Enjoying an outdoor living space
Your outdoor patio is an entrance to your space; the place where friends and family gather to enjoy community, conversation and a way to step away from our hurried lives. Your patio is a reflection of your style and personal flair and can be designed in a variety of manners--one that speaks to your own personal panache. When choosing the design, consider the climate, your favorite colors and how your patio is an extension of your house. It's a way to add square footage by building a livable space that extends the indoors to the outdoors. Does this Spark an idea?
Tuscan Decor
Tuscan style continues to be a popular design choice. The colors are warm and inviting and the plants you choose to enhance your patio are subtle Mediterranean plantings that require little water and low maintenance. Begin with warm terra cotta tiles for an inviting patio surface. These generally run in the red tones however, they can also go towards butter yellows and are generally in soft matte finishes. Once your surface is complete, consider adding large earthen vessels in bright blue ceramic that reflect the colors of the Mediterranean or perhaps the Adriatic. The cool tones of blue are a perfect complement to the rich earthy tones of the tile. Complete the patio with wrought iron furnishing. A table that seats at least six is a good start for al fresco dining. Add a small caf table in a corner for an intimate dining or reading area. Remember to add outdoor lighting and take your gatherings long into the night.
Spanish Influence
Spanish d cor is similar to Tuscan but is bolder in the use of color. Tile the patio in warm earth tones, but accent in between large tiles with small four inch square decorative tile in shades of blues and oranges. Add groups of planters in bright yellows and oranges and fill them with large flowering plants and colorful annuals. Choose furnishings in wrought iron and use seat cushions upholstered in bright outdoor fabric. Add outdoor wall hangings made with glazed ceramic that reflect a Spanish influence. Often these can be religious symbols or bold patterns. Spanish style is inviting and energetic; decorate the table with fiery red stoneware to complete your design.
Napa Style
The Napa Valley region of California has its own distinctive sense of design. It's a mix of rustic wood balanced with high level of sophistication in food and d cor. Tile the surface of your patio in slate that has shades of blue, green and gray worked into the natural stone surface. Add a long wooden table that seats at least six but consider a longer table for large groups and have an electrician add string lights above your dining area. Use benches for seating and rustic wooden chairs at either end. Napa style is about low maintenance and a natural look. Add native plants in rustic pots that offer subtle hints of color in light yellows and soft lavender. Small pots with white flowering annuals are a perfect accent color. Fill vases with sunflowers and place on the table or in large pots around your patio. Artistic renderings of metal grapevines are a nice final touch to your vineyard inspired space.
Tags: your patio, ceramic that, ceramic that reflect, seats least, table large
