Summer is just around the corner! Actually, in Pennsylvania, we are hoping it is right around the corner. It has been a very chilly and rainy spring! Regardless of the weather we have been having, or perhaps because of it, I am in the mood to get flowers, spruce up our outdoor areas, and ready to start enjoying the fresh air—as soon as the weather cooperates!
If it were feasible, I would live outside in the summer! We enjoy having campfires on the weekends and eating dinner on the front porch during the weekdays. There is a lot of life that can be lived outside in the summer but sometimes the outdoor areas need a little refresh, a few tweaks to make certain areas much more livable and enjoyable for dining and hosting outside. Today I thought it would be fun to share some ideas that I’ve seen/heard/done to inspire you to make the most of your outdoor areas this year.
Rooms
Just like you have rooms inside your home, so too can you set up little “rooms” or areas to your outdoor space. You don’t need a huge area to do this. In fact, defining a few spaces can make your outdoor area feel larger than it actually is.
If you have only a small back yard or patio area you should still consider setting up a table and chairs, then angling away from the table you can set up another chair or two to make two separate little seating areas. This little break will make your area feel bigger than having everything grouped together.
Know Your Priorities
If you have a small outdoor area you may have to choose: would you rather have a more comfortable sitting area, or would you like to have a table and chairs that is more conducive to tasks and eating—but a little less friendly when it comes to reading a book.
Make it Cozy
If you have a decent size porch or patio area, think about adding an outdoor rug to your space. Just like inside, a rug is a great way to define a space, and if you have little kids, it is also a great way to give them a little softer place to play. Adding a rug to a sitting area will make it a little cozier, and sliding an outdoor rug under a table and chairs will instantly upscale your space. As an added bonus, if you have a deck or patio that you don’t like or one that is needing repaired or replaced, a rug can help refresh it, making the space a little more comfortable until you are ready to tackle it.
Add Lights
Stringing a few Edison-style lights or café lights outside can make it feel like you are at a cute beach-side bistro. Of course, they are lights which means you’ll have more light outside—perfect for reading at night! You can attach poles to your railings to add height to string the lights between. If you have a patio instead of a railing, you can pour cement into cute pots to secure the poles to give yourself something to string the lights to and from.
Add Plants
Just like inside, adding a few plants to an outdoor space will make it come alive—literally! If you have neighbors that are really close, you can try making a privacy fence with a fast growing vining plant, such as morning glory—fix a few strings from your yard to your porch roof to give the plant something to grow up. This will provide you with some natural shade, a noise barrier and beautiful flowers!
Add What You Need
I see over and over again, in my house and at homes of others, that we avoid buying the little things that would make the biggest difference in our ability to use a space. If you need a little stand on which to set your glass while reading on the outdoor chair, it’s worth buying, making, or getting inventive to find something that fits that bill!
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