Traveling in Europe will give you a taste of vibrant hues in Outdoor dining. In Paris color is saturated in the Outdoor Cafes.  Red, Pink and decadent Chocolate brighten up the streets of Paris.

As my husband and I traveled through southern Tuscany, we continued to see multiple outdoor seating vignettes at each location that we stopped. Just outside of Cortona, Italy, we stayed at a country villa with frescoed walls, original antiques, wrought iron furniture and loomed fabrics that created a welcome feeling. The refined simplicity typical of most Tuscan homes includes beautiful views of the countryside, as well as, views of Cortona, sitting on a hilltop dating back to the Etruscan Renaissance.

The greenery that surrounds the houses and small churches, stones in the mighty Etruscan walls, and colorful linens produced in these hill towns combine to create warm and inviting outdoor vignettes.

Who wouldn’t want to spend some time sitting outdoors under the Tuscan sun??

We Americans should consider creating more serene places to relax and enjoy the serenity that surrounds us. Adding outdoor tables and chairs, colorful cushions and linens is not hard to do, it just takes some planning and execution.We arrived in town midday just when the local shop owners and business people stop what they are doing, it is Siesta time: a break in the middle of the day between 1 P.M. and 4 P.M., they go home or to a local Trattoria to be with their families and friends to eat and rest. There are many choices of places to eat, you have cafes, bars, trattorias and restaurants, all of which have outdoor seating under umbrellas or awnings. It is so lovely to see people enjoying the fresh air while dining outdoors.

Just as in Paris, the infusion of is visible as you walk through the winding streets.

color

We stopped for lunch on a terrace overlooking the Valley below Montepulciano. A wrought iron pergola covered in yellow awning fabric, with green climbing vines accented the red tablecloths and blue bottled water. The colorful outdoor accents combined with the aroma of Italian food and wine permeate your soul producing a sensation of euphoria.

It is becoming obvious to me that the vibrant Italian outdoor style trends would add a great deal to some of the conventional American conservative outdoor color palettes. Outdoor living is meant to produce an appreciation of life, so might I suggest adding some vitality to your outdoor vignettes.

For suggestions on How To add more vibrant hues to your Outdoor Living write a comment.

The Gathering Place

Currently, more than ever before, homeowners are validating the significance of the homestead, where the backyard is clearly an enhancement of the living area in the house. The economy has motivated people to choose to stay home, Staycation, and spend their money on their investment, while they obtain immeasurable enjoyment in this change of behavior. The addition of a therapeutic spa promotes healthy bodies, hearts, minds and lifestyles. According to Dr. Thomas M. Lachocki, Department of Health and Physical Education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, “After a particularly stressful day, which most of us experience on a daily basis, lingering in warm water while muscles and joints are massaged with water jets encourages ones physical, mental and emotional relaxation. You feel calm and energized from the increased circulation, your mood improves as you body releases chemicals to help you relax and breath more efficiently leaving you with a sense of well being.”

Soaking in a hot tub can add quality to your daily life as it links the time between workday and evening activities. This is a gathering place to reestablish a bond of communication and emotion with family and friends in your own backyard. Wouldn’t you like to feel as though you are luxuriating in an ancient Greek or Roman hot water bath? You can engage in the lost art of conversation and reconnect with the people who mean so much to you, your family and friends. Spending quality time together nurtures a healthy and happy family relationship, it is these small acts in life that give us enormous happiness.

Dimension One Spa

The best way to transform your backyard into a haven of warmth, comfort and style is to combine elements and amenities. Melding old and new creates an understated charm and elegance. Blending luxury by adding a curvilinear Dimension One Spa amenity with innovative outdoor room finishing touches such as attractive Outdoor Couture® flowing drapes for protection from the weather and decorative outdoor throw pillows to add style with a splash of color is just the beginning of the metamorphosis of your backyard great escape.

Outdoor Couture® by Marcia Blake

A pergola, pavilion or gazebo is a wonderful addition to accommodate your spa. The outdoor drapes can be hung on the columns for function and/or design. Beautiful pottery containing  colorful flowering plants can soften the lines of the spa while improving the esthetic value of the space. An important feature to this outdoor living room is the furniture, it should be welcoming, comfortable, accessible and provide enough seating for your family and friends. Depending on the style of your home and the interior furnishings you can choose all weather wicker for a Tropical feel, scrolling wrought iron for a Old World Tuscan feel, cast aluminum for a Traditional feel or teak and stainless steel for a Modern feel.

