The great outdoors

T he Romans called this country Hibernia, the land of winter, and for good reason, says interior architect and designer Nigel Howard of Howard Kennedy Design International.

He created the Dylan Hotel’s boutique look and transformed its outdoor terrace by adding elements essential to any Irish outdoor space – a retractable canopy to keep the ever-present rain at bay, heaters, and Japanese tea room screens with white acrylic rain-resistant panels instead of the traditional paper to give shelter from the wind.

“It is important for our health and well being that we spend a portion of time outside,” he says. “In Ireland that requires a certain resourcefulness.” Howard suggests taking inspiration from the outdoor smoking rooms in bars and restaurants.

Wall-hung heaters, the kind you seen in bars and clubs, are the best option, says interior designer Gwen Kenny of Divine Design. This style can be purchased in most electrical wholesalers and builder suppliers and need to be installed by an electrician. They are expensive to operate, about 50 cent per hour, but if you install them onto a brick wall, the brick will conduct the heat and keep the space warmer for longer, giving you a bit more bang for your buck. Kenny installed a fire pit in her garden, something she doesn't recommend in an Irish climate. "To be honest, it's very smoky. Go for a chiminea instead. Their design funnels the smoke upwards, beyond eye level."

A more mobile heat option is achieved with an appliance using bio ethanol, a liquid fuel made from environmentally friendly materials such as sugar beet, corn and wheat. Modernists will love Bio Blaze, a range of moveable contemporary designs from La Martine Fireplaces.

Rain is a fact of Irish life. Electrical or manual-operated awnings will keep showers at bay. These can be purchased from O'Meara Camping (01-453 4070, omearacamping.com) and Awnings of Ireland (01-652 3014, awningsofireland.com) and can also be used to air-dry clothes. A polycarbonate roof structure is available from Italian brand Unopiu. Imported by Anne Hamilton of Fox Gardens, the collection will debut at Bloom garden festival in May.

Ambient lighting can also warm up the look of a space, be it a balcony, a city terrace or a larger patio. The brains behind Everleigh, a new nightclub evocative of a 1920s speakeasy, on Dublin’s Harcourt Street, is Anne-Marie O’Neill of O’Donnell O’Neill. She also masterminded the shabby chic vibe of the Vintage Cocktail Club, the polish of 37 Dawson Street, Odeon’s new face, and the stylish Belfast grande dame, The Merchant Hotel.

To add visual warmth at Everleigh she went for amber and pink lighting. You can do this at home by inserting LED lights into step treads and decking, or buy some lit-from-within garden accessories. UK-based website, Not On The High Street, has a selection of colour-changing LED lamps including a handbag shaped, table-top one. The Glow Company (glow.co.uk) sells LED tub chairs that will amp up the ambiance of your terrace or patio.

Furniture is a good way to add splashes of colour to the stone and brick mix, says Marion Keogh, who currently has a pop-up shop to the rear of Dublin’s Daintree Building on Camden Street. For her back garden she bought Fermob furniture from Formality at the Cowshed (01-280 8071, formalityonline.com).

Copan, a Mayan-themed superpub on Lower Rathmines Road, has made good use of colourful furniture in its smoking room. B&Q’s Blooma range or chairs, rockers and two-seat sofas are one of the chicest and cheapest ways to add interest in this way.