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Published 14 April 2025 | Last Modified 29 May 2025 | Ellen Millard

How to Design a Modern Minimalist Garden

Clean lines, sleek silhouettes and a pared-back colour palette – the minimalist aesthetic is so often associated with interior design, but there’s no reason its core characteristics can’t lend themselves to outdoor spaces too. In fact, with tranquillity so often the desired effect of a garden, minimalist style and its calming connotations fit perfectly, giving al fresco areas a contemporary edge – even if your home is anything but. Follow our lead with this guide to designing a modern minimalist garden.

Keep it Simple


Nobody wants to cast their eyes over their garden and see a mounting ‘To Do’ list, which is why minimalism is the ideal outdoor aesthetic for those seeking a low-maintenance option. If you can, try to keep your greenery contained to plant pots and neat borders, which will not only keep your gardening to a minimum but will also help to create definition, adding a smart backdrop to a seating area or dining table. True minimalists will want to keep their palette clean and simple, and so treat nature as the opportunity to bring in a touch of colour – a verdant tree will add a lovely pop of green to an otherwise pared-back space. Minimalism is all about stripping back to the bare essentials, so, when it comes to furniture, select your pieces with practicality in mind – an all-weather dining table with comfortable chairs, for example, will work for both solo sunbathing and outdoor entertaining.

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Let Your Materials Take the Spotlight

Texture is key when it comes to adding warmth and interest to minimalist interiors, and the same goes for outside spaces too. With colour taking a backseat, materials are your go-to for creating character and personality. Think about the material types that already exist in your garden, and try to select furniture and accessories that add a pleasing contrast – if you have wooden decking, for example, why not spring for a metal or concrete-style seating arrangement? For those with paving stones, a wooden dining table and synthetic rattan chairs will make for a satisfying juxtaposition. Accessories, too, will help to create a layered effect – an indoor/outdoor rug in a jute-style weave will add texture underfoot, while stone planters or ceramic vases will create tactile appeal.

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Embrace Linear Styles

Clean lines are characteristic of minimalist style, so look for opportunities to weave these into your design. Favour boxy planters over curvaceous styles, seek rectangular or square dining tables over round, and look for coffee tables, seating or side tables with equally linear silhouettes. Our Pierre Coffee Table is perfect for this aesthetic; cast from hand-moulded concrete, it’s offers a smart and commanding look. Our Swanmore Range is also ideal for those seeking a linear style; the angular wooden frames and smooth teak wood make these pieces perfect for minimalist outdoor spaces.

Add Warmth with Lighting

As the sun begins to set on a day spent soaking up its rays, look to soft lighting to bring a practical and pretty glow. The right lighting has the power to give pared-back spaces a warm and cosy feel, so be sure to include this in your garden design plans. If you’re starting from scratch, built-in lighting can work wonders – but for those adding light to existing spaces, we’d recommend seeking wireless LED options for a soft (and portable) glow. Our Mini Grisewood Wireless Lamp and Shade is perfect for dining tables, coffee tables and side tables alike. For a more dramatic look, why not incorporate a few candles? The flicker of tealights across a tabletop or the inviting shine from a hurricane lamp will add the perfect finishing touch to your modern minimalist space.

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Author

Ellen Millard

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Date Published

14 April 2025

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Last Modified

29 May 2025

Category

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