CANOFIX's bespoke canopies; 1,000X2,440

Our recent customer successfully installed CANOFIX on his own.

He sent us the pictures of canopy installed on his front door;

1,000mm brakets, and one single sheet of customised 2,440mm size.

Canofix's one of the most strong point is 'Bespoke'.
All customer can choose any size canopies is suitable for your door size!

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How to get the most from your patio

A patio is generally a small area with big potential, however careful thought is required before your money is spent.

There are two main considerations you should take into account before creating a patio area; practicality and appearance.

Firstly, assess the location. It needs to be easily accessible and weatherproof to ensure you gain maximum benefit and useage.

To look its best, the patio should tie in with your home and blend into your garden. You can achieve this by matching your patio area with the outside of your home and continuing your indoor colour theme outside.

Top tips to make the most of your patio:

Functionality

A patio’s size and shape will depend on how you intend to use it. If you want to entertain and love a child-friendly family barbeque, then you’ll need a large flat space, and preferably a base that can be easily cleaned.

If its primary use is for relaxing, there are endless options for varying heights and base shapes which bring depth and dimension to your garden, visually enhancing the space.

Fix a budget

Careful planning is the key to success – you should fix a budget and remain within it.

Materials such as sandstone and limestone are currently cheaper than ever before, so you don’t have to spend a fortune. Other surfaces worth consideration are concrete, slate, and granite. You can keep costs down with attractive gravelled or pebbled areas in different colours.

Privacy and the law

You are more likely to enjoy your garden if you are not overlooked, so choose a private area for your patio. If your favourite spot is halfway across the lawn, look into practical gravel paths or stone walkways for easy access.

Using trellis and plants is a great way to create privacy and introduce more greenery to your garden. Another popular alternative is to intall a pergola.

When deciding, be considerate of your neighbours. Don’t block their light, and ensure your drainage is adequate, otherwise water may overspill into their garden, and you may be liable for flood damage.

Garden furniture

Garden furniture can transform your patio so take your time to find the right set for you and remember to think about storage solutions for seat cushions.

Modular furniture suits most homes as it's generally light and easy to move around the garden. Hammocks, swing-seats, and beanbags are good options for children.

When considering material, try wicker, or rattan for comfortable stylish seating. It’s an expense compared to plastic seating, but a worthwhile investment. Cheap plastic chairs will disintegrate and fade in the winter months, and you’ll need to buy them over again. 

Enhance with plants

Growing vertically saves ground space, so use trellis to grow clematis, jasmine or rambling rose. You can also grow herbs and sun-loving veggies, such as tomatoes, chilli peppers, basil and strawberries in tall multi-pocketed containers.

If you have space, then a well-watered container garden with fresh carrots and runner beans is a cook’s dream. Bush roses, fuchsias and camellias are beautiful, sweet-smelling flowers that thrive on a patio if vegetables aren’t your thing.

Atmospheric lighting

Create the perfect atmosphere by investing in some soft lighting. Solar-powered is an ideal option, particularly to avoid dangerous trailing wires. Solar lights come in many different varieties to hang in branches, trellis, or around a table top. Richly coloured Moroccan lanterns are soothing on a summer’s evening, especially if you use insect-repelling citrus candles.

For brighter options, a qualified electrician can install power and down-lighters.

The finishing touches

Complete your seating area with an awning to protect against the rain, or a patio heater for warmth in unstable weather. Alternatively add a chiminea or fire pit for a stylish focal point.

To encourage wildlife into your garden, accessorise with a bird feeder or a bird-box. A container of wild meadow flowers to attract beautiful butterflies, and a tinkling, relaxing water feature will add atmosphere.

If there is space, consider a barbeque or an outdoor kitchen with storage, ideal for feeding the family and entertaining friends.  

Planning your patio to an easy to use and attractive space is worth the time and money invested.

A useable patio creates an extra room in your home, which is a great selling point should the time come, when you want to sell your property. 

