All Outdoor Patio Furniture

It’s about that time again.  The beauty of the sunset has passed you by, the natural lighting is nearly behind the horizon, and you and your guests are not ready to stop the party.  And (alas!) your township does not permit bonfires in your neighborhood.  So, how will you keep the fun going after the sun goes down?

If you think I’m about to suggest you call one of those expensive landscape lighting companies to empty your bank account… you’re on the wrong track!  As outdoor rooms become, at once, the most sought after vacation spots and poured over designer spaces… outdoor lighting has become more fashionable and more affordable than ever.

But you’re no lighting expert.  With so many options available, how do you pick which kinds of outdoor lighting options are best for you?  We’re always here to help!

Walkway Lights: Walk way lights are downward pointing lights that attach to the walls surrounding a walkway.  This will make sure that everyone is safe on stairs, garden bridges, or uneven paths.  Many walkway lighting designs come with color options; not only for the decorative encasing of the bulb, but walkway lights can shine a slightly blue or pink hue.  Imagine coordinating the color schemes of your outdoor rooms, patio umbrellas, and outdoor furniture cushions to the color of your lighting!  If you want to use your outdoor lighting to keep your porch, gazebo, or outdoor living space lit up at night… walkway lights will probably not be enough.  While they provide an important safety measure and can add some brilliant colors, you’ll want to consider adding other kinds of outdoor lighting as well.

Post Cap Lighting: Decorative post caps are a fantastic way to add lighting and style to your outdoor room.   They are designed to attach to the railings on steps or fences, posts of a porch or garden bridge, or any other outdoor structure with posts.  One great part of post cap lighting is that it adds wonderful accents to our outdoor living space during the day, while lighting up the area at night.  Most post caps are either low-voltage electrically powered or solar powered.  Electrical lights will likely be more dependable and may provide more light, but they do require a skilled electrician to install the wiring and ensure safety.  Solar powered lights use a completely renewable resource to “power-up” during the day, and then shine bright all night!  Certainly the green and sustainable option, they also boast the easiest set up.  Just attach and you’re done!  Though, some might find them less dependable.  It all just depends on your preference! A long line of post cap lights across an entire porch or backyard structure will likely provide enough light for a party or get together.  Though, if you wanted to use lighting to highlight a certain spot, like the outdoor dining set, you’ll want to augment this lighting option with accent or hanging outdoor lights.

Outdoor Ceiling Fan Lights: If you thought the post caps were the ultimate fusion of fashion and function, you haven’t even begun to be amazed!  If you haven’t jumped on the outdoor ceiling fan trend yet, do yourself a favor and take the leap!  Outdoor ceiling fans will allow you to enjoy your porch or outdoor living space when the heat is high.  Especially on those humid, still days, your outdoor ceiling fan can provide cooling breezes to keep you comfortable.  Plus, a ceiling fan creating air flow will be the most natural deterrent to flies and mosquitoes!  Flying insects prefer still air that allows them to lazily buzz and land on innocent food and people.  But, a cooling breeze to us can be a wind that makes their tiny wings tire quickly.  You can simply wave goodbye as they fly to easier areas! Plus (of course), a lot of modern outdoor ceiling fans now feature light options as well.  Perfect over your picnic table, you can simply flip on the light to illuminate your evening meal or midnight snack!

Hanging Outdoor Lights: A hanging light will truly up the style of your outdoor room.  While many choose to string lines of hanging lights, like Japanese paper lanterns, you can also choose to make a dramatic lighting statement by creating focused pools of light over your favorite spots.  Whether you do this with an outdoor pendant light or even an outdoor chandelier, it will give your outdoor space a bit of height both spaciously and fashionably.  The closest to indoor lighting, you can create truly luxurious outdoor spaces that create both comfort and class with hanging lights.

