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 Outdoor living guy Mitch Dennis shows why outdoor
décor is so important and how to create how to create destinations
where people can migrate.
Kim T., stylist for the company Paradise Restored, recalls seeing
one property that had gray everywhere and said it lacked life.
Outdoor décor is important because it can brighten the space, giving
it a pamper me feeling. Décor can make a space look inviting so you
want to nestle in and stay a while like several samples Kim shows.
For those who enjoy cooking outdoors, some spaces have dishwashers,
garbage disposals or compactors, wine chillers, beer taps and
counter space.
As for décor, you can add lanterns, candles, and utensils in
addition to outdoor dishes, glassware and serving trays.
Kim says whatever is good for indoors can be duplicated outdoors.
Every new season, new outdoor items can be found online or in
stores. Waiting for midsummer sales can save you 30 to 40 percent on
décor.
For those who have backyard water features, lanterns can add color
at night. On waterspouts add cool planters.
By an outdoor pond, a rock or two can help provide a private
retreat.
If you have a pool, consider putting out a towel rack or basket full
of towels to add flair.
Just adding a few pieces can enhance water features.
As Dennis says, these examples show why décor is so important in
outdoor living spaces.
OUTDOOR LIVING
DECOR LAYOUT
To choose the best furniture for an outdoor oasis, Lauren Petroff
and Kai Ethier share several tips in “How to Design the Perfect
Outdoor Space.”
Ethier says first it is important to plan and lay out your space.
You should decide where you want your furniture, keeping in mind how
big it is.
Petroff says you need to know both the traffic flow and how you will
use the space. You need to know exactly where your seating will be
because once it is in, it’s not going anywhere.
Ethier says you consider the size of access and entry points into a
space to know whether you can get large furniture into the backyard.
Accessibility will dictate what furniture you can bring in.
Second is knowing how you will use your space and whether you will
be by a pool, dining or lounging. Think about how many will be using
the space most of the time. Do not just fill it up with furniture
for just one event.
Comfort is something to think about, so make sure the pieces you get
suit what you will use them for.
Third, find your style whether it be casual, modern or traditional.
With so many different styles, you consider your outdoor space the
same way you do your indoor space.
Decide whether to keep all one style and you can buy a set. You can
also mix and match pieces from different collections.
As Petroff says, outdoor furniture is not just folding chairs you
keep stacked in your garage and haul out every summer. There are
beautiful pieces you can leave out and enjoy for months.
Fourth, consider how to personalize your space. There are many
options for fabrics, textiles, colors and sizes for outdoor
furniture. Outdoor LED lights also have various color options.
Fifth, Petroff says when it comes to patio furniture, buy the best
you can afford. If you buy something cheap, there is a good chance
you will be replacing it. For instance, a chair made of hand-woven
rope is durable and can be left outside. Choose durable and weather
resistant materials that will last through both summer heat and
winter cold.
Find quick drying cushions so when they get wet, you can leave them
outside. Many fabrics are now sun and fade resistant too. High grade
leather with stainless steel arms is a good option for chairs. Good
quality wicker has a tight weave and weighs more.
Finding a place that sells outdoor pieces will help you see what is
available and let you choose what you need.
HOW TO DESIGN
THE PERFECT OUTDOOR SPACE If you
spend a lot of time entertaining outside, a side table will come in
handy. Though you can find them at many stores, you may want to try
making your own to save money.
The Tool Box Divas show how to make an outdoor side table in several
easy steps. They start with the top plate, then attach the second
level, leaving room for the legs on all four sides.
Next, they attach the legs after pre-drilling the screws.
The tabletop is made with 1 x 3 17-inch boards placed side by side.
Two 16 ½ inch boards under the top attach these boards.
Two more 17-inch boards attached to two of the legs act as leg
supports. A middle support beam will be attached between the legs.
This table can be made for just ten dollars by
following the steps shown at
$10 SIMPLE
OUTDOOR SIDE TABLE
For both comfort and relaxation outdoors, hammocks are a good
choice. Though there are many types of hammocks, one option for a
backyard oasis is a hammock pergola.
[to top of second column] |
 In Let’s Wing It, they show how to make a pergola
using 6 x 6 posts with supports, a quikrete mix, 2 x 8 support
beams, 4-inch drive screws
They provide simple step by step instructions for pre-drilling holes
for the bolts, making cuts for the rafters, using drill bits and
hammering the bolts through. The drive screws can be removed after
washers and nuts placed on the back side have been tightened.
Rafters need to be placed 12 inches apart with 4-inch drive screws.
Once the pergola is complete, you can attach the hammock.
For another nice touch, attach lights to the rafters.
DIY HAMMOCK
PERGOLA To add ambience and
transform your outdoor spaces for summer, use yard lanterns for
decoration.
Though there are many yard lanterns available, to save money, Katie
Bookser shows how easily lanterns light up your deck, patio or
porch.
One lantern is made using 26 pieces of balsa wood cut into 12-inch
strips.
Bookser marks a terra cotta pot base at one-inch intervals to place
the strips of wood. She uses hot glue to attach them to the pot and
puts a wood ring at the top. Decorative rope
or cord strips add another nice touch. A decorative wire wrapped
around the top provides a handle for the lantern. To light it up,
put in an LED light.
For the other lantern, Bookser wraps wire around the bottom of a
glass then makes wire rings. To make it easier, craft stores have
pre-made rings that can be used.
Hemp, rope or anything thin and easy to wrap, and the inner part of
an embroidery hoop are used to connect the rings. The rings are
glued to the hoop and rope wrapped around each ring. Bookser put
enough rings around the hoop to completely cover it.
Another layer of rings is attached to the first layer of rings by
wrapping rope around them and gluing the end. At the top is another
embroidery hoop attached to the rings with rope.
The whole lantern is set on top of a terracotta dish and a jar,
candle or light can be placed inside.
These lanterns are great for decorating a space for entertaining and
relaxing outside on summer evenings.
LIGHT UP YOUR
OUTDOOR SPACE WITH DIY LANTERN DECOR
Adding plants is a good way to complete your backyard
decor.
William Moss provides tips for dressing up a patio with flowers and
foliage.
Moss says multiples of the same size or various sized plant
containers perk up a patio with color. Packing the containers
tightly and grouping them by various sizes makes a nice focal point.
A second tip is to create a color theme by choosing colors to
complement your house, patio or outdoor furniture.
If you choose tones like reds, oranges and yellows, you can pick
marigolds, geraniums or lantanas.
For a more subdued look with cooler colors, Moss says to choose
purple petunias, lavender bacopa, the silver dusty miller or
towering blue salvia.
The third tip is to go low maintenance so you can spend time
relaxing and entertaining on your patio. Moss says to choose big
plants like succulents that do not need much care or water.
Succulents are also disease resistant and offer a lot of color and
texture.
The fourth tip is to plant for privacy, so you create a subdued
haven on your patio. That can be done with trees and shrubs planted
in large containers. Small trees and large shrubs like Junipers,
Cypresses, Lantanas and Hibiscus make great privacy screens and
provide beauty.
Moss says decorating a deck with flowers, foliage and even trees
will provide something nice to see every time you go outside.
HOW TO
DECORATE A DECK OR PATIO WITH FLOWERS
All these ideas can help turn your backyard into a
great place to spend time during the summer.
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