How to Create a Relaxed Outdoor Lounge Area

To create a relaxed outdoor lounge area, choose a spot with shade and a view, pick seating sized for the people you usually host, leave room to move around it, and finish the space with shade, soft furnishings and warm lighting. Get those five things right and your terrace becomes the room everyone heads to first, from a morning coffee to a long evening with friends.

This guide takes you through each step, with practical tips for Spanish terraces, patios and gardens. We use our Malibu range as an example throughout, because it lets you buy a complete set or build a lounge piece by piece.

Step 1: Where should an outdoor lounge go?

The best place for an outdoor lounge is the part of your terrace or garden you would naturally want to sit in at the times you are home. Before you think about furniture, spend a few days noticing how your outdoor space is used.

• Follow the shade: note where shade falls in the late afternoon and evening, when lounge areas are used most.
• Face the view: a sea view, the pool, the garden or the mountains give the space a natural focus.
• Stay close to the house: a lounge near the kitchen or living room door gets used far more than one at the end of the garden.
• Think about privacy: a corner sheltered from neighbours or the street feels more relaxing.
• Check the wind: on coastal terraces, a spot sheltered by a wall is far more comfortable on breezy days.

Step 2: How much seating do you need?

Buy seating for the number of people you host most often, not the biggest party of the year. Too much furniture makes a terrace feel cramped; too little leaves guests perching on steps.

Full details for each piece are on the product pages, or you can ask our showroom team.

Step 3: How do you lay out the lounge?

A good lounge layout is built around conversation: seats should face each other or angle towards a shared centre, usually the coffee table. Three layouts work on most Spanish terraces.

• The L-shape: a corner sofa tucked into the angle of two walls or railings, with the open side facing the view. Ideal for the Malibu Corner Sofa Set.
• The face-to-face: a sofa against the wall with seating opposite, across a coffee table. Works well with the 2 and 3 seat sets.
• The compact pair: a single two-seat sofa and a coffee table, perfect for apartment balconies.

Whichever you choose, leave 60 to 90cm of clear walking space around the furniture and keep doors, steps and the route to the pool clear.

Step 4: How do you add shade?

Shade is what makes a Spanish terrace usable through the middle of the day and in summer. Your options depend on budget and how permanent you want the solution to be.

• Parasols are flexible and affordable. Our parasols start at €269, and as a guide the canopy should extend around 60cm beyond your seating on each side.
• Bioclimatic pergolas create a permanent outdoor room with an adjustable aluminium slat roof. Our 3m × 3m model is €1,599 and our 3m × 4m model is €1,999, both delivered and assembled free of charge. See the pergola collection.
• Natural shade from a tree or the house itself is free. Use it if you have it.

Step 5: What makes a lounge feel relaxing?

Comfort and atmosphere are what make people stay. A few finishing touches make a big difference.

• An outdoor rug defines the lounge zone and makes it feel like a room. Choose one large enough for at least the front legs of every seat.
• Extra cushions and a throw make the space cosy on cooler autumn and winter evenings. Bring them indoors overnight.
• Plants such as olive trees, lavender, rosemary and ornamental grasses suit the Mediterranean climate and soften hard edges.
• Warm lighting at different heights, such as lanterns on the table and festoon lights above, makes the lounge inviting after dark.
• Somewhere to put a drink within easy reach of every seat. The Malibu Coffee Table is available on its own for €199.

How do you check the furniture will fit?

1. Measure the lounge area wall to wall or railing to railing.
2. Note doors that open outwards, steps and anything that needs clear access.
3. Take the dimensions from the product page or our showroom team.
4. Mark the footprint on the floor with masking tape or string.
5. Walk around it and sit where the seats would go to check it feels right.

Visit our showrooms

The best way to choose lounge furniture is to sit on it. Visit our showrooms to try the Malibu range and get layout advice from a team with more than 20 years of experience in outdoor furniture.

• San Javier: N-332, 81, 30730 San Javier, Murcia. Phone: +34 672 20 91 92
• Altea: Partida Cap-Blanch, 155, 03590 Altea, Alicante. Phone: +34 711 04 80 41

Frequently asked questions

How much space do I need for an outdoor lounge?

Allow for the footprint of the furniture plus 60 to 90cm of walking space around it. Check the dimensions on the product page before you buy.

What is the most affordable Malibu option?

The Malibu 2 Seat Sofa (€479) and Malibu Coffee Table (€199) can be bought individually. The most affordable complete set is the Malibu 2 Seat Sofa Set at €1,199.

Which Malibu set is best for entertaining?

The Malibu Corner Sofa Set (€1,599) offers the most seating in the range and suits L-shaped spaces.

Do you deliver across Spain?

We deliver to mainland Spain with our own two-person crew or by courier, and shipping is free on orders over €300. Courier deliveries do not include set-up.

Create your lounge

A relaxed outdoor lounge is one of the best ways to make the most of the Spanish climate. Explore the full Malibu range, or visit us in San Javier or Altea.