Outdoor Table and Floor Lamps: For those who favor ambient lighting instead of overhead lighting, but still want the comfortable appeal of indoor-style lighting, outdoor table lamps paired with outdoor floor lamps might be your best bet!  Available in nearly as many styles as indoor lighting, you can certainly stick with your design scheme while creating your lighting scheme! A lot of lines contain short table lamps and tall floor lamps that match each other, which will give you a more holistic pattern.  While, mixing and matching styles can certainly create interest.  Plus, outdoor lamps can be moved to wherever you need more lighting.  If you split your outdoor table and floor lamps between your outdoor seating area and alfresco dining room, you can move all of the lighting toward the outdoor dining set when the family is gathered there for an intense game of Scrabble.  After all, you’ll want to make sure nobody is substituting a “Q” with an “O” because the low lighting lets them get away with it!

So, while the sun is a plenty beautiful and certainly functional lighting element during the day, you definitely have your options cut out for you when it comes to keeping the party lit after the sun has gone to sleep.  I suggest mixing and matching, keeping your options open, and always making sure you can see the faces of the family and friends creating those wonderful summer memories!

Tags: backyard structure, decorative post caps, garden bridge, hanging outdoor lights, outdoor ceiling fan, outdoor chandelier, outdoor dining set, outdoor floor lamps, outdoor lamps, outdoor lighting, outdoor pendant lights, outdoor structure, outdoor table lamps, picnic table, post cap lighting, post caps

Are you feeling a little overwhelmed with Earth Day? Perhaps you feel pressured to fly up to Northern Canada to personally save a baby Polar Bear today… or completely renovate your roof to be one of those green-roofs you saw in photos from Europe.

Believe it or not, you don’t have to wrestle down global warming with your bare hands to celebrate Earth Day. Relax.  Today should be fun! Here are 10 ways you can celebrate Earth Day today without making over your whole life.

Use a Reusable Bag, or Reuse a Plastic Bag:  Heading to the store?  Even if you’re just picking up a quart of milk or even going clothes shopping, using a reusable tote bag really cuts down on the waste you’re producing today.  Don’t have a reusable tote yet? Don’t be afraid to grab a plastic bag you got with another purchase earlier this week.  Then, at least, you’re getting more than one use out of it! And, if all else fails, really consider whether you NEED a bag or not.  Have you ever noticed that if you just get one small item, they always give you a full bag?  If you can simply carry the item in your hand, or even stick it in your purse, just say “no” to another plastic bag!

Have a Picnic: Your Earth Day picnic can be as expansive or as simple as you want.  If you have an outdoor grill, picnic table, or outdoor dining set… have at it!  Invite friends over, cook outside, skip the paper plates in favor of reusable ones, and celebrate how great it is to be outdoors.  If you haven’t created an outdoor room, don’t be afraid to spread a blanket out on the grass, cook your food indoors, and just enjoy it outside.  Working all day? Do what I’m doing: make your lunch (in my case, that’s heating up a can of soup and grabbing a yogurt) and take it outside to eat!  No matter how you do it, just enjoy one of your meals outside today.

Plant Flowers: Not everyone has the time and space for a full garden.  Heck, some people just don’t like it!  But, try it out, just for today.  You can get already blooming flowers that just need to be put in the dirt.  Or, you can go get a pack of seeds and spread them.  No yard? Try putting them in a planter or even just cutting the top off an old plastic soda bottle, filling it with dirt, and putting the seeds in there!  Today’s the perfect day to get your hands a little dirty and plant something that will grow.

Get Out Your Patio Furniture: If you haven’t done it yet, today’s a great day to get all of your patio furniture out of storage.  Remove those outdoor furniture covers, dust off the outdoor furniture cushions, and get your porch swings, porch chairs, and garden benches back to their favorite spots.  This will not only get you working outside today, it will open up opportunities to enjoy the outdoors for the rest of the summer.

