We dream about one day having a bit of land (or at least a backyard!) where we could put up a little shed or tiny house and turn it into our own private getaway: studio space, perhaps, or an office; a reading room, or maybe a guest house. Some place "other." We think it's important to have a place of your own, and it's even better if you've truly made it your own by building, renovating, or converting an outdoor space into something personal and useful. Have you done this?
It’s almost that time of year again. Time to bring out your grill tools, pull out your picnic baskets and grab the bug spray. As our days grow longer and there’s more daylight to enjoy, the best place to spend your spring and summer is in your outdoor room. It's one if the things I like most about the seasons.
Here are some ideas to dress up your outdoor venue. Make it your own. Notice how far lanterns, fabric and flowers go. Thanks again for your prayer for my father in law. No answers, but it was good to see him joke and sleep better today.
Outdoor living spaces remain essential. and are amenities that most homebuyers and renters require when selecting a place to live, according to judges for the Best in American Living Awards.
Ideas to help patio gardens look polished and planned
Containers overflowing with flowers, herbs, grasses and vegetables can transform balconies and porches into green and leafy garden retreats.
As summer beckons, many gardeners will now be deciding which patio plants to feature in their scheme, And there's a lot of choices.
The perfect summer container plant should be long-flowering and disease-resistant
After months of cooler (or, downright cold) temperatures, I can't wait to break out with my outdoor patio decorations for the warmer season. But, though spring is definitely upon us, the evenings can still be a bit too cool to linger. While sidewalk restaurants can call on portable heaters, they're still on the more cost-prohibitive side. (And not exactly pretty to look at.) The better option: A backyard fire pit, which adds warmth, light and atmosphere to any outdoor area.
A batik-print umbrella and oversize woven furniture make a simple but stylish statement. A ceramic garden stool creates a space-saving side table on the petite patio.
Coastal blues and greens—from cozy pillows to a graphic rug—create a lively color scheme for this outdoor room. Two oversize hanging swings offer a scenic spot for an afternoon nap.
No other room offers the feng shui potential that the outdoor room does. When it comes to feng shui, no other room can compare to this particular room.
A dining nest or outdoor room doesn't have to be a grand affair. A simple table and chairs, a small draping of blue, and walls on two sides create a quiet, contemplative spot for morning coffee and afternoon tea.
Just because you don’t have a good offer space in your outside garden, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy beautiful garden design. It simply means that you have to rethink your garden decorating scheme to accommodate a more compact scale. No matter what size outside space you have, you can create a beautiful oasis to enjoy throughout the seasons.
As the relaxation place, this outdoor decor metal swing design will relaxes your body trough the comfortable and the fantastic design of the swing. Use the half round shape, the swing was use the whole color combination to coloring the curtain of the swing. Complete with the portable cushions, we can use this swing for our patio or terrace. The abstract combination of the color will give a retro atmosphere for our space. This colorful outdoor canopy swing was complete with the small additional decoration to beautify surround space of the swing. The metal material combine with the soft fabric of the curtain and the cushion was making us like to stay longer in this space. The bed chair also uses the soft fabric so that the whole decoration was complete for you now. The special decoration was the artificial plants that can place in the bottom of the swing as the supporting accessories. Inspired from the energetic generation you can try to apply these patio decorations ideas. [more]
Patios and decks are extensions of the home. As such, patio and deck design requires patio and deck accessories to make these spaces as livable as any indoor rooms. Deck and patio accessories enhance patio and deck design. Deck and patio accessories also make great gift ideas. Are you shopping for folks who need to upgrade their patio and deck design? Why not buy them patio and deck accessories? You may be able to provide them with just the piece needed to round off their patio or deck designs
Patio furniture and accessories are as integral towards the style and function of the residence because the furniture found within your living or household space. Thankfully, should you adequately tend them; patios, porches, and also balconies can be a virtual extension of one’s house. Generating a location exactly where the outside and inside are as 1, is created doable by working with folding doors, French doors, and sliders. Possibly that’s the cause outside furnishings have begun to appear so stylish lately. The occasions of bulky wood furniture that resemble one thing produced in a tenth grade shop class are long gone.
The Beddows bought their Adirondack chairs unfinished and had them painted to match the roof. Similar ones are available from L.L. Bean (chair $169, footrest $79).
For the table, the couple fitted a 19-inch-high glazed container (similar from $50) with a 20-inch-diameter tempered-glass top ($30; Pier 1). Small silicone pads cushion the glass.
Left behind by the property’s previous owner, rusted iron lanterns from Asia sit atop concrete pillars near the deck.
For similar lanterns, check import stores, or try the more contemporary Seasons lanterns of perforated powder-coated steel from Rios Clementi Hale Studios, available in four colors and three sizes (from $50; notneutral.com).
Instead of stairs, a three-level deck steps up to the front door of this traditional (raised) Hawaiian post-and-pier-house, located on the island of Oahu.
