Ahhhhh, finally the time of year is upon us, the reason we live here: Spring! Although this season is short lived, when the sun goes down, even when we hit the triple digits, it’s all about living outside, more specifically our backyards.
When designing backyard rooms, apply the same decorating sense as you use indoors. Create an extension of your interior: inviting and comfortable.
Patio furniture should serve two basic functions. The first is a dining area. This area should consist of an amply-sized dining table and enough chairs to sit your immediate family members. If you are an avid entertainer, and prefer sit down dinners as opposed to buffet style, make sure to add extra seating when planning this area.
There are many beautiful patio furniture designs to choose from. Table tops are available in slate and travertine tile, poured and stamped concrete, and artistic weathered copper, to name a few. Teak table and chair ensembles are making a come back as well, but are best suited for covered areas. Dining chairs run the gamut from easily maintained sling styles (good choices if you need a surface that dries quickly after a dip in the pool) to more luxurious, deeply cushioned selections. There are also a multitude of fabric colors and patterns to decide on. Beautiful color combinations that suit our Southwest landscape are terracotta clay, sage green and ochre yellow. More monochromatic palettes are available as well. Choose stripes for a classic look or more ethnic pattern for an exotic look.
Outdoor dining rooms don’t have to merely consist of just a table and chairs. A baker’s rack can act as a server or simply a nice place to display your weather-resistant, decorative accessories. A console table can be set up as a dry bar at night and can hold storage baskets of pool towels by day.
The second basic function of patio furniture is a recreational seating area. These can be had in many different forms, but usually include some arrangement of a sofa, loveseat, club chairs, and possibly a coffee and side tables. Place these groupings wherever you want a resting/ gathering area. It can be under the shade of a patio, a large umbrella, or even under a gazebo or pergola in the middle of the yard. Any covered space that you can hang an outdoor ceiling fan will help keep family and friends cool. You can plan a traditional set up with a sofa, loveseat and coffee table, or you can position four club chairs around a portable fire pit/coffee table combo for versatility. To bring this outdoor space to the next level, to add some unexpected accessories that help us bring the indoors out, even more. Weather resistant lamps on hammered copper side tables and beautiful outdoor area rugs to “ground” the furniture grouping are a good start. Add some romantic outdoor drapes to patio columns and hang traditionally indoor accessories such as mirrors, metal art and clocks to complete your outdoor oasis.