(source link: http://www.realhomesmagazine.co.uk/rooms-gardens/gardens-terraces/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-patio)

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A garden for entertaining

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Following a lengthy house renovation project, Clive Francis and Caroline Illingworth turned their attention to their uninspiring garden, transforming it into a stylish outdoor entertaining space.

Fact file The owners: Clive Francis (right), a company director, lives here with is partner Caroline Illingworth, a hospice nurse and bereavement counsellor. The property: A 19th-century, five-bedroom former mill owner's house, set in a third of an acre. The location: Harrogate  North Yorkshire What they spent: The couple’s garden redesign project cost around £45,000

When we started looking for a house to renovate in 2009, a large garden was top of the wishlist,’ says Clive. ‘In fact, I’d say the garden was as important to myself and Caroline as the house.’

The couple found a period property on the outskirts of Harrogate that stood in a third of an acre, surrounded by school sports fields and countryside. ‘The garden was only a lawn with borders, but it was private, with a high beech hedge and lots of mature trees,’ says Clive. ‘We could see the potential to create a series of outdoor rooms rather than leaving it as an ordinary garden.’

For two-and-a-half years the couple did nothing with the space while they completed the renovation of the house. ‘After the builders had used diggers to create the foundations for their extension, the garden was completely devastated,’ recalls Clive.

The design

In November 2011, Clive and Caroline began their garden project. First, the builders laid a path and wide patio round the house, providing a dry area ready for work to start on the landscaping. It took two months to complete the paving, which includes a small area of Yorkshire flagstones reclaimed from the garden and larger areas of Raj Green Indian stone. The basic paving was finished by January, then there was a six-week gap before work on the rest of the garden could begin.

Clive and Caroline asked local company Garden It to landscape the site based on a design created by Julia Kelly of Garden Therapy. Their wishlist included features such as:

• raised vegetable beds
• a wildlife pond
• a large outdoor shed where Clive and his friends could watch sport
• an outdoor cooking facilities, including a spit roast and a paella stand
• a fire pit in the middle of the garden

‘We have seven children between us, and when they bring round their friends we soon have enough people for a party,’ says Clive. ‘Nothing beats eating outdoors during a great English summer.’

The levels of the garden were dictated by the footings of the extensions to the house. The property is on aflood plain, which meant the internal floors had to remain on the same level as the garden, so the soil was pushed back and retained by a low stone wall to create the wide patio, with steps up to the lawns, pond area and decking. This worked out well because the doors can now be opened straight onto the patio, making it seem like one big room, inside and out.

The garden redesign took six months to complete, which was longer than Clive had first anticipated. ‘A lot of work went into the preparation,’ he says. ‘It was stressful at the time but you soon forget that when you are out there enjoying the results.’

Creating the perfect garden

One of the first jobs was to dig trenches for the land drains, which prevent waterlogging in poor weather. The pad base was created for the shed and the hardcore laid for the paths. The pond was then excavated and the good soil piled up behind it ready for a feature rockery, which hides the gravity-fed filtration system.

An area was dug out for the fire pit, decking was laid across the back of the garden for sun loungers, and the flowerbeds were dug over ready for planting. Garden It also built the circular stone pillar topped with a huge cast-iron paella pan, which is run on bottled gas. As the pan is too large to fit into a sink and takes two people to carry it, it is usually washed down in situ and oiled to season it and prevent it from going rusty. A hot water supply was also connected to a reclaimed sink next to the barbecue and the water can be turned off with a stop cock to prevent the pipes freezing up in winter.

Although the west-facing garden was designed to be a sociable, outdoor space, Clive and Caroline wanted to introduce colour with flowers, mixed grasses and small shrubs, as well as having vegetable beds to grow their own produce. ‘Once the plants were in and the grass was down the garden was completely transformed,’ says Clive. ‘It already looked quite established because of the mature boundary hedge and the four huge trees, which were here when we bought the house, but the greenery pulled everything together.’

