Making the Most of Your Outdoor Space This Bank Holiday

With our fingers well and truly crossed for good weather this summer, we're dreaming about ways to spruce up the garden and bring the indoors out.

This summer, what better way to enjoy the outdoors than with an outdoor home cinema and homemade daybed!

Setting up your outdoor home cinema

There are really only two essential ingredients for this element of your summer night-in: a projector and a screen. An LCD projector that connects wirelessly to your phone or tablet is the first piece of equipment you'll need. 

Most locally-run Expert Electrical retailers offer a click & collect option, meaning you can browse and reserve online a projector that suits your budget.

If you live out the country, you may get away with not needing a screen for your movie (the less ambient light there is, the better). Depending on your home, of course, the back wall of the house might just do the job, but a screen is usually the best option. A few Irish electrical outlets sell them for under €100; if you're on a tight budget, a second-hand screen from a buy-and-sell group may be your best bet.

Got that sorted? Before you begin your bottomless scroll through Netflix, let us make a suggestion...

What to Watch: A Dog's Way Home

This one's a bit of a tear-jerker, but if you don't mind having a box of tissues on hand, it's a movie the whole family will enjoy. 

It tells the story of a pitbull-mix who becomes separated from her owner and makes a 650km journey across Colorado State to try and find them again. 

If you've watched and liked other movies in this franchise, such as A Dog's Purpose, then you'll probably love this one too.

Where to stream: Netflix.

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Now all you need is somewhere to put your feet up while you enjoy the movie...

Making Your Own Daybed

Daybeds were one of the biggest homestyle trends of 2020. Stylish and uber-comfortable, a daybed can really take the cosiness of your back garden to the next level. A decent-sized daybed from a homeware store could set you back almost a grand, but thankfully there's plenty of online guides and tutorials on how to make your own with minimal supplies and expense. 

You can find tons of DIY ideas on this gardening website — from swinging and canopy daybeds to spacious sectionals, they have instructions on how to make them all. 

Of course, we can't forget about the infamous Irish summer! Be sure to pick up a water-resistant cover or tarpaulin, which can be found at most good local DIY stores. 

Don't forget to support local businesses where and when you can! Suggestions for electrical, homeware, and hardware stores near you can be found in the Shopping section of the Xplore Local app and website.