This living room staple is set to be one of the coolest outdoor trends of the summer

Designers are bringing this Scandi storage system outside – so you can make a statement beyond your four walls

Open-shelving in the garden
(Image credit: String Furniture)
Megan Slack
By Megan Slack
published

2021 blurred the lines between indoor and outdoor living – but 2022 is set to dissolve the boundary entirely. 

The first trend of the year has revealed itself in the shape of open-shelving – the Scandinavian storage solution that has spent seasons at the peak of the interiors industry. However, this 2022, designers are taking it outside. 

According to experts, open shelving will be one of the most stylish garden trends of the year – but why are people taking these shelves outside? Here’s everything you need to know to get ahead of the Scandi-cool movement. 

Open-shelving in the garden

(Image credit: String Furniture)

What is the open shelving garden trend? 

Open shelving is known for its clean Nordic aesthetic – and its ability to showcase some of your favorite possessions to all who pass through your home. So, there is no reason why you can’t recreate that outside. 

The trend stems from the desire to merge indoor and outdoor living (a demand that has reshaped garden design ideas over previous years), but that is not the only factor responsible for the trend. 

Open-shelving in the garden

(Image credit: String Furniture)

According to Bo Hellberg, CMO at String Furniture, the outdoor open shelving trend coincides with the craving for multifunctionality – that is almost too stylish to be practical. 

The designer explains how open shelves have ‘different functions’ that work inside and outside the home. This leaves you with an ‘uncluttered and well-organized, almost Zen’ garden where ‘less is more.’ 

‘Essentially, minimalism continues, with decluttered [spaces] and a simplistic look with one or two materials, like wood or steel,’ Bo says. 

He adds that the right open shelf will ‘withstand any weather, so you have a natural place to keep your garden tools, pots, and other rough objects.’ And, perhaps most importantly, it will ‘make your garden furniture look modern with its Scandinavian design.’

Open-shelving in the garden

(Image credit: String Furniture)

However, String is not alone in their admiration of this Zen-like, Scandinavian staple. Dobbies similarly recognize the increasing interest in this combination of styles – noting that this ‘contemporary, minimalistic style’ will be one of the most exciting garden trends of 2022. 

‘[It’s] an organic yet sophisticated blend of Japanese and Scandinavian design, East meets West in this contemporary, minimalistic style,’ they say. A modern look that celebrates the simplicity of clean lines and beautiful shapes.

Open-shelving in the garden

(Image credit: String Furniture)

The garden center recommends paying further homage to the Zen trend by investing in ‘acers, orchids, bananas [and] buxus topiary and bonsai trees.’

Whether you have a large country space or a balcony garden that you want to extend into your home – this statement shelving is for you.  

Megan Slack
Megan Slack

Megan is the News and Trends Editor at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Gardeningetc, Livingetc, and Real Homes. As the News Editor, she often focuses on emerging microtrends, sleep and wellbeing stories, and celebrity-focused pieces. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants. 

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