Posted on Thursday, 30th June 2011 by Charles Melvin
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When decorating outdoor spaces, take a cue from Mother Nature.
She offers a ready-made color palette: blue skies, green grass, brown tree bark. The most soothing and serene outdoor settings complement these hues rather than compete with them. And if you’re aiming for tranquil surroundings, avoid the bright showy colors that scream picnic, party or punch-drunk pigment.
Marcia Wunderlich, a sales consultant with Seasonal Concepts in Ballwin, Mo., says she sees a trend in bronze and black furniture frames. She sees a revival of greens in cushion colors, while the most popular hues remain golds, browns, tans, taupes and brick or rust.
“When you look out into your yard, you see this nice consistency of color. It all blends,” she said.
For too long, floral prints and bright stripes dominated outdoor seating fabrics. They may be vibrant and cheerful, but they also add a business and frenzy that most of us look to escape by heading outdoors.
Rob Caudillo, a manager at home recreation store Watson’s in St. Charles, Mo., says he also sees a trend toward earth tones.
“When you are decorating outside, what are the walls of your space?” Caudillo said. “It’s the nature around you.”
Many people add splashes of color to a neutral base by incorporating pillows in warm oranges, brilliant reds and cool blues, he said. Like bumblebees, we find it hard to resist the lure of vivid colors. But if you must indulge, consider simply adding the pop of daffodils, birds of paradise or lilies. Planting flower beds or adding fresh-cut flowers to a vase serves the same purpose while maintaining the integrity of the environment.
Peggy Pond, the outdoor furniture manager for Amini’s Home, Rugs and Game Room in Chesterfield, Mo., says the muted and earth-toned colors work year-round, while other summer shades create a cabana beach, season-specific look.
“More people are extending the seasons of their patios,” she said. “It you are out there in the fall with very spring colors, it can be jarring.”
The absence of color can make just as powerful a statement as a color-rich scene. A white sofa by a pool is classic. It’s clean. It transforms in the color of the daylight and moonlight.
The elements of water and light may be the best outdoor design accessories.
Other popular trends in outdoor furnishings include:
Cantilever umbrellas. The umbrella base is off to the side, so the dining table does not have an umbrella pole protruding from the center.
Outdoor accent rugs. A rug can outline the entertaining and seating space and tie together color choices in the furnishings.
Super-sized dining tables. Pond says more customers are looking for outdoor dining tables that seat eight-plus people. Amini’s added a cast aluminum table, which includes two 22-inch leaves, bringing its greatest dimension to 128 inches, allowing seating for 12.
Bringing the indoors outside. The Uncovered line by Lee Industries designs outdoor furnishings that looks exactly like indoor upholstered furniture. The pieces are made with an outdoor grade of sustainable wood, waterproof adhesive, stainless steel staples, reticulated foam and include a built-in drainage system to release any collected water.
Furniture-buying tips:
Experts offer three tips for buying outdoor furniture:
1. Measure your space. Unless you have the proper dimensions of your outdoor living space, you won’t maximize your purchasing power. Marcia Wunderlich, with Seasonal Concepts, says homeowners may attempt to fit too much furniture onto a patio or deck. If an area is too congested or the spacing too tight, it is not going to feel like a relaxing spot. Bring the dimensions with you when you shop.
2. Define the purpose. Traditionally, families bought a dining set for their outdoor area, but the trend has moved toward creating chat groups or conversation areas with sofas and chairs. Consider how the space will be used. If you cook and eat meals outside the majority of the time, a dining table makes sense. If most of your time outdoors involves lounging with a cup of coffee in the morning or unwinding with a glass of wine after dinner, then it makes more sense to choose furniture designed for that purpose.
3. Bring swatches or samples. If you want to integrate existing pieces into a new arrangement, try to bring a fabric swatch when you are shopping to coordinate with the fabric of new purchases. Similarly, if your deck or patio offers clear sight lines into your indoor furniture, bring a sample of those colors to ensure a seamless flow of style and color.
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Tags: Outdoor, Outdoor Furnishings
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