Outdoor spaces grow with every season, as homeowners create alfresco dining spaces with picnic tables and outdoor napping spots with swing beds.  However, the greatest opportunities can sometimes serve the greatest challenges.  I love the limitless prospects of decorating without walls or ceilings, but creating distinct spaces can be difficult without these go-to dividers.

Many people want a space for dinner parties as well as space for casual socializing.  Using creative barriers can help define spaces and communicate an open, yet structured outdoor space design.

Pathways: Often, space can be the best friend to the outdoor decorator.  If you’re lucky enough to take advantage of an expansive backyard, don’t feel pressured to pile your outdoor rooms on top of each other.  Housing your living space in a gazebo and your dining area under your porch (near the kitchen!) will clearly delineate your outdoor rooms.

To propel guests toward different outdoor rooms, use inviting pathways.  Paver stones and brick walkways work well, but treated pine roll-up walkways are an economical and portable option. Laying out pathways and walkways clearly tells guests where to explore!

Structures:  Using backyard structures like gazebos, pergolas and pool houses is another easy way to clearly separate outdoor spaces.  If you’re back deck is lined with patio chairs and chaise lounges, make your backyard gazebo a destination spot for dining.  Using structures not only adds dynamic architectural elements to your landscape, it creates more covered areas for relaxing and entertaining.

Flora: Using vertical gardening techniques can also create private spaces and living walls between outdoor rooms.  Growing wisteria or trumpet vines up a trellis or garden arbor will develop colorful, living and growing walls that will make guests feel at home in a secret garden.  Using garden arbors with gates and softening the latticed edges with growing morning glories will let beautiful color spill over into every available outdoor space.

Separating living, dining and lounging spaces within your outdoor rooms will make your backyard areas seem larger and more encompassing.  Group your outdoor furniture and patio furniture into outdoor rooms and make entertaining easy by cuing your guests around your outdoor living spaces.

Have Fun!

Hazel.

Much of the east coast was blessed (or was it cursed?) with a brief taste of warm, spring weather.  There’s something about those mild temperatures that excites a renovation bug within our bellies.  After all, isn’t that what spring cleaning is all about?  Throw open the windows, move the furniture and vacuum up all that dust, finally get through that half-completed re-organization project sitting in the corner.

The same is true of backyards.  Once the weather starts to get warmer, all I can see are garden centers and outdoor living retailers creating gorgeous outdoor spaces.  The way the snow melts into the soil smells like opportunity.  A shiny new spring, a fresh new look at your backyard that hid under that snow all winter, a brand new chance to make your home exactly the way you want it to be.

One of the best backyard projects is an effective outdoor storage system.  No great gardens or outdoor dining areas can be created among clutter and tools laying around.  Creating an efficient and functional outdoor storage structure will help get all of your tools and supplies in line to create a more beautiful outdoor space.

Deck Boxes:  For those with minimal storage needs, one or six deck boxes might be a great solution.  Many deck boxes are made specifically to hold outdoor furniture cushions and other outdoor textiles, to help keep your patio furniture accessories clean and well-maintained in inclement weather.  Deck boxes are incredibly versatile, as they can double as patio chairs as well.  Though not terribly glamorous, deck boxes and patio storage can be used as a quick outdoor bench in a pinch.

Potting Benches: Potting benches are a godsend to any avid gardener.  A beautiful and high quality potting bench can add a dynamic element to your backyard space, as well as getting you organized.  Many potting benches have basins for potting soil, and all have specialized storage sections made specifically for a gardeners’ needs.  Say good bye to the pile of garden tools sitting in a rusty bucket by the backdoor. Say hello to your fashionable, functional outdoor potting bench.

Storage Sheds: If you’ve outgrown your current patio storage needs, and are currently re-configuring your garage’s intricate hybrid game of jenga and tetris… it’s time for a backyard storage shed.  The world of backyard sheds has come a long way, before you grimace at those plywood sheds often seen lined up in roadside parking lots.  Stylish backyard sheds can be customized to fit any space requirement, and can be built with high quality tongue-and-groove cedar interiors.  Work benches, green house windows, and porches are all available options on any top-grade backyard shed.  Create a garden structure that stores your stuff and elevates the style of your outdoor space!

