The Good Design Journal
11 Essentials for the Late-Summer Evening
There is a specific tipping point in an Australian summer day. The sun has dropped, the heat has finally broken, and the light turns that perfect, hazy gold. It’s the best part of the day.
But it’s also usually the moment we pack up. It gets too dark to read, the outdoor chairs get uncomfortable, or we retreat inside to make dinner.
The goal shouldn't be to head indoors. It should be to stretch that moment out.
This is about bridging the gap between the sunset and the cool of the night. It’s the "just one more drink" on the deck, the book finished by portable light, and the dinner that migrates from the table to the lounge. To make that happen, you don't need a renovation. You need a toolkit for comfort.
We’ve curated 11 pieces that blur the boundary between your living room and your lawn, ensuring the evening lasts exactly as long as you want it to.
1. Shade Without the Kitsch
BUSINESS & PLEASURE CO Amalfi Umbrella
While most beach umbrellas lean heavily into fringes and tassels, the Amalfi strips it back. With a flat canopy and a rich timber pole, it channels a clean, Mediterranean restraint. It’s shade for the person who prefers architecture over decoration, keeping the sun off your late afternoon read without the visual noise.
2. A Pearl Earring for Your Tree
FATBOY Bolleke Lamp
When the sun drops, the atmosphere shouldn't drop with it. This wireless sphere hangs from a simple silicone loop, like an oversized hair tie, allowing you to suspend soft light from a tree branch, a parasol rib, or a fence post. It’s waterproof, dimmable, and entirely removes the need for an electrician to wire up your garden.
3. Motel-Pool Nostalgia
BUSINESS & PLEASURE CO Sunliner Lounger
Channel the relaxed glamour of a 1970s motel pool, minus the questionable carpet. This jade green lounger brings serious retro attitude to the backyard, but with modern build quality. With five recline settings, it’s built for the long haul: from the morning coffee right through to the evening aperitif.
4. Texture You Can Drink
FERM LIVING Ripple Champagne Saucers
A plastic cup kills the mood. These mouth-blown saucers do the opposite. With their vertical rippled surface and iridescent play of light, they turn a simple sparkling wine into a piece of theatre. The shallow bowl is a nod to old-world sophistication, making even a casual Tuesday drink feel like an occasion.
5. Brutalism with a Soft Edge
FERM LIVING Deya Side Table
Outdoor furniture often feels flimsy; this feels permanent. Made from dark green fibre concrete, it balances a heavy, segmented industrial form with a soft, glazed finish. It’s a sculptural anchor for your outdoor rug or lounge, providing a sturdy, worry-free surface for books, lamps, or heavy ceramic platters.
6. The "Rinse-Off" Ritual
ZEE Levantine Outdoor Shower
There is no greater luxury than washing the ocean off your skin while standing in your own garden. This powder-coated stainless steel shower connects simply to a garden hose, turning a utility connection into a spa moment. The rubber cap delivers a soft, even spray, signaling the definitive end of the beach day and the start of the evening unwind.
7. Pocket-Sized Ambience
FATBOY Bolleke Mini La Surprise
Sometimes you don't need a floodlight; you just need a glow. The Mini version of the Bolleke offers the same cordless freedom in a compact package. Cluster three of them in a tree for an art installation effect, or loop one onto your chair arm for personal reading light that moves where you move.
8. Earthenware that Gleams
HAY Barro Plate
Terracotta usually feels rustic, but these plates polish it up. Designed by Rui Pereira, they feature a rolled edge and a high-gloss glaze that brings a "wet" look to the table. They offer the warmth of traditional clay with a crisp, modern finish, grounding your outdoor table setting without making it feel like a picnic.
9. The Indoor Comfort Export
OYOY Outdoor Kyoto Cushion
The quickest way to make outdoor furniture feel inviting is to treat it like indoor furniture. This cushion uses recycled polyester to withstand the elements, but the graphic stripe and soft texture read as pure living room comfort. It breaks up the hard lines of timber or metal benches, inviting you to settle in for another hour.
10. Volumetric Planting
FERM LIVING Hourglass Flower Pot
Plants shouldn't just sit on the floor; they should have presence. This powder-coated iron pot can be flipped upside down to change the height and volume of your display. It elevates greenery (literally) turning a standard pot plant into an architectural column that defines the edge of a patio or deck.
11. The Barefoot Boundary
CHILEWICH Shag In Out Utility Mat
Define the zone between the grass and the glass doors. This mat uses vinyl loops to create a soft, textured surface that is impervious to mould and moisture. It creates a visual threshold that looks sharp while quietly handling the wet feet and sand of a summer evening.
How do I add light to my garden without hardwiring?
This is one of the most common outdoor design hurdles. The solution is the new wave of rechargeable LED lighting. High-end portable lamps (like the Ferm Living Arum or Fatboy Bolleke) now offer the same lumen output and design aesthetic as wired fixtures, but with complete freedom. Look for lights with at least a specific IP rating if you plan to leave them out, though we recommend bringing portable table lamps undercover after use.
How do I make a concrete balcony feel like a "room"?
You need to soften the acoustics and the texture. A dedicated outdoor rug is the most effective tool for this. It instantly defines a "zone" and covers the harsh concrete, making the space feel furnished. Choose a rug like the Chilewich Shag, which is mould-resistant and quick-drying, so it won't hold onto rainwater or smells.
Is it okay to use indoor glassware outside?
It’s a risk, but it’s the quickest way to elevate a gathering. If you want that "restaurant" feel, ditch the plastic. We recommend using heavy-bottomed glassware or high-quality borosilicate (like the Maison Balzac Gobelets) which is more durable than standard crystal. The weight of the glass creates a tactile experience that melamine just can't replicate.
How can I make my outdoor furniture last longer in the Australian sun?
The sun is harder on furniture than the rain is. If you have premium pieces like the Business & Pleasure Lounger, the key is cover or storage. While the materials are weather-resistant, UV rays will eventually fade even the best fabrics. Treating your outdoor pieces with the same respect as indoor furniture—bringing cushions in during extreme heat or storms—will double their lifespan.
Don't Go Inside Yet
The best hours of the warmer months happen after the sun hits the horizon. It’s that specific window when the heat breaks, the light softens, and the real relaxing starts.
Don't let a lack of light or a hard chair cut that short. Your outdoor space should work just as hard as your living room, offering the same level of comfort, mood, and functionality. We’ve stocked our Outdoor category with the pieces that help you blur the lines and claim the night.
Keep the door open a little longer.
