Outdoor Living Design

I must be on a roll, in regards to outdoor living! In my previous post, I chatted about some of the environmental considerations when planning your space(s). In this post, I wanted to share some really interesting, and, well . . . cool products. These should make your shopping experience a little more fun and hip.

Chaise from Home Infatuation – Curl up with some summer reading.

Another Chaise from Home Infatuation – What could be more sleek?

Yes, it’s another cool chaise, from Home Infatuation. I really do love it but the scenery doesn’t hurt, either!

This would make me feel like I would be in a big comfy “pod”. Very retro in an organic kind of way. Home Infatuation

Some great outdoor dinnerware! Home Infatuation

Fab napkins and placemats. Cooking.com

And last, but not least, if you want to put your “foot” down when the winds try to blow away your table covering . . . just clip these little weights on the corners of the cloth. They just have to make you smile! Cooking.com

Some additional fun product can be found at: Givesimple.com

Outdoor Rooms and Entertaining

Memorial Day seems to be the kick-off date for the summer season, and along with that, is the focus on outdoor living and entertainment. Whether you have a manor house, complete with an outdoor kitchen or hearth area – or - reside in a high-rise with a balcony overlooking the city, utilizing these spaces will often allow you to extend the number of folks on your guest list, as you are also able to capture additional square footage for your living quarters.

Courtesy of Southern Living Magazine

Outdoor living areas are often influenced by the climate zone. For example, I live in the southeastern part of the United States. There are many lovely evenings, with nice breezes. There are also some very humid evenings, fraught with pesky mosquitoes and other uninvited guests. Either a screened porch or planning for some methods of controlling the environment, (outdoor fans or citronella lanterns), need to be considered. Conversely, you may need an outdoor heater, for some of your early or late season entertaining. Hanging shades or patio umbrellas can help to control the glare of the sun. Others prefer full shelter, in the event of an afternoon sprinkle. These are just a few of the basics to consider when designing your space, as materials for furniture, outdoor rugs, or other accents will be impacted by exposure to the elements.

Courtesy of Traditional Homes Magazine

Once your designated outdoor space has been chosen, you can decide if you want to create a true outdoor room, or if you simply want a specific function. In some of the photographs, I’ve shared, you can see how easy it is to pull in some exterior elements, which have an interior feel. In the porch above, not only is there a fireplace, there are pillows, curtain panels, and a lamp – all with special finishes, in allowing for the natural elements to come in.

In the deck area, above, a little built-in seat and a pergola, allows the focus to be on the plantings and natural materials, such at the stone wall and supports. Clustering containers can help to define a spot and bring color. This setting would work well on a city balcony, too.

There are wonderful resources for outdoor furniture, containers and accessory items. In my next post, I’ll share a few of those. Keep in mind, the most important element will be to keep whatever you do, fun, relaxed and friendly. This is the time of year to kick back and forget any serious and formal approaches to entertaining. The host or hostess deserves a little break, too!

Eloquence

By definition, eloquence refers to speaking or writing in a graceful or fluent style. In this case, the graceful style is more related to the furniture you are about to see, as opposed to my blog post!

During the last two High Point markets, I have had the pleasure to become acquainted with two lovely people, Amelia Cooke & Kim Redmond, who are the founders of Eloquence, a company based in California, dedicated to finding European treasures and restoring them to their former glory. The idea behind recycling these vintage and antique treasures, per their website, was “to create furniture with such elegance, that it needed no explanation”. Amelia and Kim are very helpful to the design trade and understand how great customer service helps us to put our best foot forward.

The upholstery pieces are covered in a creamy linen to allow you to change to your own fabric, once they are received. While most designers will choose to do this, there is something almost ethereal about a room full of the simplified version.

Eloquence . . . I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

For a better view and more product information, go to: http://www.eloquenceinc.com/.

Experiences in Design

This evening, on Facebook, I took a few fun quizzes – mostly regarding topics which made me draw upon memories of previous experiences or some favorite things. It was amazing, how in the process of my deep concentration, the reality of the memories, including the sensory recollection, was - well - so “real”.

Interior design, while being a discipline of function and form, is also all about experiences and emotions. Why do most people decide to change their interiors? Some want the change because they are natural trendsetters, love the latest, and just have to have it. Some initiate change because they desire to create a more usable space. Others change their interiors because things have served their time and have been well-loved or need some tweaking. In the end, most of what seems to be “need-driven”, is also based upon emotion and that emotion is created by an experience.

What were some of my Facebook questions? One question related to the toys I most remembered, growing up. I shared how my Barbie brought back a surge of memories, where my paternal grandmother and her sister, both excellent seamstresses, made most of my Barbie’s clothes. She was dressed in finery, enviable to that of any couturier. I can picture “Gommie” and Aunt Jessie, sitting on the screened porch, on the divan, (similar to a sofa bed), whipping away at fabric with needle and thread. The white wicker creaked whenever someone got up or sat down. As a fan stirred the breezes, there would be either a pitcher of fresh lemonade or iced tea with beads of sweat dripping down the sides. The linen slipcovers were vibrant but tasteful florals, also made by one of them . . . I can’t remember who. A gardenia bush was usually in full bloom, and the blossoms perfumed the air as the fan pulled in their fragrance with each whir of the blades. I can feel my eyelids become heavy, as I remember being lulled into nap mode, either by the peaceful activity, or the summer heat.

A porch, similar to my Grandmother's (Country Home Magazine)

While it may seem I’ve been pulled off track, I believe good interior design is about the experiences we hold dear. How effortless it was for me to recall those summertime activities, because the scenery was so pleasant and my grandmother made sure that her cozy home, while well-appointed, was also as welcoming as the lap in which I loved to crawl. I may miss her, this Mother’s Day, but I’ll still see her, with my Aunt, (on that screened porch), and the experience will be as real as yesterday.

My adage is, “Experience the best about design!”, as I believe everyone, in some form or fashion, should be able to do. What has been your best design-related experience?