With the fundamentals in place, the couple started to add the finishing touches. The spit roast was made by a friend from a mangle found by Clive and a motor large enough to be able to turn a whole lamb.

Garden It built two glass and stone cold frames by the garage along with a covered log store. Clive bought two large waterproof storage boxes to store away the soft furnishings in bad weather, and sourced a mirror for the end of the garden path, which Garden It set into breeze blocks and Clive painted. ‘I liked the idea of making the garden look as though it extended through the hedge,’ he says.

‘We’ve achieved exactly what we wanted with the new design and it has more than lived up to expectations,’ Clive adds. ‘The only things we might have done differently would be to have more vegetable beds, and to have built an outside toilet near the shed, but those small things aside, we have everything we could have wished for. The Garden It team did a fantastic job – after renovating the house we had almost run out of steam, but the garden has definitely been the icing on the cake.’

(source link:  http://www.realhomesmagazine.co.uk/rooms-gardens/gardens-terraces/garden-for-entertaining)

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10 updates for your outside space

Bring style and comfort to your garden this summer with these great design ideas and updates.

1. Replace your barbeque

The new outdoor ovens allow you to barbecue as well as bake, cook pizza, roast and grill, or can be used simply to generate heat on a cold evening.

2. Add a rug

‘A simple and easy way to update your outdoor space is with a colourful outdoor rug,’ says Susan Heeger, garden and interior design specialist. ‘As with indoors, a rug outside will encourage guests into a space, draw furniture into groups and offer feet an alternative to bare ground.’

3. Invest in statement seating

Garden furniture is very style-focused this year, reflecting the trend for making the garden an extension of everyday living.

4. Prepare to party

‘Create an exotic feel with hot, tropical tones – whether a planting scheme or a brightly coloured parasol and a scattering of lanterns,’ says Joanna Bolt, head of trends at Homebase and Argos. ‘It’s a great, energising look for barbecues with friends.’ Design a party zone with coloured sheets pegged on lines across the garden, scatter multicoloured lights from trees and hang fairy lights on bushes.

5. Plan zoned areas

Decking is an effective way to separate areas in a garden. ‘Consider where the sun will be throughout the day and whether your deck will be sheltered from wind by walls, fences or buildings,’ says Zoe Lewis of timber specialist Richard Burbidge. ‘Size is also important to consider. Over-sized decking can look out of place in a compact outdoor space, while small decked areas in large grounds can also be incongruous. If using your deck for dining, ensure it is big enough for your furniture. A balustrade helps define a deck, giving the impression of an outdoor room.’

6. Feature a fireplace

‘To really create the feeling of an outdoor living room, add a garden fireplace or chimenea as the centrepiece of your entertaining space,’ says Kate Mooney, founder of Occa-Home. Gone are the days of shivering outside wrapped up in blankets, scarves and socks. Outdoor heating has gone sophisticated, and many of the latest new-look styles can also be used indoors – ideal for warming up a conservatory.

7. Hang wall art

A great way to bring personal style to your outside space, wall art comes in many different styles, materials and designs to choose from.

8. Escape to the shade

At times, a parasol isn’t enough to shade you from the sun, or provide cover during a downpour. ‘A contemporary-style arbour will make a real statement in your garden,’ says Joanna Bolt, ‘especially one of the new slatted designs (shown), which allow you to choose how much sun or shade you want, and where you want it.'

9. Create holiday ambience

Design a stylish outdoor scheme with all things Moroccan – one of summer’s hottest trends. For the finishing touches? ‘Team with ikat cushions and metal laser-cut lanterns for the right vibe,’ says Steve Rowe, head of design at Tesco. Bring it all together with one of the best new trends – the outdoor bar!

