Having a dedicated outdoor space is a must for everyone. It allows for a peaceful retreat, an area for entertaining, and positively benefits both your physical and mental health. By extending your home’s living space to include a tranquil outdoor environment, you will be able to inhale the fresh air while boosting your health and happiness.

1. Start By Planning the Amenities that Fit Your Needs

Curating your outdoor retreat to fit the needs of you and your family will ensure that you reap the most benefits. Before thinking about the design, consider the function of your space and which amenities you would like most. Perhaps your outdoor living space includes…

• A garden

• A dining table for family dinners

• A cozy chair to sink into and read

• A grill for hosting BBQs

• A TV for entertaining

• A gazebo for socializing

• Or even a pool

The sky is the limit!

2. Select Furniture Designed to Last

Now, let’s talk about the design. Your large furniture pieces will come first, but before making your selections, it’s important to consider outdoor finishes and fabrics. Over time, furniture that is exposed to the seasonal elements can become faded, tarnished, or cracked. To help avoid this, it is important to choose your outdoor materials wisely.

For Fabrics: Acrylic, olefin, and polyester are a few great outdoor fabric choices. These fabrics contain finishes that are mold and mildew resistant, tough enough to avoid thinning and ripping, water resistant, and UV protected.

For Furnishings: Cast aluminum, steel, stone, concrete, and all-weather rattan are a few great outdoor furniture materials. All three are durable, timeless, and pretty low maintenance. Bonus: You can find some beautiful outdoor furniture options with all of these trusted materials.

3. Layer in Your Design Elements

When it comes to creating your outdoor living space, you can follow the same simple layering steps taken when decorating the inside of your home. Work from the ground up and large to small.

First, add your area rug, chairs and couches, a large umbrella, a table, and your light fixtures. Next, come the smaller details, like cushions, potted plants, a TV, a grill, etc. — and don't forget to add in areas for organization in your designs to help keep the clutter at bay.

Assemble the the design, style it, and you’re done!

Take the Next Step

As I sit in my own cozy outdoor living area writing my parting words to you, I will leave you with this: Being able to retreat to an aesthetically pleasing outdoor haven will lower stress levels and put a smile on your face.

As always, I'm here to answer any questions and to help in your design endeavors! Consider my Local or Online Design Services here! My “Pick My Brain” package is perfect for getting started.

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See y'all soon,
Celeste