Make sure all your furniture and accessory choices follow the design style you wish to create.
When choosing a décor theme give consideration to the interior room that the deck is extending from, whether it is the kitchen, dining room or living room. Is it Japanese, Tuscan, country, urban, etc? Bring this same theme outside.
Before shopping ask yourself some questions about the use of the space. Who will it be used by? What will it be used for? What time of day will it be used most? Is it covered or open? Will there be a play area, eating area, reading/sunbathing area, shaded area? The answers to all these questions will determine the items needed.
When purchasing patio furniture, just as for other rooms in your house, the rule of thumb is always to buy the best quality you can afford. Remember you get what you pay for. The better the quality the less often you will need to be replacing it. Teak is becoming a popular choice for outside furniture. Although teak is a little more expensive it is beautiful, durable and timeless. Other materials that stand up well outdoors is cast iron and cast aluminum. These are also becoming popular and come in many different styles.
When choosing accessories keep in mind that a patio is a place to entertain and relax. It should not be too fussy or require too much maintenance. For relaxing there should be lots of comfy pillows. For evening parties, garden lights and candles help create a festive mood, also consider investing in a patio heater. Potted plants are a must. They add color and softness. An area rug will add a special finishing touch. A covered deck gives you more options to choose from but if you are exposed to the elements pick a rug without a rubber backing so it will dry more quickly.
By having your outdoor space coordinate with your indoor dining you can use the same dishes and table linens in both spaces. However, if you have a hot tub or pool adjacent to your patio Invest in some non-breakable dishes.
Make sure all your furniture and accessory choices follow the design style you wish to create. Summer is a special time of year. Have fun entertaining and relaxing in your new room.
Dorothy Kerbrat
Denee
July 16, 2015 6:33 pmThank you for this article! We are in the process of planning our backyard patio right now; and I have been stuck on decorating ideas. Your suggestion to keep the exterior decor in the theme of the room it is extending from is brilliant. It gives me a great starting point.
Susana
September 8, 2015 4:44 pmThe last memorable Patio ecereipnxe I had was last year at a friends wedding celebration. The party was held at the couples home and it was a really nice and elaborate affair. Good food, good music and fantastic guests. My wife and I decided we would enjoy the lavishness of the beautiful Patio, which was covered with rose petals. With the music playing inside and the sounds of it drifting onto patio we started to dance. My wife must have gotten a bit carried away with her part of the dance because she suddenly fell through the flooring!! I was thrown for a loop seeing her struggling and squealing as I tried to help her out of the situation she was in I was FLOORED , literally to find myself in a similuar situation, up to my thigh and trying frantically to pull myself up while trying to hold onto my wife at the same time, there we were, swinging like monkeys in a tree! We finally had help to free us from that carnivorous Patio, but my pants were ruined and as for my wife, well lets just say she no longer dances on patios!
Dorothy Kerbrat
January 6, 2016 9:16 pmOh my goodness! That is quite a memorable experience! I hope you both escaped as unscathed as possible. Thank you for sharing — and with such an entertaining, comical flair. If we had our way, the world would be filled with beautiful patios strong enough for an entire party of people to dance on 😉