It is officially the time of year when the living space within your home can spill into the great outdoors. This new found living space provides the perfect setting for design styles that you are hesitant to try indoors. Go colorful, go modern or go romantic for a change.Set the mood for your outdoor oasis with an outdoor rug. This will define the space as a room rather than a mere patio with patio furnishings. The rug will anchor the furnishings as well as provide a soft surface for bare summer-time feet.
If your patio furnishings are solid, go a bit crazy with your rug. This is where color and bold pattern can reign. If you opted for pattern on your furnishings, solids and stripes are the best option. Typical patio seating sets generally come with a sofa, a table and one or two chairs. This grouping makes it easy to create a conversation area by arranging the seating so that guests face each other. Add a bench with pillows for additional interest.
If you haven’t purchased your outdoor furniture yet, think beyond the obvious. There are some amazing outdoor sectionals out there and oversized ottomans that mimic an indoor look.
End tables and cocktail tables will help make the space more practical as a living area. Since outdoor entertaining always involves good food and drinks, structure your tables so that your guest won’t have to use their lap as a table or have to use the ground for their drinks.
When you have your space defined, your next step is to create walls. This might require a bit of imagination as compared to the drywall of interior space. Planters, an arbor or tall container arborvitaes are excellent starts, A fountain or iron sculpture increases the dimension and interest. The goal is simply to create the feel of privacy from passing cars and pedestrians. An outdoor fireplace can be used as a focal point in your new found room just as it is indoors.
Since good parties tend to see the wee hours, consider lighting sources. Just as in the indoor living space, you will have your best results when ambient lighting is planned in addition to functional lighting. Solar-powered accent lights are easy to install along the edge of a patio, don’t require wiring and have come a long way from the weak glow that they originally offered. Tiki torches are inexpensive and set a fun, romantic mood compliments of the flickering flame.