Fill a Birdfeeder: Help out a fellow creature today by filling a birdfeeder.  Hanging a birdhouse or birdfeeder will help the birds get ready for the summer and give them plenty of nutritious food.  You’ll feel good helping out your local wildlife, and will probably learn something too.  Make sure you can see your birdhouse or birdfeeder from a window or a favorite piece of outdoor furniture.  You’ll be amazed how many kinds of birds and birdcalls you learn just by casually observing them.  And, remember, the first step to saving our earth is learning about it!

Go to a Farmer’s Market: Ditch your usual go-to super market today, and hit up the farmer’s market.  Buying fresh and locally grown fruits and vegetables is good for your health, good for your local economy, and good for the earth as it reduces the amount of fossil fuels used to transport food over long distances.  You’d be surprised how much of your usual foods you can pick up at a farmer’s market, and usually for not any more money that you’d pay normally.  It’s an extra stop, but it’s a stop that makes a big difference!

Go For a Walk: Adopt a lower impact form of entertainment this afternoon.  That’s right, turn off your television, turn off your computer (After you finish reading this blog post, of course! … or not, you can click out and shut off your computer now if you want.) , even leave your cell phone at home (can you do it?) and go for a walk.  And, don’t bring that ipod either!  Listen to the birds and the wind in the trees.  Focus on the smell of the air and the colors of spring.  You’ll be glad you did.

Use Water Bottles and Travel Mugs: Still reading? Okay, good.  But, seriously.  Go for a walk and have a picnic after you’re done reading this post! Don’t you dare grab a one-time-use bottle of water to take on your walk, in fact… don’t do it all day! If you stop for coffee on your way to that farmer’s market, bring a travel mug with you.  You won’t believe how many plastic bottles and paper coffee cups people throw out every single day.  Changing to a reusable water bottle or travel mug will reduce your impact a ton.

Hang Clothes Out to Dry: Did you know that people cooked, cleaned dishes, and washed laundry before modern appliances? It’s true!  There were no clothes dryers on the frontier.  Reduce your use of electricity by doing things in a more “old fashioned” way.  Hanging your clothes out to dry instead of throwing them in the dryer will reduce fading, make them smell fresher than any dryer sheet, and uses absolutely no electricity whatsoever! Run a line in your backyard, or even just pull your clothes rack out on your back porch.  If it’s sunny, it won’t take very much longer than a dryer anyway.

Make Earth Day Resolutions: Doing things like using water bottles and travel mugs, going outside instead of watching TV, hanging your clothes out to dry, going to farmer’s markets, and using reusable bags are all great things to do today.  But, imagine if you adopted some of these practices into your everyday life?  You don’t have to revolutionize your daily routines overnight, but just make one or two commitments for the rest of the year.  Will you change all your light bulbs to the Compact Fluorescents? Will you always remember to keep a travel mug in your car? (FYI: If you’re driving through a Starbucks and hand them a dirty mug, they’ll gladly rinse it out for you before filling it backup), how about opting to hang-dry your clothes all summer?  Little changes can make a big difference!

Happy Earth Day!

Hazel.

Tags: bird house, birdfeeder, earth day, garden benches, outdoor dining set, Outdoor Furniture, Outdoor Furniture Covers, outdoor furniture cushions, outdoor grill, patio chairs, patio furniture, picnic table, planter, porch swings

A lot of our themed outdoor spaces have been fairly well traveled.  Tuscany, Far Eastern Asia, and the Tropics have all served as inspiration.  But, let’s take our designs a bit closer to home.  The Adirondack Mountains are a large mountain range located in Northeastern New York on Lake Champlain and Lake George.  Full of rich history for both the Algonquian and Mohawk Native Americans and European settlers, the Adirondacks are a wonderful region completely dependent on the gifts of the land. Connect with the outdoors in your area by creating an Adirondack retreat!

Connect with Water: A mountain range connected to two large lakes with countless streams, rivers, and ponds takes a connection with water very seriously.  If you have a lake on your home, fantastic!  But, most people don’t.  You can create an artificial pond fairly easily, but there’s another body of water you may get more use out of.  A pool or (even better) a hot tub will give that closeness to water while providing relaxing functionality. Unlike the tropics, the Adirondacks have harsh winters and lots of snow.  So, a hot tub is a perfectly appropriate facilitator of outdoor living even when the temperatures a cold!

