Micro Makeover: Create an Alfresco Back Garden Party

Get that summer festival feeling at home with your own back garden party. Al fresco dining, an outdoor bar, some outdoor lamps and a splash of paint from Cuprinol.

Outdoor music festivals are made for the warm summer months. Getting outside and enjoying your favourite music in the sunshine is practically a British tradition. But what if you could create your own festival in your back garden? A summer garden party with a twist. Read on to find out how...

Festival garden party ideas: set the mood

Music festivals really come alive after dark... when the sun goes down but it’s still warm enough to stay outside. To give your festival garden party some real atmosphere, it’s worth investing in the right lighting. Festoon lights work really well. You simply string them up between two trees or fence posts and have them cast a warm glow over your festivities. Dial up the atmosphere further by painting the backdrop in something from the Cuprinol Garden Shades range – as we did below with a tin of Cool Marble and White Daisy.

Festival garden party ideas: get creative by upcycling

Your garden party festival should feel like a relaxed affair. One way to achieve this could be to dispense with chairs and have people sit round a floor table. You could create one by upcycling an old warehouse pallet. Give it some character by adding a lick of paint in a vibrant colour. Here we chose Dazzling Yellow from the Cuprinol Garden Shades range. To add a nice contrast, we then painted the decking in City Stone lending the whole scene a colourful South American vibe.

If a bright and bold palette doesn’t appeal to you, try going in a different direction. Set a scene of tranquillity by painting your walls in an off-white – we went for Jasmine White from the Dulux Weathershield range – and let your garden’s greenery take centre-stage. Add a swing seat to continue the laidback theme and scatter a few well-chosen cushions for you to recline upon.

Festival garden party ideas: create your own bar

You want your festival garden party to ebb and flow, so consider creating a bar where people can help themselves to drinks. An old chest of drawers is perfect for this. You can arrange cold drinks and cocktail ingredients on top and fill the drawers with glasses. To help your ‘bar’ really look the part, paint it in a pair of warm, contrasting colours. Here we coated the plinth and drawer-handles in Warm Flax, while the drawers themselves were given a coat of Crushed Chilli – both from the Curpinol Garden Shades range.

Festival garden party ideas: prepare for after hours

Just because the sun is setting, doesn’t mean your outdoor festival has to stop. With the right accessories and backdrop, it’s easy to keep the party going into the early hours of the morning. Get cosy with soft blankets and plump pillows, then add some ambiance with those festoon lights we mentioned. Here we painted the bare brick wall in cool Smooth Flint to round off the snug, chilled vibe.