Outdoor fabrics have evolved over the years and are now mimicking indoor fabrics in their pattern, texture and durability. Velvet, chenille, plaids, stripes, damask, ikat and paisley are just a few of the selections available for outdoor drapes, pillows, throws, cushions and umbrellas. Outdoor rugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes, colors and patterns, they add dimension, functionality and sophistication. Machine washable Sunbrella® outdoor chenille throw blankets will keep you warm long after you exit the spa as you sit back and relax with your partner.

Backyard Oasis with Spa

It is no longer necessary to simply place a hot tub in your backyard without adding the luxuries that complete the outdoor oasis. For help in designing your backyard oasis contact mblake@outdoorinteriors.com

Spa under Pavilion

From dawn to dusk, together you and your family can share, reflect, connect and celebrate all that is within your reach in the newest focal area of your home environment, the Outdoor Living Room. As the sun rises, get cozy with a Outdoor Couture® outdoor throw blanket and nestle yourself between custom designed throw pillows that accent, embellish and redefine your deep seated chairs, love seats and sofas. Reflect on the coming day, how will you grow together to reach new goals, how will you revive your spirits to restore yourself and nurture your family. Take the time to hear the sounds of daybreak as nature begins to wake, smell the morning scents while sipping robust coffee in a handcrafted mug, linger a while to explore all the things in your life that give you great joy.

To grow, to reach and to rise together as you begin your day will encourage new purpose in your life. Celebrate your achievements and contemplate new intentions. Your unwavering firmness of action will allow you to attain what you set out to accomplish. Don’t miss a minute of this special time of day to commence your ruminations. As you consider these ideas, think about the Outdoor Living Room in your home, does it impart inspiration and confidence? If the answer is no, then think about what you can do to create the type of setting to motivate inspiration. Do you have a comfortable deep seating piece of furniture to settle into? Do you have soft, inviting pillows to snuggle between, do you have a comfortable throw blanket to keep you warm during those early morning hours, do you have an ottoman to rest your feet? If the answer is no, then consider replacing your current furniture with the necessary items to produce the desired effect.

There are countless choices from manufacturers who specialize in quality, inspired, comfortable furniture to meet your growing needs.  You can choose from hundreds of fabrics, trims, finishes, styles and designs to craft your own very personal retreat. Dare to be different, choose colors, textures and styles that make you feel beauty, grace, strength, wisdom, spirit and courage so that you can face the challenges in your daily life.

Once you have successfully created your desired Outdoor Living Room, use it from dawn to dusk. Let this space restore you after a long day.  Once again settle back into your chair, perhaps light the fire pit and gather your thoughts as you rejoice in the opportunities that you have ignited.

As summer continues and the weather starts to turn warmer, it is an appropriate time to start planning your future outdoor parties. Keep in mind different ways to celebrate the outdoors by adding small fresh flower bouquets or miniature plants in low vases across the table to give the illusion of a large arrangement. Utilize tall tapered candles to illuminate the dining table, eating by candlelight creates a gentle and romantic setting.

While dressing the table add a sprig of rosemary, lavender or mint to the napkin rings to add a touch of nature. For a dressed up table setting use ivory cloth placemats, topped by beautiful glassware, stemware and china, preferably antique or traditional in spirit. Add some vintage flatware for a complete look.  If you are planning a more relaxed get together, try mixing and matching different color glasses, ceramic dishes and fun silverware to create a playful atmosphere. Use multi colored placemats, napkins and chunky pillar candles.

Determine your seating arrangement then use hand-scripted place cards to caringly identify each setting. Another special touch that you can add to the table is a host gift on each plate. A miniature box of chocolates is a wonderful treat.

Remember to consider setting the scene with preset background music, so that you can enjoy the party when your guests arrive. Try to work hard before the party starts so that you can enjoy being a guest at your own party.

All of these special touches and creative tips will be instrumental in helping to make your party a memorable event that both you and your guests will cherish.

These same simple tips can be applied to entertaining with style indoors by honoring the outdoors. Reunite your friends and family with you in a fun and relaxed environment.

