Decorating an Outdoor Room
Having an outdoor room decorated in a cozy and comfortable way will ensure you spend as much time in the outdoors as possible during the spring and summer months (or all year round for those of you in warmer climates). The first rule of decorating an outdoor room is to treat it the same way you would an indoor room. Use styles of furniture, fabrics and accessories as you would inside, just tailor them so they suit the outdoors. Here are a few tips.
Accessories for Outdoor Rooms
* Lighting is very important if you want to be outside at night. Candles are great but make sure to place them in containers so they don’t get blown out. Lanterns and hurricane vases look great outside. You can also use flameless candles if you’re not interested in the real thing.
* String some tiny white outdoor lights or paper lanterns around the area for instant ambiance.
* Add throw cushions to chairs and outdoor sofas for added comfort and color.
* If you’ve got a wall where you can hang things, try hanging an old vintage mirror or some old frames you find at a flea market. You don’t want to use anything too valuable because it will no doubt get damaged by the elements, but inexpensive, weathered pieces look great outside.
* A water feature (even a tiny one) is great for adding ambiance and blocking noise from neighbors and traffic.
Don’t Overdo It
An important point to remember is that you don’t want to overcrowd an outdoor seating area. The beauty of the outdoors should be the main attraction. So use furniture and accessories, but not quite as many as you might inside.
