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There is one spot that is often overlooked when searching for more living space - the outdoors. Backyards aren't just a place for swing sets and barbeques anymore. Today, more people are treating their backyards like another room. Whether you want an inviting, entertainment area, a private retreat or simply a spot for basking in the sun or stargazing, your patio can easily be transformed to perfectly suit your needs and desires.
A porch or patio, surrounded by nature is the perfect setting for sharing with family and friends - or to simply relax quietly. Just like the interior of your home, your exterior decorating and arrangement will be as individual as you are, where you can showcase your own style and preferences. Here are a few simple, ideas that will give your outdoor space a feeling of welcome and beauty all its own.
Patio Pizazz
Inspiration
Choose a theme that reminds you of a favorite setting or vacation destination to create a sense of flow and unity - an island setting, a mountain chalet, an Italian village, botanical gardens - whatever appeals to your senses.
Color
• A variety of colorful plants in the ground, pots, railing and window boxes, hanging baskets or a variety of interesting containers such as wagons, wooden or metal boxes, and old boots. Your only limit is your imagination!
• A painted fence, trellis, gate or shutters will give emphasis to bright flowers when placed behind or near the flower bed.
• Coordinating chair cushions, tablecloths and umbrellas.
• Paint a back or side wall. This will accent your backyard landscape and give you a color break and interest as you look out the windows - it can even camouflage an unsightly view. The color of your plants, garden accessories and yard art will pop against your newly painted wall.
• Are you tired of looking at that old garage or woodpile from the back porch? Put up a wood fence to block the view, paint it a bright color and plant your favorite perennials in front. This can be fun and functional at the same time.
Accessories
Personalize your outdoor living space with either handcrafted or store bought items made from fabric, wood or metal:
• Statuary.
• Yard art such as stakes, sculptures, weather vanes, colorful windsocks and flags. For original accents, search for garage and basement "finds" such as old buckets, stepladders, watering cans and furniture. Paint them or let them weather in the elements. Clay pots, decorated or left natural, add a homey touch.
• Trellises and garden arbors.
• Stepping stones to connect separate areas in the yard or as walkways around the outside of the house.
• Birdhouses and bird feeders. Welcome wild birds by adding hand-painted birdhouses and decorative feeders.
• Table settings and candles to match the color scheme and theme.
Lighting
For added drama in the evenings, use:
• String lights to accent an arbor, railing, umbrella or trees.
• Add a floodlight to highlight trees or garden statuary.
• Line a walking path with luminaries or distribute them throughout a flower bed.
• Minnow buckets with pillar candles make unique and fun luminaries.
• Solar lighting for railings, gardens, window boxes and pathways.
Sound
Supplement the sounds of nature by:
• Adding a tiered table or free-standing fountain.
• Hanging wind chimes from the patio ceiling or in nearby trees.
Comfort
• Hammocks
• Benches, chaise lounges, chairs and ottomans
• Swings and gliders
• Gazebo
An added benefit of spicing up your patio design with color, interest and comfort in mind: you bring the outdoors in, by creating an enjoyable view - not to mention a visual extension of the space! And, a burst of color, a birdhouse collection, statuary, the sound of wind chimes and water will brighten your day. When it comes to decorating your outdoor spaces, the possibilities are endless. You can create the feeling of an exotic getaway, a calm and quiet place or a lively, gathering spot right in your own backyard.
Have fun and be creative when decorating your outdoor "room." ENJOY!
Outdoor Space Design Tips - Patio Pizazz and More
Sandy Dixon is an expert trainer, home staging specialist and industry authority on redesign and real estate staging. She teaches step-by-step, business-building process to home stagers and redesigners from across the U.S. and overseas.
Dixon is founder and president of Interior Arrangements Inc., http://www.interiorarrangements.com/, and is the immediate past executive director of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists (IRIS). A published author who has been featured in such media as the NBC and FOX TV, The Denver Post and Denver Business Journal, Dixon is a national speaker and professional member of the National Speakers Association. In addition to teaching the IRIS five-day certification classes, she also offers specialized training in mastering the art of presentations; teaches accredited (CE) courses to real estate agents and offers local decorating courses throughout the year. She is a former real estate agent and worked in the corporate world for 16 years as national sales, marketing and training manager.
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