Build a Wood Structure:  The Adirondack Mountains were a hub of fur trapping and hunting during the beginnings of this nation, and are still a gaming destination for many.  Hunting cabins are a staple of this region, so re create that feeling by erecting a small wood garden structure.  A gazebo over your hot tub would be ideal, but a gardening shed, backyard cabana, or partly enclosed gazebo will give the same façade. You can, of course, fill your structure with patio furniture or an outdoor dining set.  Or you can simply use it for storage.

Use New York Plants and Flowers: The Adirondacks have rich foliage, expansive forests, and beautiful flowers.  While deeper research will determine the best plants for your home, Heartleaf foam flowers, Northern Spicebushes, Northern Tree Clubmoss, American Fly Honeysuckles, and many varieties of Dogwood will all lend Adirondack greenery, while Black Bugbane, Blueflag Iris, and Rose Pogonia will bloom beautifully.   Plant them around your home to grow rich wilderness.

Arrange Adirondack Chairs: Did you think I forgot? Adirondack Chairs are perhaps the best kind of patio furniture for this style of outdoor living space.  You’ll need plenty of Adirondack Chairs for relaxation and family time.  But, don’t feel boxed in!  Adirondack Porch Swings, Adirondack Tete-a-tetes, Adirondack Settes, and Adirondack Rockers will allow you to create a varied and visually interesting group.  Adirondack patio furniture now comes in rustic, traditional, and more contemporary styles and in materials as diverse as Cedar, Polywood, Eucalyptus, and Teak!  Circled around a fire, overlooking a lake, or simply arranged in a group, these time-honored patio chairs will create a wonderful seating area.

Remember to Vary your Patio Furniture: Adirondack chairs are great, but don’t overdo it!  Too many Adirondack chairs will overwhelm your outdoor room.  This is a great time to decide if you want to take a more rustic direction to your Adirondack retreat, of if you want a more refined appearance.  A lot of White Cedar Patio Furniture uses wood that still has a log-like appearance.  Intermingling this with your other patio furniture will give your entire outdoor living space a more rustic appearance.  While using more finished looking Western Red Cedar outdoor furniture will allow a more polished area.

If you live in a cooler climate, creating an Adirondack retreat may be a more realistic choice for a themed outdoor room.  Embrace more native plants and give yourself a place to curl up when the weather gets cooler.  And, when the weather is nice, bring your whole family into the back yard, pitch a tent, and pretend you’re deep in the wilderness!

See You in your Adirondack Retreat!

Hazel.

Tags: adirondack chairs, Adirondack Porch Swings, Adirondack Rockers, Adirondack Settes, Adirondack Tete-a-Tetes, backyard cabana, garden structure, gardening shed, gazebo, outdoor dining set, patio chairs, patio furniture, western red cedar outdoor furniture, white cedar patio furniture

One barrier many outdoor livers run into is the problem of using color with their patio furniture sets.  It’s often thought that too many Cedar and Pine pieces will overwhelm any space with a brown, wood tone.  But, adding color to your outdoor living space will spruce up your patio furniture and allow it to be holistically designed and stylish.  Though, take caution, too many colors and patterns will make your porch or gazebo look too busy.

Use Paint: The most obvious choice is to use paint on your patio furniture.  Cedar outdoor furniture won’t take paint well, so it’s best to just stick with a stain sealant.  But all varieties of pine and cypress work well with paint.  If you’re creating both a sitting and outdoor dining area, try painting both sets of patio furniture different colors to create more separation between the two living areas.  Though, if possible, consult with a paint expert at the store to pair colors that have a similar tone or richness to make sure the contrast isn’t too jarring.

