How To Get Your Outdoor Space Ready For The Dubai Winter Season, According To Design Experts

There’s something about Dubai’s cooler months that makes outdoor living especially appealing. Terraces become dining rooms, gardens turn into gathering places and even a once-overlooked corner can become a favourite spot at home. As temperatures ease and people head outdoors again, giving outdoor spaces the same thoughtful attention to furniture, materials and lighting as interiors can make all the difference.

With Dubai Home Festival (DHF) 2026 running until 1 November under the theme ‘MAKE DUBAI HOME’, we asked interior designers and architectural experts taking part in INDEX Exhibition, DHF’s industry and design partner, how they approach the season: where to start, what to buy and what to leave out.

 

Start with how you will use it, not what you want to buy

The most successful outdoor spaces start with a question of function rather than furniture. Is the balcony somewhere to enjoy a quiet breakfast, a terrace for long dinners with friends or a shaded corner to read at the end of the day?

“A four-square-metre balcony can be a breakfast nook or a dining room, but it can’t really be both,” Vijay Nambiar, Founder & Creative Director at The Soch Collective, says. “Pick the one use you will come back to every day and let the layout follow it.”

“It is a sound rule for small spaces in particular, where fewer, better pieces tend to beat a full set. For compact balconies, a bistro table and two well-proportioned chairs may be all that is needed. A narrow bench can provide seating without taking up too much floor space, while a side table gives a book, coffee or evening drink its own place. In a larger terrace, a separate dining and lounging area can work well, provided there is enough room to move comfortably between them.” he added.

Indigo Living’s Design Studio offers complimentary consultations, while its showrooms on Al Wasl Road and in Dubai Hills Mall have furniture and décor at 25 to 55 per cent off during the festival. For further inspiration, Dimora at Art of Living is offering 25 to 45 per cent off all products, giving residents more ways to find pieces that suit different spaces.

 

Choose materials that can handle the sun

Looking towards 2027, woven finishes, rope detailing, natural-looking timber and rounded forms offer a softer alternative to hard-edged silhouettes and cool, industrial palettes. Sand, olive, terracotta and warm brown bring warmth to an outdoor space, while mixing wood, wicker and metal keeps the look from feeling too coordinated.

Rakan Jandali, Design Principal & Creative Director, KCA, points out that the best-looking terraces are the ones that still look good at the end of summer. Talking about the sturdiness and resilience of decorative pieces, he mentions that powder-coated aluminium, teak, rattan-effect weave, and solution-dyed fabrics tolerate heat, humidity and dust far better than indoor pieces moved outdoors.

“The interest is in the mix. A woven chair, a simple timber table, and a cushion in a warm, muted shade can provide enough contrast to make a space feel thoughtfully planned. You do not need every piece to come from the same collection,” says Jandali.

Chattels & More has arrived at the same conclusion with Alfresco, its first outdoor collection: a full range of seating, dining and side tables, sun loungers, parasols, lanterns and outdoor carpets inspired by long Italian lunches.

For those furnishing a larger space, United Furniture has 30 to 70 per cent off through its Home Festival sale, and Ace has marked down wicker pieces, including a large round wicker bed at AED 3,749, down from AED 4,999.

 

Layer the space as you would a living room

“Think about the relationship between the room and the balcony. You do not have to repeat the exact colours, but carrying a material or shade from indoors to outdoors helps the two spaces feel connected. Then use cushions, rugs and smaller accessories to give the outdoor area its own character,” says Nambiar.

During DHF, Zara Home has cushion covers at AED 199 and towels at AED 79 for the festival, while The White Company’s Dubai Mall store has furniture at 25 to 50 per cent off for those who want that quieter, textured palette to carry through from inside. Selected carpets are half-price at Al Salem Carpets and Merinos and would help add sophistication to the exterior design.

 

Make room for plants and warm lighting

Dubai evenings are back in focus, especially now that the weather is turning cooler and people are spending more time outdoors. Speaking of creating a cosy setting, Neeshay Nouman, Founder & Creative Director, The Niche Corner, says the most common mistake is a single overhead light. Instead, lighting should come from several low sources: lanterns, string lights and candles at table height. “Warm light at eye level or below is what makes a space feel intimate,” Nouman says. “Anything harsh and bright and you may as well be sitting in a car park.”

For the perfect lighting, Lifestyle is offering lanterns for AED 5, and a home fragrance offer of Buy 4 Get 3 Free at AED 196 for seven candles and reed diffusers. Flying Tiger not only has tealight holders for AED 5 but also stoneware bowls that would complement the outdoor setup.

Once the layout and furniture are in place, it’s time to turn your attention to greenery. Plants help soften the architectural lines of outdoor spaces and introduce colour and connection to the landscape. Nouman also mentions that grouping plants at different heights can create depth and help define individual zones.

With its Alfresco range, Chattels and More has introduced a variety of planters to suit every need, whether you’re opting for vertical planting, railing planters or making space for bigger ones.

 

Design the outdoor kitchen and table

Outdoor dining is one of the pleasures of Dubai’s cooler months, and the right table can make even a small balcony feel like an extension of the home. A bistro set is an easy fit for tighter spaces, while a larger terrace has room for a dining table that can accommodate family and friends.

“An outdoor dining area doesn’t need much to make it work. Comfortable chairs, a table that fits the space and good lighting can be enough. If you entertain often, it’s worth thinking about how you’ll serve food and where everyone will sit before choosing the furniture,” says Amy Mill, Founder, Custom No. 9.

Adventure HQ has everything from outdoor cooking equipment to camping gear and accessories for weekends spent in the open air. Its stores at JBR, Times Square Centre, and City Centre Mirdif are also offering 25 per cent off selected Weber barbecue products.

As the weather cools down, balconies, terraces and gardens become a bigger part of daily life in Dubai, offering more opportunities to dine outdoors, entertain friends or simply enjoy a little fresh air at home. The city’s wider design community has a role to play in shaping these spaces, too. Taking place from 1–3 June 2027 at Dubai World Trade Centre, INDEX brings together furniture, fabrics, surfaces, smart automation and industry expertise, connecting designers, buyers and businesses with the products and ideas shaping the region’s interiors market.

Dubai Home Festival 2026 is supported by the Key Sponsor, Commercial Bank of Dubai, and Strategic Partners, including Al Futtaim Malls (Dubai Festival City Mall & Festival Plaza), Dubai Holding (Ibn Battuta and Palm Jumeirah Mall), and Majid Al Futtaim (City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, and Mall of the Emirates).

For more information, visit the Dubai Home Festival website and follow @DubaiFestivals on Instagram and TikTok.