10. Focus on lighting

‘Light chains, table lights and ground sticks will add atmosphere and colour to your space – the perfect evening look for a large garden,’ says Gemma Arranz, country communication and interior design manager at Ikea UK and Ireland. A lighting scheme will enhance your garden’s best features. Sharon Elalouf from Ash Design London interior designers, says: ‘Spotlights at ground level, and uplights into trees and shrubs, always add a glamorous, luxurious feel.’

AND

Canopy is the one of best item for garden party or barbeque!

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(source link:  http://www.realhomesmagazine.co.uk/decorating/decorating-ideas/10-outside-space-updates)

Gardening leave: How to have the perfect garden furniture

Now that Summer is finally here, we’re spending more time in the Cosy Home garden and enjoying the benefits of all our hard work. The weather’s warm enough to start spending our coffee breaks outside with a cup of tea, as well as eat meals outside, so our garden furniture is now out and back in use. If you’ve not used your furniture since last summer and it’s looking a bit tired and worse for wear, here are some ideas for tidying it up and giving it a new lease of life.

Cleaning and repairing

If your garden furniture has spent the winter under cover, get it out and inspect it. Teak furniture will probably need a good brush off with a stiff brush, and possibly a wipe down with warm water and washing up liquid to remove any bird stains or dirt that was missed in the winter. Clean any hinges and oil them, as well.

Clean metal furniture with a scrubbing brush and soap and water. Inspect it carefully for rust spots, and if you find any remove them with a wire brush and re-paint the area so the damage doesn’t spread. If you find several areas of rust, it might be time to re-paint completely. Wash the furniture and remove all the rust before applying a rust inhibiting undercoat, then the top coat of your choice. We love Farrow and Ball’s muted colour range.

Farrow and ball paints

Canvas deckchairs and parasols should have been put away clean at the end of last year, but don’t panic if you forgot. Use the vacuum on a low setting to remove any cobwebs, then brush with a stiff brush to remove loose dirt. Spots and stains can be sponged with warm water and washing up liquid, and allowed to dry. Some fabrics are designed to be completely removed and washed in a washing machine, but do check care labels first.

If the parasol or chair was put away damp or stored in a damp location over the winter, it might have mildew spots when you get it out again. For non-washable canvas, dissolve 60g of borax in 500ml of hot water. Put on some rubber gloves, soak a sponge or cloth in the liquid and rub at the marks. If you can’t find borox, you can get borax substitutes in most pharmacies and some supermarkets.

Finally, adding new cushions gives furniture a new lease of life and is cheaper than replacing it. We love:

Weather resistant garden seat cushions, Lily Matthews

Weather resistant garden cushions

These seat pad cushions come in a range of styles and colours, and are made from fabric engineered for use on yachts. Stain resistant, you can simply shake them dry if they get wet. £35 each from Oscar and Eve.

Outdoor cushions, Delightful living

Outdoor cushions

These cushions are made in Wales from recycled wool from the tweed industry, and feature a hard wearing waterproof fabric backing and a large loop for easy carrying and storing. These are ideal for stopping you getting damp if your furniture isn’t quite dry, but don’t forget to whisk them inside if it rains! £22 each, available from Delightful Living.

New garden furniture

If you decide your existing furniture is past saving or you just fancy a change, there are lots of options on the market.

Harrison table and chairs set, Alium

Harrison set by Alium

This budget set by Alium is great value, retailing at £149.99 (was £209.99). Made from sturdy cast aluminium, it’s lightweight, durable and low maintenance. Ideal for smaller gardens, it’s available from Alium.

Chastleton bench, Mobius Living

Chastleton bench

This beautiful reclaimed teak bench isn’t cheap at £525, but it’s an investment that’ll give you please in your garden for years to come. Available from Mobius Living.

Primrose chair, Oliver Bonas

Primrose chair

This quirky little chair comes in various different colours or with a matching table, and will add an individual note to a cottage garden. £59, available from Oliver Bonas

(source link: http://www.cosyhomeblog.com/2014/06/gardening-leave-how-to-have-the-perfect-garden-furniture/)

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