Put Up Patio Umbrellas: Though this isn’t the best option for those creating outdoor dining areas under porches or inside gazebos, anyone with patio furniture out in the open should consider a patio umbrella.  Not only does it provide protection from the sun’s harmful rays, it is also a wonderful opportunity to add some corresponding color.  Modern patio umbrellas come in nearly any combination of colors and patterns, so choose carefully.  You want an outdoor umbrella that coordinates with the rest of your decorating scheme, so it’s important to have ideas in mind before you start looking around for one.

Coordinate Outdoor Furniture Cushions and Throw Pillows: Have you read this far and are still thinking, “Well, I have Cedar patio furniture and I’m using it in my gazebo.  Don’t you have anything for me?” Yes, I do!  Outdoor furniture cushions and throw pillows will create instant colored accents to your outdoor seating group.  If you’re worried that your cushions will become ruined sitting outdoors, you can breathe a sigh of relief.  Most modern outdoor furniture cushions use special soft-woven techniques to create incredible durability and mildew resistance without sacrificing style or comfort.  Outdoor throw pillows are a great way to add some exciting patterns to your patio furniture.  Matched with a solid colored outdoor furniture cushion, a striped or patterned throw pillow that coordinates with the surrounding colors works well to add interest. As long as you brush off any dirt and put them away in the winter, your outdoor furniture cushions should serve you well in both comfort and style!

Accent with Table Cloths and Outdoor Dishes: A picnic table or outdoor dining set is a great place to add some soft color.  Something as easy as a table cloth or placemat can be changed easily to mix things up for a special occasion or holiday.  If you already have special dishware for outdoor dining, it can be fun to match one of the colors or designs in your dishes to a new table cloth.  If you haven’t yet invested in picnicking dishware, shop for table clothes, place mats, and outdoor dishes together to make sure to create a well-designed and well-balanced set.  Bringing the entire area together will make it look as refined as your indoor dining room!

Grow or Pot Colorful Flowers: Of course, the most natural way to bring color to your patio furniture group is through flowers.  Whether you choose yellow and white daisies, red tulips, or green foliage… the natural coloring is sure to compliment almost any design scheme.  Plus, living and growing color adds a certain depth that even fabrics cannot match.  Try using windows boxes, planters, or planter tubs and arrange them on the steps of your porch or surrounding your patio furniture.  It can either continue your garden onto your porch, or create a garden if there never was one!

Using color in your outdoor rooms is as important as the porch swings, picnic tables, and other patio furniture that invite everyone to come together.  And, having an outdoor living space that’s as colorful and masterfully decorated as your interiors does not require a lot of maintenance or incredible design expertise.  Outdoor living is about leaving the anxiety of everyday life at the door; don’t let it become drab and certainly don’t let it become stressful!  Relax.  Have fun!

Tags: Gazebos, outdoor dining set, Outdoor Furniture, outdoor furniture cushion, outdoor furniture cushions, outdoor umbrela, patio furniture, patio umbrella, patio umbrellas, picnic table, planter tubs, Planters, porch swings

Studies show that Americans have less free time than ever before in history.  Our jam-packed schedules of constantly conflicting engagements put our minds in a terrible race.  In fact, the absence of leisure time is shooting stress-related illnesses through the roof and plummeting the percentage of people who describe their life as “happy and comfortable.”

So, how do you avoid this plight?  Experts have shown that meditation can aid in the recovery and prevention of both mental and physical ailments.  Deep breathing, relaxation, and reflection time are all critical to our overall health.  Perhaps this spring is the season you turn it all around by creating an outdoor meditation area to keep your spirits bright all year ‘round!

