Creating an Outdoor Room

I am so excited that it is time to start thinking about the outdoors!  I know it may seem early for some people, but the earlier you start planning your outdoor space, the more money you save.  By planning early you know what you are looking for so you can take your time and get the savings.  Plus, it also gives you time to complete all of the money saving DIY projects.

This year I have decided to create an outdoor living and dining area on our deck.  I love to be outdoors, but if it is not comfortable no one will want to hang out and stay.

Whenever I am deciding how I want to decorate a room, I always mark things in magazines and online so that I can get a good feel on how it will turn out.  By doing this I can change my mind and make changes without losing any money.

So that's exactly what I am currently doing with my outdoor plans.  The picture below is from the PotteryBarn magazine.  I love the simplicity of the black and white in this picture with the touches of greenery.

I have circled the black candle holders but this is something that I would not want to spend a lot of money on because my deck is not covered.  Anything that I put out will be exposed to the sun and rain damage.

In this picture I love how you have the mix of all of the different kinds of pillows.  It makes it look less formal and more inviting. 

 

This is one of my main focuses this year.  I love all of the different lanterns on the steps.  It looks great during the day plus it could serve as an added light at night by adding battery operated candles.

I'm not sure if I will try and recreate anything like the above picture but I really liked the idea of something hanging from the dining table umbrella so I marked it.  This is where you can take advantage of marking things you like.  You are not locked into any ideas.

Even though my backyard doesn't overlook the ocean, it doesn't mean that you can't bring the ocean to you.  I haven't decided how, but I would like to incorporate this beach feel to my backyard.  

I love all of these pitchers.  They are great for having company over because you can leave it outside plus it's nice if you are out doing yard work you don't have to be in and out of your house all day.

Now that I know what I would like my outdoor room to look and feel like I can begin to put it together.  I can't wait to show you the final project.

Twelve Days of Christmas Day 10: Outside

Today I would like to share my front entrance with you.  This year I decided to keep it simple.  I wanted the wreath that I created to be the main focus.

I purchased the garland and trees from Lowes and the doormat from Target.  To frame the door with garland, I used two Command strips.  If you have never used these before, they are great.  They are inexpensive and they even work great outside.  I decided to pull out two of my pots from this past summer so I could give the trees a little more height.  Because of all of the greenery, I wanted to add a touch of color to my doormat.  I loved the simplicity of the red and white with this one.

If you have some garland pieces that are hanging to low, tie them back with green floral wire.

Take a look back at Day 1 to see how I created this wreath. 

I hope you enjoyed the simplicity of my outside this year!