While we spend most of the year focusing our attention on our interior space, we’re often guilty of neglecting our outdoor living space. With summer in full swing, there’s no reason why your backyard, porch or patio shouldn’t be just as chic and functional as your indoor…
Quite possibly our favorite thing about warmer weather is the opportunity to spend more time outdoors. Whether it’s lounging by the pool, enjoying an iced cold tea on the patio, or dining al-fresco with friends, there’s no better way to enjoy the summer season. Our designers often talk about bringing the outdoors in as a way to infuse life and energy into a space, but what about bringing the indoors out? Perhaps the pieces you need to spruce up your outdoor space are already right inside your home.
With this in mind, we turned to our Visual Guru, Anne Mancuso for some inspiration. From plush pillows to modern candlesticks and colorful accents, Anne shows how you can easily spruce up your outdoor space by simply borrowing various multi-functional items from the indoors.
1. Pick Some Pillows:
Borrow a few indoor pillows to provide a cushioned, cozy outdoor seating area. Decorating with pillows is a great way to give your space that warm and inviting feel while adding either that pop of color and/or texture too. Love ours? Get the look below!
2. Light up the Night
Long summer nights call for intimate cocktail parties and dining al-fresco. Keep the ambience going long into the evening by grabbing a few of your favorite candleholders or candelabra from your mantel or living room to lend soft lighting and a touch of glamour to the night. Need some inspiration? Check out Anne’s picks below!
3. Move Your Occasional Furniture Out for Occasions
An occasional piece like our Oste Console Table is great for displaying your favorite plants or flowers. It can also double as a buffet table during those al-fresco dining parties. Adding a simple indoor coffee or accent table to your outdoor seating area can also make it that much more inviting–and functional too!
4. Lay Down a Rug
Extend your living room into your backyard by adding a multi functional indoor/outdoor rug. Anchor your patio’s dining table with a colorful or patterned outdoor rug to add a touch of formality and a comfy resting spot for bare feet. Adding a rug to your outdoor seating area naturally creates an inviting environment, while adding aesthetic appeal too. Jute, bamboo, polypropylene and/or nylon rugs can be used outdoors in addition to indoors so long as you keep it in a protected environment, free from excessive moisture. Check out some of our favorite indoor/outdoor area rugs below to get inspired!
5. Accessorize
Adding art, mirrors or decorative vases and bowls are both a simple and fun way to spruce up your outdoor space and add those final touches. Colorful art glass is also a great way to get your porch, patio or deck feeling like an extension of your home. Many mirrors and metal art you may already have indoors can withstand the elements outdoors. Here are a few to get you started and inspired!
What pieces from your indoor space will you take outdoors? Share in the comments below!