Most people pay more attention to their indoor space, spend a lot of money and forget the outdoors is equally essential. Your patio is where you spend quality time when you want to relax, entertain guests or enjoy some outdoor meals. Therefore, you should furnish it appropriately and make sure it looks good and serves your family’s needs.
Who will be spending time in the outdoor space? Do you have young children? Do you like entertaining guests or spending the evenings with your loved ones as you admire the nightlife? Here are a few insights to help create an ideal space but most importantly, talk to an interior designer such as Scenario Architecture professionals, who will help boost your creativity.
Which is Your Largest Outdoor Feature
What’s the focus of the outdoor space? Is it a swimming pool, dining area, garden or fireplace? It’s essential to design the primary feature then build everything else around it. Also, consider the dimensions. For a small space, you may end up using more than a third of the room to install a swimming, garden or dining area.
Consider the Lighting
Another neglected area when designing a home is the outdoor lighting. Most people ignore the outdoor lighting until they feel the need to spend some time on the patio enjoying the evening or entertaining guests. First, go for big light fixtures, but make sure they are proportionate to the other fittings on the terrace.
Consider a color scheme that doesn’t clash with the wall’s shade but complements the landscape and other fixtures. Also, your home style, both in the indoor and outdoor space, should be consistent. For instance, if you have an English bungalow, carriage-style lighting will not be ideal.
Durability is another consideration when getting the light fixtures. Remember that they will be exposed to extreme weather conditions and typical wear and tear. Go for strong, durable and weather-resistant installations that will serve you for long. On the same note, consider Led lights. They are cheaper to maintain, brighter, consume less energy, last long and make beautiful outdoor accessories.
More is Not Necessarily Right
It’s exciting putting up a patio, tempting you to bring along everything you’d ever wanted to see in the space from an old but elegant couch, a dining set you no longer use, a tv, and anything else you can lay your hands on. Too much furniture makes space look more of a yard sale than a place to relax and enjoy the landscape.
On the other hand, too little makes the place look dull and lacks personality. Remember to add plants, which make the space look natural, not forgetting they improve the surrounding air quality. Hanging ornaments, candles, wall art, pillows, and garden statues are other thoughtful additions you shouldn’t forego.
When you use little color or the wrong one, your space ends up looking confused and dull. Make sure to use primary colors or coordinate with the shades in the garden. Also, neutral and earth tones would be an excellent choice and will not clash with bright tones such as orange, blue or yellow.
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