Perhaps your yard goes on for miles, or maybe it’s simply a sliver of green in an urban landscape. It doesn’t matter the size, suggests Carolyn Kinder, veteran industry designer and international product developer for the home. It’s being outside that’s important. “People enjoy extending their living time outdoors,” Kinder says. “There’s a good feeling about being outdoors.” Here are some simple ways to create an outdoor room that fits your life, your style, and your budget.

• Make it easy. “The best part of being outdoors is the reduction in fuss in every single thing you do,” says Kinder. Let that lack of formality establish an easy style with informal groupings of furniture, for example, which invite easy conversations. “Mix and match it together,” Kinder says.
• Plan for the same comfort-inducing amenities you would on an interior room, such as ceiling fans on a covered porch. Make sure you choose one that is rated for exterior use.
• Provide plenty of seating and a dining table, and don’t worry about a high-end set. Friends and family can’t come and stay a while if they don’t have anywhere to sit. “The more comfortable the chairs, the better off you are,” Kinder says. Pick some that are easy to use and sturdy, but don’t worry so much about lifespan, advises Kinder. “You can change the design and color without any guilt.”
• Plant something - anything. “Potted plants are an outrageously effective way to liven up a yard,” Kinder says.
• Extend your kitchen outside. “If you cook outdoors, it’s an automatic invitation for a closer environment,” Kinder says. “Everyone is enjoying the hospitality in the casual freedom of the outdoors.”
• Raid your candle drawers and the kiddie pool. You don’t have to have amazing design flair in order to create an outdoor room that’s cozy and fun. All you need is a sense of what makes you and your guests comfortable and welcome and makes the space pleasant and inviting. Put stakes into pots with candles. Wrap a swingset in bunches of Christmas lights. Fill a plastic wading pool with floating candleholders. Stash a supply of bug spray right outside the door. “Create a space so that no one wants to go in for the night,” Kinder says. “Those little touches make you a better host.”

• Photo courtesy of Hadco Photo courtesy of Hubbarton Forge Photo courtesy of Fanimation

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 28th, 2008 at 9:53 am and is filed under Landscape, Outdoor. Both comments and pings are currently closed.