The deck is built of ironwood using Tiger Deck construction (instead of nails, boards are hammered into metal “tiger claws”). Owners Chris and Mary Beddow keep it looking new with occasional applications of a hardwood oil called Penofin.
Hillside lots are a common challenge in the West. Flat outdoor areas for sitting, entertaining, and relaxing become precious commodities.
A deck at the top of this sloping backyard transformed the space into an inviting destination for taking in the view.
The rear edge of the 15- by 24-foot deck notches into the hill. A low retaining wall holds the uphill section in place and doubles as another bench seat.The dramatic transformation gives the garden an appealing sense of discovery and maximizes its potential.
This partly sheltered deck serves as an indoor-outdoor space connecting a family room with a patio. Classically simple, it is a great transitional element for nearly any style of ho
Rather than replacing it, he chose a cheaper, faster option: Cover it with bamboo fencing
Pro surfer Timmy Reyes, 27, spends his “work” days up in a plane or on the water, not at home in Costa Mesa, California. He needs a yard that can fend for itself for weeks at a stretch.
Design to the rescue: Easy-care patio accessories, plants and materials create a garden that can fend for itself for weeks at a stretch.
To protect them from sun and rain, designer Brooke Dietrich coated them with marine spar varnish.
Turn your patio into a secluded spot in the garden with privacy panels. Introduce the softness of fabric with drapery panels as seen here, if you have the structure to support it. Or build upright lattice panels that screen but don't block your view.
Create a shady oasis in the backyard with a canopy gazebo over your patio. Available at many price points, the structure can be as simple as a fold-away unit or as complex as a permanent feature with integrated planters at each corner. This lovely pavilion is the ideal spot for a conversation grouping or an outdoor dining area.
This spectacular fireplace and sunken outdoor living room were designed for the Chelsea Flower Show in England. The massive chimney wall, covered with panels of slate stone, defines the space.
To keep the fireplace from overwhelming the space, landscape designer Dean Herald pierced the structure with an aluminum-lined porthole that brings the garden behind into view.
Another aluminum-lined cutout holds firewood and offers an instant cue that this sculptural wall is in fact a fireplace.
Include a large market umbrella in your patio decor. Besides providing much-needed shade to an unprotected patio, it adds a nice vertical element to the usual horizontal lines of an outdoor room as well as bringing in color overhead.
Use a colorful and patterned outdoor decor and outdoor rugs to pull your patio furnishings together. The rug will liven up pavers, brick, or wood flooring, bring your color scheme down to the ground, and create a visual center for your outdoor room.
Add color and pattern to your patio with fabrics. "There's nothing like new pillows and cushions to change the whole mood of a place," says garden designer Jon Carloftis. "Outdoor fabrics no longer have to be plasticky and uncomfortable to withstand the weather." Toss in some patterned pillows with solids for a more dynamic look and include ottomans and floor pillows for ext
A wooden pergola shields this grand fireplace, which includes a rustic wooden mantel and an niche for storing wood. A collage of stones—large rectangles across the facade, narrow segments describing a flattened arch over the firebox, and mosaic tiles above the mantel—creates texture and visual interest.
To create a stone fireplace similar to this one, work with a stone and landscape supplier to choose quarried and cut stone in the best shapes and sizes for the project.
An outdoor wood-burning fireplace area that includes a grill, sink, and two niches for wood storage makes optimal use of limited patio space. Built from stone excavated from the property, the fireplace was carefully constructed to coordinate with the Craftsman bungalow style of the house.
A mortared stone outdoor fireplace at one end of this garden evokes a ruin from an old castle. Along with 30-inch-tall retaining walls, the fireplace serves as the architectural focal point for the patio, where twin settees and a pair of chairs welcome friends and family outdoors.
Although the fireplace can support simple cooking—toasting marshmallows or roasting hot dogs—its primary purpose is social, creating visual and physical warmth for the gathering spot.
"I like clean lines balanced by earth-toned materials and organic shapes," says landscape designer Jared Vermeil. The father of a toddler, Vermeil loves creating contemporary yet family-friendly outdoor rooms. As he says, "Modern can feel warm and comfortable too."
Open to the garden on two sides, this patio in Woodland Hills, California, has all the comforts of an indoor room. Owners Marla and Chuck O'Connell use it all year. "We gather friends and surfing buddies for wine and good conversation," Chuck says. Adds Marla, "We're outdoor people, living our fantasy."
A fireplace is the patio's focal point. The prefab box is framed in wood and capped with stone veneer.
Artificially “age” outdoor furniture: An old table with nicks and patina has character; it sets the stage for a relaxed space. “I wanted to create the beautifully aged look of an old zinc bar on the cheap,” says Barguiarena, who nailed sheet metal onto an old door and aged the metal with salt and vinegar.
Shop in hardware stores: A painter’s drop cloth makes strong, durable tent fabric. And plumbing pipes plus a part called a bell reducer make convincing table legs.