Separate the area from your home and yard: To achieve true relaxation, you have to remove yourself from your daily stressors.  Seeing a kitchen sink full of dishes will not help put your mind at ease.  There are several ways to do this; you could start simply by placing privacy screens around a sectioned off area.  Using a pergola or an open-air gazebo are other options for completely outdoor spaces.  But, if you live in a cooler climate and want to use this space in the winter months, using a pool house or a cabana may suit your needs better.  The most important thing is to create an area where cares and worries are “not allowed.”  Another way to do this is to install some kind of garden bridge; this way you can decide that when you cross over the bridge you are crossing over into a peaceful place.  Ancient Japanese and Chinese gardens used zig-zag garden bridges to cross into their gardens, because folk lore suggested that evil spirits could only travel in straight lines and, therefore, would not be able to cross into the space if the garden bridge was constructed in a zig-zag pattern.  However you choose to separate your meditation area from the rest of your home, it is most important that you can feel some kind of physical transition from daily stressors to daily calming.

Keep connection with nature: Though you want to create an area separated from the rest of your home, you don’t want to lose your connection with nature.  If using privacy screens, a pergola, or gazebo, simply make sure that trees, flowers, or foliage still surround your area.  If using an enclosed garden structure, like a cabana, pool house,  or even a gazebo with walls, be sure to install lots of large windows (preferably ones with screens that can be opened).  Many backyard structures support sky lights to let the sun shine into your meditation space as well.  If you garden, you know that nature is calming.  And, if you don’t garden, many expert studies have confirmed that a connection with nature nurtures peaceful thoughts and calm minds.  You can also bring the outdoors inside, by placing bonsai trees, green potted plants, and flowers on accent tables around your garden structure to achieve that connection.

Use a water feature for soothing sounds: You may not realize it, but the sounds we hear contribute greatly to our stress levels.  Imagine your commute to work without any car horns, sirens, or construction sounds.  Picture a trip to the grocery store without people yelling into their cell phones about what kind of milk to get, the constant beeping of the check out lines, and children screaming for ice cream.  Sounds a lot better, right? Create the right kinds of sounds in your meditation area by installing a small water feature.  If you live seaside, certainly try to situate your peaceful place near the water.  But, if you’re not so lucky, you can get an inexpensive small water fall that plugs right into the wall or operates by battery.  Or, you can go a little deeper by creating a koi pond or small dew pond.  Of course, if you must, you can always get a small noise machine that many people use in their bedrooms for sleeping that has ocean wave or running stream sound settings.  This way, your eyes will be away from the sink of dirty dishes and your ears will be hidden from the sounds of rush hour or telephones ringing. When your eyes close, you can always just imagine you’re withdrawing to your beach retreat!

Use minimal decorations and simple furniture: The last thing you need to do when creating this space is stress out!  Don’t fret about the décor, because the simpler, the better.  Use small side tables or outdoor accent tables for flowers, candles, or your water feature.  You can create a bit of interest by using outdoor tables of different heights and sizes to allow your eyes to gently survey all parts of your meditation area.  But, this is not the place for your expansive outdoor dining set or deep seating collection.  Allow yourself a space to focus inward, instead of on the perfection of your décor (save that for your porch or patio!)

Allow a place for true, escaped repose: Though purists would only allow a yoga mat in the center of the room for true, concentrated meditation… I think it’s important to make your peaceful area work for you.  Doing yoga poses and various stretching is an excellent way to re-center yourself—no question!  But, sometimes, you just need a place to rest undisturbed.  Try installing a hammock, porch swing, or just a simple and comfy chaise lounge or rocking chair in your new space.  There is true value in curling up with a novel, simply staring into space and thinking about nothing for an hour or so, and (of course) guiltlessly drifting off into an afternoon nap.

Sometimes, our American media tries to make you feel guilty for taking time for yourself.  But, you’ll run yourself into the ground if you don’t take some time out to relax.  Creating a space away from your daily stressors that is solely for the purpose of inward reflection will have a positive effect on all the different parts of your life.  And, remember, it doesn’t just have to be for you!  A son or daughter after a long and stressful day at school would absolutely benefit from an hour or so of “quiet time” away from the computer, their toys, and loud siblings.  In fact, this meditation area could improve the entire family!

