If you are lucky enough to have your own green space, getting back to nature can be easier (and closer) than you think. Admittedly not exactly off-grid, but spending a few extra hours outdoors still has the welcoming effect of unplugging, especially if your wifi doesn’t stretch to the garden. Camping close to home is perfect for first-timers and young families, with the benefit of a few home comforts and your own toilet, and no hassle tackling new terrain.
While the sun is shining, lay out some blankets and cushions to lounge away the afternoon. A striped picnic blanket, €10 from Penneys, will set the scene. An ideally soft and comfortable place for games of backgammon or checkers in spill-proof cork, €60, from SUNNYLiFE.
Or how about watching a favourite movie under the stars? This portable projector from Harvey Norman (€949) has built-in Chromecast, so you can watch what you like, wherever you like. It also has a built in battery, so no pesky extension leads needed.
When it comes to summertime dinners, very little can compare to the satisfaction and tastiness of cooking on fire. Avoid the urge to head straight for the hob and try an alfresco cook-up care of the Berghoff Table Top BBQ, €149.95 available in Arnotts, with a handy heatproof cork base.
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Prep is made easy thanks to the Nomad Cooking Kit, €80, from Opinel with two foldable knives (one with a handy corkscrew attachment), a peeler, beechwood cutting board and microfibre dish towel.
As an alternative to the fridge, try a Yeti Roadie 24 Cooler, €229.99, found at The Green Room. It boasts the ability to keep ice frozen for days longer than the novelty of your garden bedroom will last.
There is something to be said for sleeping under the stars. For a glamping touch try taking your fresh linens and pillows from your bed. Now that summer is in full swing, sleeping bags aren’t strictly necessary but be sure to invest in an air-mattress like Dreamspell Double Air-Mattress, €99.95, Outwell. Or at the very least repurpose your yoga mat to save your back from the stony ground.
You can’t beat a canvas tent for shadow puppet fun come storytime. Try the Nordisk Ydun Technical Cotton Tent, €769.95, at Sports Fit, in a classic scouts shape that easily fits four adults.
Make sure you have plenty of firewood to hand as the long stretch in the evening comes to a close. Load up the Snow Peak Fireplace in Large, €210, available on Goodhood store online, and sharpen some sticks for melting sweet snacks for s’mores.
A few covetable interior pieces can convert even the most staunch anti-camper with quickly transferable gems such as these desert stools in cashmere and olive from Ferm Living, €99 each, at Nordic Nest. They are just as chic as a bedside table as they are beside the campfire.
Trendy cordless lamps like this one from Sostrene Grene, €6.98, also come into their own in the electricity-free areas of your home and garden. Now available to buy online, with delivery across the country on its new Irish webshop launched earlier this month.
With a bit of imagination and the right kit, a veritable wilderness wonderland can be created on your doorstep. Cast your eye over our curated selection of everything you need to make your garden feel like the great outdoors.