Keep it flexible: All but the pots are lightweight and can be moved easily, clearing the deck for another look or a different kind of party.
Mod Moroccan lounge: Spending secret
With patio accessories, go low budget. Kameon scooped up two of these yellow pots from a flea market for $30.
Pieces that set the tone for the whole garden―like the graphic rug on the previous page―might be worth allotting more money for.
"The buttoned-down look doesn’t suit the outdoors,” Barguiarena says. “People have more fun when the space is relaxed."
Resist overdecorating, and be spare with permanent outdoor accessories, she says. "Better to bring your indoor things outside to suit the occasion. It gives you more flexibility, and you’ll save money.”
Creating a colorful outdoor living room from an unruly yard can seem intimidating. But by breaking down the process into a series of manageable tasks, busy parents Trina and Mark Whiteley were able to refresh their small Palo Alto, CA deck.
Plant cuttings as outdoor decor
Cuttings from echeveria and Senecio radicans deck a fan palm’s trunk.
The shed office outdoor accessories
$1,395: Deck out the office. The number-one expenditure, the shed from the Home Depot was outfitted in Di’s quirky style with art—including a Spanish cross. The desktop inside is an old door.
$240: Repurpose. This tall chartreuse pot (left; rollinggreensnursery.com) was purchased for a client and intended as a fountain. But Di couldn’t make it water-tight, so she “gifted” it to her garden.
Other costs: Pushpin wallboards, $300; desk (old door), $30.
$200: Repaint for character. The ordinary picnic table and benches were used for a movie set. After the filming was over, Di bought them for a fraction of the original cost, then repainted them an unconventional turquoise.
$25: Decorate with plants. Chocolate brown Aeonium and orange Sedum are so stunning that you can get away with cheap pots.
$40: Shake up spray paint. Di bought white Moroccan lanterns at a Venice gift shop and spray-painted them bright orange. Similar ones available from casablancamarket.com
$220: Choose the inspiration piece. That’s what Di did when she selected the ceramic fountain (far right) from the Jungle Nursery (thejungle.biz). Its turquoise hue inspired her garden’s striking color scheme.
$100: You love it? The price is right? Buy it. Di had no idea how she was going to use the ceramic elephants (to left of fountain) when she saw them at a thrift shop. “But I knew they were just the right touch of whimsy.”
$10: Paint inexpensive pots. Between discarded pots and “wainscoting” a terra-cotta pot in blue, Di coughed up only $10.
$125: Ground the space. The turquoise-and-brown rug, made from recycled plastics, dresses up the garden. vivaterra.com
Other costs: Sofa linens, $40.
The outdoor decorating style is low and lounge-y with a modern edge and not an ounce of kitsch.
Design: Judy Kameon, Elysian Landscapes (213/380-3185)
Ottoman (coffee table and square cushion) from West Elm – $400
Frog rug from Dash & Albert – $280
Outdoor umbrella from Plain Air – $280
3 custom-made throw pillows from Plain Air – $300
2 banana-fiber floor cushions from Ikea – $60
Chartreuse lantern from Z Gallerie – $50
Hurricane lamp/ candle from Crate and Barrel – $27
Similar throw from Calypso Home – $50
2 yellow pots from a flea market – $30
Total: $1,477
Carefree and playful outdoor dining pavilion ($600)
The beauty of this design is its easy assembly and disassembly. Design: Stylist Jennifer Barguiarena
4 ceramic pots (30 inches) on sale from Jackalope Pottery – $334
4 bamboo poles and plastic pipe from a hardware store – $31
Canvas drop cloth and tent hardware from the Home Depot – $30
Sheet metal top from a supply company – $33
Folding chairs from eBay – $64
Old door (table top) – $0
Pipe table legs from a hardware store – $76
A dropcloth with a grommet at each corner forms the top; it’s attached with S-hooks to lag screw eyes at the top of each pole. Each pole is inserted into a 2-ft.-long plumbing pipe (2 inches in diameter), secured in the pot with gravel.
Total: $568
8 sea grass doormats on sale from Cost Plus World Market – $80
Umbrella/stand on sale from Out of Asia – $120
Container covers (tea crates, wooden barrel, and galvanized bucket) from flea markets and garage sales – $70
Small coffee table from a flea market – $15
Stylist’s own daybed/ mattress – $0
Pillows/pillow covers from garage sales – $12
TOTAL: $297
Today I’m hooked on porch swings. Several years ago my husband bought me one for Mother’s Day and it was one of my favorite gifts ever. There’s no nicer place to sit on a warm day, is there? Just the sight of one makes me want to grab a glass of lemonade, kick off my shoes, and relax a while. Patio Ideas
Designer Cindy Aplanalp wanted to create an outdoor space that matches the home's existing structure and accentuates its warm Mediterranean feel. Adjacent to the dining area, the outdoor kitchen is complete with a gas rotisserie grill, smoker, secondary gas burner and refrigerator -- ideal for preparing family meals or hosting parties, Cindy says.
