There used to be a shortage of options for outdoor furnishings, especially when it came to smaller spaces. Now, it seems there are just about as many pieces, styles, colors, materials and price points for items outside the home as there are for items inside it. And, oh, the accessories!
“The hardest part of a small outdoor space is figuring out the flow,” says Andrew Palm, a senior buyer at the garden and home store Terrain. He advises thinking about how the space will be used. Coffee in the mornings? Get a bistro set. Dinner parties at night? You’ll need surfaces for plates and cups. Choose pieces in neutrals for ultimate versatility. As for accessories, Joanna Carden, of Joanna Carden Interiors in Washington, suggests limiting yourself to a strict color palette. Sticking to blues and greens, say, will make any outdoor space — no matter how small — look cohesive and purposeful. “Outdoor living has always been a part of American life,” Palm says. “But now we’re really creating a space with all of the indoor amenities, outside.”
Some suggestions:
– Balconies and patios have to do a lot with a little bit of space. That’s why Michelle Troxell, of Leesburg, Va.’s Grace Thomas Designs, likes multipurpose, foldable pieces that can be used in different ways and then tucked to the side or put into storage for the offseason. The Follie Green Outdoor 3-Piece Patio Bistro Set has steel chairs and a folding table at a welcome price point.
– Don’t be a wallflower with your accessories. Choose whichever patterns and colors of the moment that you like and layer them on your neutral outdoor furniture. Digging the palm trend? Blush Label’s Little Palms Indoor/Outdoor Pillow pairs palm branches with the also-trendy pale pink.
read more at: http://www.denverpost.com/homegarden/ci_29858931/outdoor-decor-how-give-your-patio-makeover
Green Real Estate Appraiser 