Depending on your storage needs, a simple deck box may be all you need.  But, if you’ve been putting this off for awhile, a backyard shed might be the solution to your car perpetually parked outside your garage!  It’s nearly spring, start planning projects that will renew your home and garden now.

Long before we considered white pine outdoor furniture a style, we used thick conglomerations of earthy wood to make everything from patio chairs and picnic tables to garden benches and planters. Nowadays, with plenty of manmade options attempting to conquer the market, we’re seeing the about-face towards whole log outdoor furniture as the most natural way to achieve rustic beauty in natural, high quality materials that can play easily with colorful cushions to create a comfortable deck or yard design.

Blend Wood Furniture Into its Natural Environment:  The best part about using rustic white pine or cedar patio furniture is that the stage has already been set. No need to match colors, patterns, or infuse textures into your patio design – with whole log furnishings, you automatically mirror the beauty of the trees and plants that surround your yard. Open up your back door and enjoy the seamless beauty of the planet earth as a functional patio seating arrangement or cozy garden bench.

White Cedar and White Pine Furniture Understand Nature:  If you’re concerned about weathering materials, the logical solution is to infuse hearty woods that understand what it is to reside outdoors in their natural state. With pine log and white cedar log furnishings, you obtain some of the highest levels of resiliency in wood. Each piece – rain or shine – will look bright and new year after year, with proper care and maintenance.

Add Comfort With a Cushioned Effect:  Since we speak so highly of its durability, wood is naturally not going to be the softest material to sit on while reading or laying out while the kids play for hours on end. For this reason, the easy addition of colorful outdoor furniture cushions is a great way to bring in the soft, comfortable qualities that don’t take away from your ability to breathe in the fresh air for extended periods of time. Look into cushions that blend in with mellow, neutral tones or stand out with bright, solid colors or patterns.

The unison of nature and patio furniture comfort blends together perfectly with rustic outdoor furniture built to last.

Families are always looking for ways to spend more time together, and parents are often searching for strategies to pull their kids away from the television and video games.   Many homeowners are creating gathering spaces right in their own backyards, to provide a fun and at-home retreat.  When considering turning your porch or yard into a dynamic living and gathering area, keep to these five tips!

Safety First: More than any other consideration, safety should always be at the top of the list, especially for families with young children.  One trending outdoor furniture complement is the fire pit.  Whether used for cooking, keeping warm or just aesthetics, it doesn’t have to be out of the questions for families. Fire pits should have a protective ring around them to keep the flame contained.  But, also consider how you envision the fire pit being used. The options for fire pits are incredibly varied, so it’s important to consider your maintenance concerns and your intended use before diving into the selection

Furniture Materials: Always look for patio furniture in materials that will stand up to harsh outdoor environments: Red and White Cedars contain naturally embedded oils that resist insect damage and decay.  Teak is a dense, heavy outdoor wood that is fantastic for patios and exudes absolute luxury.  If you’re looking for something synthetic, Polywood is created from recycled milk jugs and plastic bottles originally destined for the landfill.  Fashioned to look and feel like real wood, the plastic construction makes it absolutely indestructible.

Child Size and Kid Friendly: Consider incorporating kid’s outdoor furniture into your backyard space design.  Having their own area, seats and tables will encourage them to spend more time outdoors.  When hosting a neighborhood get-together, the kids will have a place to entertain each other without being constantly underfoot.  A lot of retailers sell child-sized outdoor furniture that match their standard size designs, so your entire outdoor room can have a unified, but still functional, lay out.

Stay on Budget: Balancing a budget with a growing family is no easy task, and creating an outdoor room doesn’t have to break the bank.  Look for outdoor furniture that can serve multiple purposes.  For example, get an outdoor dining set that has patio chairs you can pull away for round-the-fire pit seating.  Picnic tables with detached benches can be used in the traditional way, or you can set out a buffet style meal on the table and use the benches elsewhere for more casual seating. Adding splashes of color is also an simple way to make a big impact.  Plan a color scheme that works with your home and incorporate it into patio umbrellas and outdoor furniture cushions.  Adding indoor comfort and brightening color will make your outdoor space feel more finished and furnished. Then, if you ever get tired of your design, you can simply switch out the cushions for a brand new look!

