Summer is here and everybody is heading outside to party. We love the outdoor party (as you may recall from posts over the years) and we are currently working on several outdoor rooms for clients. The goal is to bring the comforts of the indoors out, like some of these beautiful spaces…
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| Elle Decor |
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| Elle Decor |
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| Galanga Living |
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| Elle Decor |
But a lot of us — ok most of us — don’t have fabulous, architecturally interesting outdoor spaces in exotic locations. Not to worry. You can still create a great outdoor room even if all you have is an open deck or balcony off your living room. The trick is to treat it just like a room inside your house, layering on products and materials that can withstand the outdoor environment but are still comfortable and good looking. Luckily, there are a lot of options out there:
Start with a fun and durable rug….
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| Cleo Cement Indoor/Outdoor Rug Dash & Albert |
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| Lucy Moss Indoor/Outdoor Rug Dash & Albert |
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| Diamond Graphite/Ivory Indoor/Outdoor Rug Dash & Albert |
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| Mali Indigo Indoor/Outdoor Rug Dash & Albert |
Lay on some comfortable and weather-resistant seating…
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| Rutherford Sofa Restoration Hardware |
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| SoHo Settee Love Seat Lloyd Flanders |
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| Aqua Sofa Summer Classics |
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| Montecito Daybed Restoration Hardware |
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| Bryant Sofa Room and Board |
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| Invisible Wing Back Chair Black Rooster Decor |
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| Gloster Bella Chair via Apartment Therapy |
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| Huron Small Lounge Chair West Elm |
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| Chevron Riviera Arm Chair Serena & Lily |
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| Ditzel Rattan Chair Sika Design |
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| Tobago Hi-Back Lounge Chair Lloyd Flanders |
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| Monet Rattan Easy Chair Sika Design |
Add a place to rest your drink (or your feet).
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| Outdoor Beverage Table Horchow |
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| Gehry Cube Room & Board |
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| DIY Planter Cocktail Table Today’s Nest |
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| Criss Knit Orange Pod CB2 |
If you have the space for it, a buffet or bar cart is great for serving and storage.
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| Aviano Buffet Lexington |
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| Chesapeake Buffet Pottery Barn |
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| Formosa White Tray Table CB2 |
Add a few finishing touches…
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| Okun Clover Outdoor Throw Pillow DENY Designs |
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| Maldonado Triangle Dip Lime Outdoor Throw Pillow DENY Designs |
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| Geronimo Studio Blue Drips Outdoor Throw Pillow DENY Designs |
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| Johnson Summer Shades Outdoor Throw Pillow DENY Designs |
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| Tehmina Decorative Pillow John Robshaw Textiles |
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| Dhawan Rain 6 Outdoor Throw Pillow DENY Designs |
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| Bander Multi Stripe Outdoor Pillow CB2 |
Outdoor lighting and fans are great for covered porches or loggia…
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| House Beautiful |
…but on an open deck or patio you need other tricks to draw the eye up in your “room.” Consider a living wall, tall planters with foliage that add sculptural elements, or even actual sculptures (or bird baths)…
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| Inhabitat |
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| Bright Green USA |
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| Crate & Barrel |
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| House Beautiful |
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| House Beautiful |
So go ahead and spend part of your summer building a great outdoor room. Your whole family will enjoy the opportunity to slow down, relax and take a breath of fresh air.
Do it!