Hope to see you (at a distance) in your Meditation Area,

Hazel

Tags: accent tables, back yard structures, cabana, chaise lounge, deep seating collection, garden bridge, Garden Bridges, garden structure, gazebo, hammock, outdoor accent tables, outdoor dining set, outdoor tables, pergola, Pool house, porch swing, privacy screens, rocking chair, side tables

Wouldn’t you love to travel to Tuscany this season?  You may not have considered that you could be transported to an elegant and sophisticated Tuscan Garden without the travel time, airline tickets, jet lag, and packing decisions.  One of this year’s hottest trends for outdoor living is recreating Mediterranean gardens and landscapes right in your own backyard.  Combining the graceful elements of the Italian Renaissance with the rustic charm of enchanting Tuscany farms creates spaces that are serene and peaceful; your space will boast refined style, while remaining incredibly accessible.

Define Your Dining Room with a Pergola: Renaissance Italy loved using pergolas to support grape vines, and modern pergolas still invite those same feelings of a glass of fantastic wine in a tranquil Tuscany vineyard.  Whether you plan to vine your pergola with flowers, grapes, or nothing at all; the structure will not only help to set the boarders of your room, it will define its taste immediately.  Red Cedar and Treated Pine pergolas give more of a rustic look for country retreats; while white vinyl pergolas recall ancient Greek or Roman sophistication.  Either will look lovely around your dining set; it just depends on what direction you’re taking!

Use a Natural Teak or Red Cedar Dining Set: Reflect the rustic and simple appearance of Tuscany with a natural wood outdoor dining set.  As the focal point of your outdoor dining room, you will want to use a material that reflects the rich tones of the earth.  A long rectangular  picnic table is best, as it truly gives a sense of large-family gatherings that the Italians are famous for.  Gorgeous teak is the finest choice, as its dense and smooth finish coupled with its wealth of color will echo the natural elegance of the Tuscan landscape.  However, outdoor dining rooms on a budget need not fear; you can reflect the pastoral grace of the country side with simple red cedar tables or treated pine dining sets as well.

Place-set with  Colorful Old World Pottery: Ditch the paper plates, and go for something a little bit more refined.  Using real dishes will not only help the environment by reducing waste, it will truly finish your Tuscan dining room.  Using pottery in rich earth tones, like forest greens, clay reds, and browns might even make the food seem more sophisticated.  Don’t worry about creating the perfect set, mix and match colors, sets, and dishes for a homey experience that will make you feel like several families are always coming together.  Create a dynamic collection by going to second hand stores to splurge on an unmatched variety of imperfectly hand painted pieces; don’t be afraid if it has a bit of a chip (as long as it’s still safe for eating).  Many discount home stores now sell pottery inspired sets that are fairly inexpensive.  With no pressure for perfection, your mix-and-match set will be an instantly interesting topic of conversation… and you won’t have to worry a bit if a plate gets broken—just add another one whether it matches or not!

Accent with Wrought Iron:  Wrought Iron accessories will compliment your natural teak dining set or red cedar picnic table for a more holistic setting.  Using wrought iron trellises and arbors will do the trick, while also providing a place to add wild Italian flora listed in the next step. Or, if your space is expansive, try using a small aluminum patio set (painted black so it looks like wrought iron).  You can use it to set desserts or drinks out on, or even just as another side table for when guests are mingling before the meal starts.

Add Tuscan Shade and Flora: Make your outdoor dining room complete with expert garden design.  An Italian Cypress tree will create privacy while Olive Trees will complete the Italian feel.  Tuscan bushes not only make brilliant shrubs, they will truly bring your whole outdoor living space together.  If you decided not to vine any plants around your pergola, adding wrought iron trellises for berry plants, grape vines, wisteria, and pastel roses will add the softening touch of nature essential for completing your Tuscan façade.  Don’t worry about needing to keep these plants perfectly in line, a bit of wild nature couples perfectly with your rustic façade.