Carve Out a Space for Just You: Especially for busy mothers, any porch, patio, or outdoor spaces should always leave a section nestled in the corner for solo-relaxation.  Whether you string a hammock, hang a porch swing, or simply pull one of those dining chairs/patio chairs out of the way, having a quiet space to reflect and drink tea outdoors will do wonders for your stress levels.  Creating an outdoor room will give you a great place to entertain, but also a quiet place to escape the every day noises of your home’s interior.

Have Fun!

Hazel.

Today is the Winter Solstice for those residing in the Northern Hemisphere.  Though many believe that the biggest celebration of this week is coming up on the 25th of December, varied cultures have been celebrating this momentous occasion for several centuries.

The Winter Solstice occurs sometime between December 21 and December 22, depending on the shifting of the calendar, and is commonly known as the shortest day of the year.  No, there’s no need to change your clocks; the sun’s maximum position is at its lowest on the solstice, therefore producing the fewest hours of sunlight.

The darkest day of the year is hardly a cause for celebration.  But, for anyone that has ever hit rock bottom knows, once you’re at the darkest point there’s no where to go but up.  The Winter Solstice is a celebration lengthening daylight.  When you thought you could not survive another hour of darkness, the days begin to look brighter.  The light does not cure the cold; it does not clear the slippery ice from your path.  It lights your way.  It gives you hope.  It reminds you that you have everything you will ever need in order to survive the frigid silence of winter.

After the Winter Solstice, the sun slowly starts to increase its arc creating more daylight for each 24 hour period.  World Wide, countless generations have feasted on the Solstice to celebrate the rebirth of the sun and the meaning of hope.  And now, within the Christian age, people celebrate the birth of the Son and a similar sentiment just a few days later!

The importance of the Earth’s phases and astrological cycles have been a central point to a multitude of cultures and societies; making this turning point a vital day across the globe.  Many of the ancient wonders of the world, like Stone Hedge and the Pyramids of Giza, are very intimately connected to astrological happenings.

Far Eastern traditions see the Solstice and the changing in light as an essential part of their balanced and harmonious Taoist philosophy of the Yin and the Yang.  While Western Slavic cultures saw the Winter Solstice similarly to the way we see Halloween, as a night when evil spirits come out to enjoy the night, but are eventually defeated by the resurrected sun.     From India to Chile, ancient traditions have marked the Winter Solstice as a feast day to celebrate the return of sunlight.

My family has always had an interesting Winter Solstice tradition.  While we stage our outdoor furniture in the garden shed once the snow comes, we pull it out for this busy week.  The picnic table benches and patio tables provide extra seating and food-prep stations for hosting friends and families in the coming two weeks.  But, before the hustle and bustle begins, we get to have a secret meal at our patio furniture.  Reminding us of summer, long sunny evenings, and patio chairs surrounding the camp fire; it’s a welcome mid-winter perk.

As our modern society showers us with stress, expectations, and anxieties this season… don’t forget to take a moment’s pause to give thanks for the promise of a sunrise every morning, for the expectancy of each coming day.

Instead of throwing together a room in our homes with random items, we typically spend days considering the options. From there, we analyze, debate, ask opinions, and finally, come up with what we think best represents us. The same amount of thought should go into designing the interior of our outdoor gazebo. Often times with outdoor spaces however, it’s hard to know where to start.

In most cases, there are a few ideas to try on for size in order to best direct your attention. The first begins with the type of space you’d like to create based on the size of your backyard gazebo.

To get the feel of an austere, rustic style of a gazebo, you may want to outfit it in light, natural wood tones that appear untreated. An example of this might be opting for whole log White Pine or White Cedar outdoor furniture collections. Typically, you’ll find these styles in matching patio chairs, garden benches, and porch  swings that can be purchased individually, based on the size of your gazebo.

