The renowned British-Canadian designer and star on HGTV’s Love It or List It, Hilary Farr took to Instagram to showcase her beautiful backyard, and it looks like the most tranquil and calming space thanks to its minimalist design.
The home in Raleigh, North Carolina, gives us a glimpse into Farr’s modern garden and sleek design preferences, as demonstrated in her stylish backyard. Taking centre stage is an incredible pool, designed by Soake Pools, featuring elegant marble-paved edging in a natural tone.
Further in the background, the sophisticated backyard features a simple and angular outdoor sofa in a cream color, complete with a set of mismatching plush pillows. The overall look of the space is calming and refined, due to the understated nature of the furniture pieces and soft furnishings.
When keeping a space simple, it’s important to focus on the details by choosing furniture that is well-crafted and organic-looking to elevate the space, whilst ensuring the overall tone remains unfussy by design.
David Harris, design director at Andrew Martin, explains why minimalist-style furniture is a strong choice for outdoor settings, breaking the trend down to its two core advantages: aesthetic appeal and functionality:
‘Minimalistic furniture has a sleek and modern look, which is visually appealing and creates a calming atmosphere for entertaining. In outdoor settings, minimalistic furniture blends in with the natural environment and allows the beauty of nature to take center stage.’
This is reflected in Farr’s backyard: the furniture compliments the elements of greenery due to the natural color palette, something that is not guaranteed when opting for more abstract and bolder colors across backyard furniture.
Harris goes on to explain: ‘Minimalistic furniture is designed to be functional and practical, with a focus on simplicity and comfort. Outdoor furniture that is minimalistic often features clean lines, lightweight materials, and space-saving designs that make it easy to move around and store.’
David is the Design Director at global design brand, Andrew Martin. He specializes in weave, print, and wallpaper design to create unique designs and characterful home décor for the globally-admired interiors brand.
Melissa Read, Creative Director at Studio Burntwood shares her top tips for designing an outdoor space in a minimalist style:
'If you prefer a sleek and minimalist aesthetic indoors, continue that scheme outside by incorporating contemporary furniture and accessories to create a cohesive look. Consider the materials that can be seen externally. For example, if you have black Crittall or steel-framed doors that led out to the garden, that can be echoed outside by sourcing furniture with a contemporary metal frame or legs.'
'For a timeless color palette, decorating with neutrals is a must, which can be endlessly styled with accessories, which add pattern, texture, and color.'
Melissa Read attended the KLC School of Design in Chelsea before working at London's best-regarded interior design studios. She has worked with several private clients and property developers and designed flats in Chelsea, Belgravia, and Mayfair.
Shop Hilary Farr's look
If you’re looking to upgrade your backyard this summer in a chic and modern style, why not take inspiration from Farr and opt for minimally-designed pieces of furniture? Below, we’ve rounded up a selection of key pieces to help you replicate the natural look.
The Coronado Outdoor Sofa is minimally designed, with the frame built from all-weather aluminum to give long-lasting stability.
The Mesa Outdoor Pillow Cover is handwoven with a bold pattern and tassel embellishments.
The Conisbrough circular table in gray is designed for both indoor and outdoor use, featuring a weathered finish for a natural look.
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