Tuscan Outdoor Dining Rooms are popping up all over the place, and it’s easy to see why.  The pairing of sophistication with rustic simplicity allows an accessible elegance perfect for this season’s retreats. Whether you’re using yours for hot dogs and hamburgers, or home made bruschetta, your family and friends will absolutely flock to your outdoor living space!

See Your in Your Tuscan Outdoor Dining Room!

Hazel

Tags: aluminum patio set, Arbors, outdoor dining set, pergola, Pergolas, picnic table, red cedar picnic table, red cedar tables, teak, teak dining set, treated pine dining sets, wrought iron trellises

1. Feed the birds! This was mentioned before, but it’s worth bringing up again.  Many birds and small creatures are having an awfully hard time finding food in the snowy cold.  Put out birdfeeders and birdhouses full of seeds and birdfeed.  Without spending a lot of money, you can help a wide variety of creatures.  For our non-feathered friends, try putting out a piece of old plywood on the ground and spreading nuts, seeds, beans, oats, corn, or other wildlife friendly foods.  And don’t worry, your work won’t be completely selfless (though you can tell everyone how charitably kind you are), because you’ll get to enjoy a show of birds and other animals right in your own backyard! Note: Urban Gardeners Beware, birdfeeders will work great, but plywood left out with food might be a project best left to more rural dwellers.
2. Keep an eye on your bulbs! While weather changes that create one or two warm days can sometimes trick bulbs into thinking spring is on its way, we know that frigid weather is not finished yet! So, if you see your bulbs peeking out of the soil, cover them with a thick layer of mulch and compost to protect them from the snow and ice.  And remember, this is a great way to reuse the branches of your old Christmas tree!
3. Turn your soil! Now is the perfect time to turn your soil (assuming the ground is not frozen or sopping wet).  A rich loose soil is vital for ideal gardening.  To keep it rich and crumbly in the spring, remove any grasses or weeds from the area you are planning to garden and spread two or three inches of compost or other organic matter (old Christmas Tree branches?) on top of the soil.  Then, using a garden spade or fork, break up any heavy clods to keep the soil movable.  Good garden soil should have the perfect balance of air, water, and nutrients to support a strong system of roots.
4. Prepare to work! Now is a good time to start inventorying your tools.  Make a list of tools you want to buy or replace.  Willi Galloway outlines ten basic tools every gardener needs: a sturdy hand trowel, a stirrup hoe, a square blade spade with a D-shaped handle, bypass hand pruners, a garden fork, a leaf rake, a bow rake, a hand cultivator, a wheelbarrow or garden cart, and a hori hori knife, which is a serrated Japanese garden knife used for dividing plants, making furrows, and weeding.  In a few months, many garden supply stores will start jacking up prices.  But, if you start early and plan well—you won’t have to spend a lot of money to have the proper tools for your garden.
5. Prepare to Enjoy! So, you’ve helped the animals, you’ve protected your bulbs, you’ve turned your soil, and you’ve prepared your tools.  Now– help yourself.  It may seem like the warm weather will never come… but just as we have to work hard to prepare to… well… work hard, sometimes there are simply delightful tasks to prepare us to enjoy our gardens.  You envisioned the different vegetables and flowers you will grow in the “just right places” as you turned your soil, and you planned which plants will get the most use out of each tool.  But, have you taken time to arrange your patio furniture?  A garden can be more than just plants: add a garden bench, rocking chair, or porch swing for a small place to sit and enjoy your hard work quietly.  Consider a picnic table, outdoor dining set, or patio group if you’re hoping your whole family will come out and enjoy the beauty over the spring and summer months.  And, if you’re planning a garden so wonderful you could practically live in it… a gazebo, cabana, or pergola would be the perfect structure for your outdoor parties and afternoons to revolve around.  And, unlike jeans… garden structures and furniture are FUN to shop for!

See You Outside!

Hazel

Tags: birdfeeders, cabana, garden bench, garden furniture, garden structures, garden tools, gardening, gazebo, January, outdoor dining set, patio furniture, patio group, pergola, picnic table, porch swing, rocking chair, wheelbarrow