During this time of challenge we are all moving towards opportunity and optimism to help brighten the way. Dazzling colors like bright blues, canary yellow, redrock red and glittery metallics like copper, silver and brass are blending with traditional safe neutrals to encourage and cheer up the outdoor setting.

Expand Your Living Space

Indoor comfort and style beautifully blend with weather resistant materials to expand the home, enhance its appeal and to bring bold brilliant color to your backyard with the addition of a soft rug, plush pillows, romantic drapes or a cozy throw. It is easy to create an exotic retreat with animal prints or ikat fabrics, or to design the luxury of a resort just outside the doors. This transformation will help to re-energize you after a stressful day or challenging week. Vacation in your own backyard, there is no need to pay for an expensive stay at a luxury resort when you can create the same type of setting at your own home. Add value to your existing property, especially now when the market price has decreased, by adding usable square footage to your current space.

Preserve the Environment

With our renewed awareness of nature and our desire to protect and preserve the environment we are trending towards colors that water and earth inspire like the blue green of the ocean and the orange red of red rock formations, browns remind us of nutrient enriched soil that assist plants and vegetables to grow and green implies organic eco-friendly living plants.

www.theshapingspacesgroup.com

Create A Sanctuary Outside

www.owlee.com

Place chaise lounges by the side of the pool, cover with soothing blue greens for a relaxing afternoon enjoying the sunshine, blue sky and cool water. Surround the pool with metallic planters filled with lush plants. Add a colorful umbrella for some protection from the suns rays, and some outdoor speakers so you can spend your time unwinding and listening to your favorite music.

Add Warmth Outside

In another area of the yard, consider building a stone fireplace with space for deep seating, modular units which are popular and will adapt to fit your space. There are multiple types of outdoor fireplaces, they range from real to faux stone, large and small, with mantels and storage for wood and artwork. Add some additional warmth with Outdoor Drapes, either romantic sheers or colorful swags.

www.owlee.com

The possibilities are endless, all you need is desire, imagination and an outdoor space. Help your clients and customers create a luxury resort in their very own backyard, encourage them to stay at home and vacation, staycation, have the resources and products available to assist in the development of a personal retreat.

If you have any questions or suggestions on how to help people create an ideal outdoor space, write a comment.

Outdoor Couture® Throw Pillows on Double Chaise

Recently on the Today show the topic of Staycations was promoted once again and showed how a family can enjoy their backyard. My ears perked up when they were describing the comforts of home inside a camping tent, which included throw pillows. My love of accessories and throw pillows in particular caused me to stop what I was doing and pay more attention to the segment on staycations.

This subject is becoming increasingly popular with the HIGH Rising price of gas and the troublesome economy. But staying at home does not need to be a negative connotation for the casual furniture retailer or for the homeowner, in fact this is an opportunity!  As dealers you may need to be creative in your displays, promotions or advertisements but certainly this is a great idea for you to consider and as homeowners you need to consider how you want to spend time while you vacation at home.

Instead of promoting a camping tent in the backyard, consider camping out under the stars on a Double Chaise with a warm, soft cuddly weather resistant throw blanket.
and some throw pillows for comfort in lieu of a bed pillow. The best part of utilizing these items for sleeping under the stars is that they are a wonderful addition to the backyard and can be enjoyed in daylight, twilight or sundown.

Warm up with hot chocolate and smores, a throw blanket and throw pillow. Encourage the use of outdoor furniture in new ways that you and your customer can enjoy at all times of the day and night.

Encourage Staycations, everyone else is so why not you?

Outdoor Living continues to prevail as a major trend as buyers remodel backyard patios and add on outdoor kitchens to make the outdoor encounter more pleasurable. Outdoor rooms are an extension of the family, living and recreational rooms. “>Expansive doorways are helping to make a seamless transition from the interior of the home to the exterior living space. It has never been easier to coordinate outdoor furniture and fabrics with the indoor furniture because of the varied selection of durable, weather resistant designer fabrics and trims. People are mixing and matching solid fabrics with patterned designs, while adding textures, fringes, bullion, cording and tassels.

Enhancing your outdoor living space with today’s fabrics is as simple as recovering cushions, adding soft accessories in the form of throw pillows and throws and embellishing the outdoor great room with outdoor drapes that bring warmth to the space.

A lovely fountain promotes a positive flow of energy. A garden fountain is not only luxurious but acts as a source of tranquility and relaxation. The balmy sound of cascading water can be a tremendous stress reliever and an attractive addition to your garden and backyard.

