Patio Essentials!

Tuesday's Design Tips!

Patio season is finally here and I'm just starting to setup our outdoor spaces. Each year I build onto what we currently have from the summer before. Below are a few ideas to keep in mind for essentials you may want to entertain in your outdoor space.

1. Seating

This one goes without saying, but having some comfortable seating options for you and your guests is a big one. You can either place chairs with cushions out or explore the other options of materials, such as rattan chairs and other woven materials. Just remember it's important to make sure you get furniture that is rust resistant and can hold up in your climate. Here in Minnesota summers go through rainy weeks, so being able to resist moisture damage is important to me.

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2. Dining Area

If you have room for an outdoor dining set, great; but if you do not, then having plenty of tables around the seating, such as side tables and a coffee table will work just fine!

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3. Shade

Umbrellas are important if your outdoor space gets full sun. It's a bit more relaxing on a hot day, to sit in some shade. Having an umbrella as part of the dining table or a cantilever umbrella over the furniture makes for a relaxing afternoon outdoors.

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5. Lights

If you are planning to be outside until the later hours, as we all tend to take advantage of the warmer months as much as possible, lights are important. I have dimming outdoor patio string lights lining my lower deck as I like just a touch of ambient lighting. There are a number of ways to add lighting to your outdoor area; string lights, pendant lights (it's best to keep these kind of electrical lights under a permanent covering), candles or electric candles are just a few options worth mentioning. There are thousands of different outdoor decorative ways to include lighting into your outdoor space.

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6. Outdoor rug

Rugs really add to an outdoor space. When I added an outdoor rug to out patio last year, my husband was really surprised how much it added to the look and feel of our lower deck. Rugs indoors ground a space and in a way, can complete the space and look; the same goes for outdoor rugs.

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4. Accessories

Extras items that will make your outdoor living space somewhere you will want to retreat to every chance you get, whether it be just yourself or with guests are: pillows, foot cushions/poufs, a bar cart, serving tray (to make life easier when your bringing out the chips & guacamole dip and margaritas!), colorful outdoor cocktail glasses, and planters; I really could go on and on. Adding a few potted plants to add color and texture to your outdoor space, even though you may be surrounded by grass and plants, helps pull all of those lovely natural colors and smells all around you! Below are a few items to get you going.

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Happy patio season!

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(Photo Source: Target.com, Potterybarn.com, Crateandbarrel.com)