How to Create an Outdoor Cinema in Your Garden

Now that the sun is setting earlier in the evening but the temperatures are still high after dark, it’s the perfect time to turn your garden into a pop-up cinema! Whether you want to relax with your favourite film and a bottle of wine, have a party with friends or get ready for the new football season, follow our top tips to transform your garden into an outdoor cinema! 

Step 1: Location, Location, Location

The first step is to decide where the screen will be, choose a location that doesn’t face west to avoid the setting sun shining on it, and avoid areas of your garden that are affected by streetlights or lights from the windows of your house. 

If your garden is small or overlooked by neighbours try to place the screen in a location that won’t be seen or annoy the neighbours – think about noise as well as visibility. 

Step 2: Choose the Best Screen for You 

A screen can be as simple as a bed sheet or a painted wall, but if you want to be more professional you can use white black out fabric, a roller blind or invest in an inflatable screen! The most important thing is that the screen is flat, doesn’t have creases and won’t move in the wind. A great way to achieve this is to either attach a roller screen to a pergola that can be clipped at the bottom, or attach hooks to a frame so that you can clip in your screen. 

Step 3: Set the Scene

If you’re settling in for a great movie or for the big game, you need comfortable seats! Built in seating with removable cushions are a great year-round option, large L shaped sofa seating built into a pergola looks smart, modern and is made bespoke to your garden. Pergolas also provide shading for your screen and can be decorated with climbing plants and fairy lights to create a great ambience. 

Step 4: Plug In and Play

Now all that’s needed are a projector and speakers – we’re a carpentry and landscaping company so we won’t be recommending your AV equipment, look online at tech blogs and reviews – here’s a handy guide by The Telegraph! 

Would you love to transform your garden into an outdoor cinema? We build bespoke pergolas, seating, summerhouses and more designed to make the most of your garden. Get in touch for a free quote today!