Group outdoor seating in living room-style, then add one or two feature pot plants - a Christmassy poinsettia in white teamed with a couple of foliage plants always looks understated but elegant. Introduce a single feature colour to the scene as a highlight such as a brilliant blue used for both pots and bamboo flares.

And if you need a makeshift outdoor coffee table, how's this for an idea? Simply stack a few large, square pavers to make a base, then top with a jumbo-sized slab of paving, terrazzo or anything else you have available which is the right size for a tabletop.