Start upgrading your backyard paradise right now. Don’t wait until summer is in full swing.

Please write a comment and tell me what your outdoor paradise looks like?

We all want to relax in style and the latest trend is for out to be in. Rather than lounging in our family rooms and dens, people are retreating to their patios, decks, porches, poolsides and lawns. An ideal way to bring the interior style outside is to frame this area in bold patterns, in synthetic yarns, inspired designs, exotic bamboo, in oriental motifs, or contemporary designs. These outdoor rugs stand up to heavy wear and harsh outdoor weather, they are available in many shapes, sizes, designs, materials and construction methods to follow the most popular trends in home fashion and style.

Anji Mountain Bamboo Rug

The playing field has grown, now traditional rug makers are adding outdoor rugs to their indoor lines. You can choose from some well known rug companies or some newcomers: Colonial Mills, Trans-Ocean, Couristan, Momeni Rugs, Homespice Decor, Duracord, Nourison, Kas Oriental Rugs, Dynamic Rugs, 828 Rugs International, Central Oriental, Surya, Anji Mountain Bamboo Rug Co., Mad Mats, Safavieh, AMS Imports and Patina Products.

Safavieh Rug

From the traditional to the unexpected, outdoor rugs are gracing our living spaces creating an outdoor haven after a hard days work. Synthetic and eco-friendly natural fibers are blended and woven together to create a piece of art, an accessory that adds flair, yet stands up to Mother Nature and her challenging climate. Just as a welcome mat at your front door entrance greets your friends, family and neighbors, these outdoor rugs welcome these same important people to your outdoor sanctuary.

Colonial Mills Rug

Help your customers transform their patios, porches, decks and gardens with unique, colorful, design inspired outdoor rugs. This will increase the appeal of their home, create an impressive space and add elegance to a backyard landscape while enhancing a peaceful place to relax.

Surya Outdoor Rug

Wouldn’t you want to end a stressful day, relaxing in a perfectly designed setting?

For more information on Outdoor Rugs call 1-877-828-8721

“With new trends in Outdoor Living cropping up each season, the possibilities for design are seemingly endless. Fabrics, furnishings and accessories once reserved for the indoors are now moving out and establishing their place among the landscape and scenery.”

CAREFREE COMFORT:
One of the biggest trends in outdoor decor is the use of interior-like fabrics, says Marcia Blake, who recently designed a line of outdoor fabrics and furnishings for furniture manufacturer O.W. Lee. “I’m seeing a lot of outdoor rugs, draperies, pillows and throws,” she says. “The materials are made of 100-percent solution dyed acrylic, so they’re soft, but are water-and-stain resistant.”

ROMANTIC AIR:
To dress up an outdoor dining area and make it more intimate, Marcia Blake suggests covering the space with an arbor or trellis and hanging sheer draperies from the top. “When the breeze flows, it creates a really romantic serene feel,” she says. Phil Steinhauer adds that these structures can also serve as a means of bringing the landscape into the architecture. “The roof of a trellis can be a great element from which to grow vines.”

NATURAL BEAUTY:
Despite the quantity for outdoor art and accessories that are available, designers still look to nature for inspiration. “The landscaping is always going to be the star,” says Sandy Koepke. Trees and shrubs can be used to frame a dining area, create shade, and are great for holding small lanterns used for soft lighting. For an artistic pop of color, Blake suggests small container gardens. “You can use different types of plants in a container garden that you wouldn’t normally use elsewhere,” she says.

Just as living rooms have moved outside, so have cooking, dining and entertaining areas. Perfect for the increasingly popular “Stay-cation,” these coveted outdoor additions can be just as comfortable as their indoor counterparts, yet still serve as the getaway you so often need.

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A Sandow Media Publication: Luxe. interiors + design

Here at Outdoor Interiors, we have the best collection of durable high performance Outdoor accessories for use inside or outside. Select from soft washable outdoor throw blankets made from Sunbrella yarn, matching washable Outdoor Couture® chenille table runners, unique round table Indoor and Outdoor place mats and napkins, rich coordinating colorful textured indoor and outdoor decorative throw pillows, draperies for any setting designed with weather and stain resistant performance fabrics from Sunbrella and Outdura, and our newest line of Super Sunblock pet products with Crypton fabric.