the lounge area, I chose the super comfy cream colored Havsten sofa from Ikea, that spans the width of our terrace. The concrete flower pots (most of them gifted by D&M deco) and side table slash stool tie in nicely with our dining table, while string lights and two wind lights add to the evening atmosphere. The reversible outdoor carpet defines the lounge area, makes it extra cosy and adds a touch of color. It’s a rather bold choice for the neutral lover that I am, but outdoor carpets are not as expensive as you might expect… so I figured I could always replace it if I ever got tired of it and it would instantly give the whole terrace a new look!

I’ve already received a few questions on Instagram about how we take care of our outdoor furniture. I’m a “better safe than sorry” kinda gal, so I have covers for both the sofa and table, which protect them from the weather and bird poop. It only takes a few minutes to cover or uncover everything, which seems a minor sacrifice if it elongates the furniture’s lifespan, limits what we have to clean and ensures our furniture is always dry and ready to use. So far, the table and chairs seem very durable and easy to clean so we only cover them dependent on the weather.  The sofa, arm chair and carpet should be suitable for outdoor circumstances, but I prefer keeping them dry and clean at all times just to be sure. We always cover the sofa when the terrace is not in use and this cover fits the arm chair, outdoor carpet and side table as well (we just put them in the sofa). However, during fall and winter, the sofa cushions should be moved inside. Unfortunately we experienced firsthand that the fabric can grow moldy when the weather is wet and cold. Luckily we noticed this quite early on, and were able to salvage them in the washing machine! If you have more questions, let me know in the comments and make sure you scroll down if you want to know where everything is from. I’m curious to hear what you think!

Dolmen concrete table and Beckett wicker chairs – Maisons du monde (gifted)  – Speckled concrete flower pots, rope windlight and trellis: D&M deco (gifted), available via ByAnouk – Concrete stool and linnen pillows: Made – outdoor carpet, wind light: La Redoute – Desert chair: Ferm Living (gifted) – Havsten outdoor sofa, Boysenbär flower pots, Utsund string lights and Allarp outdoor wall light: Ikea – metal side table,  small string lights: Fonq

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