At this time of year, Canadians do more than simply get outside — we live outside. Thanks to the recent trend of outdoor-living rooms, our balconies and backyards are no longer simply the exteriors of our homes; they've become extensions. Now, decks are being designed as alfresco dining areas, patios are turning into open-air lounges and porches are becoming summer sitting rooms. If you want to create your own outdoor-living room, here are some easy, affordable decorating tips to make it even more livable.
- Get creative. Scour flea markets or garage sales for furniture to fit your plans. Wicker furniture, simple wooden coffee tables or end tables and antique daybeds can all be given a new coat of paint and new life in your outdoor room.
- Give yourself room to stretch out or curl up. Add a settee, chaise or chair and ottoman to your design.
- Plump up the pillows. Purchasing throw cushions specially made for outdoor use is one option. Or you can make your own by recovering old throw cushions or pillows in bath towels (which makes them washable, too).
- Make it cozy. Use a picnic blanket as a throw for chilly nights or afternoon naps.
- Roll out the red carpet. Make your space more room-like with a large bamboo mat or an indoor/outdoor sisal rug (now available at most home-improvement stores).
- Rethink your garden accessories. A birdbath or urn can make a great base for an outdoor table.
- Decorate the walls. If the outdoor room is next to your home, consider dressing up an exterior wall with a wall fountain, trellis and climbing vines or even an antique mirror.
- Plan to use your planters. Arrange planters and urns around your outdoor room just as you would with large potted plants indoors.
- Accessorize the outdoors. Fill a window box with herbs and use it as a centrepiece for the dining table, add a few small pots of flowers to a side table or create a display with tea lights or lanterns on the outdoor coffee table.
- Treat yourself. Cover the dining table with a cotton tablecloth (just snip a small hole in the middle if it needs to accommodate an umbrella) and forgo plastic tableware for the real McCoy.