If you value the old-fashioned feel of a log cabin with a slightly polished finish, the Red Cedar Adirondack chair or Cypress Adirondack chairs and garden benches offer a traditional approach. Their vertical, slatted backrests come in a variety of finishes from light and natural to shades as dark as night. A quintessential choice for gazebo and patio arrangements, Red Cedar and Cypress Adirondack designs are as recognizable to the world of outdoor seating as Abe Lincoln is to American history.

For a less rustic or traditional spin on wood furnishings, set your sights on a modern set of Teak wood chairs or an Outdoor Dining Set. Each of these lend themselves to a more luxurious feel while still retaining the forest vernacular. Since Teak is known for being hearty and self-reliant, complete your modern gazebo with a deep seating collection and coordinating cushions. Maybe even finish it with set of outdoor lamps to perfect the ambiance. Besides using Teak, the other way to create a modern outdoor gazebo is by creating a dining room. The use of an outdoor dining set or cedar picnic table in various shapes and sizes is another way to make your normal meal a beautiful, outdoor experience.

Gazebos should be designed the way you feel most comfortable enjoying the great outdoors. With that, live vicariously through the rustic or traditional designs inspired by the past, or bring the present into your outdoor space with modern comforts and dining.

If you’re unsure about outdoor room design and looking to add outdoor furniture without going over the top, consider an Adirondack chair grouping.  Providing the rustic simplicity many homeowners prefer, these extremely comfortable patio chairs can be dressed up with color to give a stunning focal point.

Taking the plunge to colorful Adirondack chairs focuses your material options.  After all, cedars and teaks do not take paints well at all.  Whether you choose to purchase your chairs already painted, or get them unfinished to paint yourself, you’ll need to consider your materials.

Pine Adirondack Chairs: Both select and treated pines are sturdy, economic materials.  Usually carrying the lowest price tag, Pine does require regular maintenance to deter moisture and insect damage.  The good news is that painting your pine Adirondack chair will take care of the majority of that upkeep.

Cypress Adirondack Chairs: Cypress is an elevated wood very similar to red cedar in its durability and resilience.  But, cypress readily accepts all sorts of paints and stains and holds color beautifully. Cypressene, a natural oil embedded in the heartwood, makes it naturally resistant to insects and decay. When kiln dried, cypress has little tendency to warp or cup. Cypress Adirondack chairs always make a fantastic group.

Polywood Adirondack Chairs: Polywood is a synthetic material created from recycled plastic water bottles and milk jugs once destined for landfills.  It is crafted to look and feel just like real wood, yet is positively affecting the environment by reusing resources.  An incredibly eco-friendly choice, polywood also comes in dozens of brilliant colors.  Unlike painting wood, the color goes completely through the plastic material.  So, you’ll never need to touch up, re paint, or hide scratches in the paint.  The only downside is that you can’t repaint polywood, so while you can change the colors of your pine and cypress Adirondack chairs every season, polywood will stay true for years.  So, be sure you love the color!

Adirondack chairs look great arranged in a circle around a fire pit or conversation table.  But, if you’re lucky to have an expansive front porch, you can also line the up to face the view for relaxed socializing.  Don’t stress too much about arrangement though.  After all, one of the great things about Adirondack chairs is that you can move and rearrange them at the drop of a hat!

Adirondack chairs make fantastic holiday gifts, as well.  Help your loved ones look forward to spring with a fantastic patio chair they will love for years.

Have Fun!
Hazel

It’s a most unusual day; in fact, it’s been a most unusual week.  Although November is nearly halfway over, the sun has been shining relentlessly for days, and the temperatures have been hanging around in the 60’s.  It has given me the chance to get some more use out of my patio chairs, before I have to put the outdoor furniture covers on them and store them in the storage shed for the winter.  I’ve also seen many others sitting on their porch swings and porch gliders, and even sunning themselves in chaise lounges, as if it were still July.

Indeed, this is a spectacular day.  The sky is a bright blue, the birds are busy at the birdfeeders, and even a few bees are buzzing by; but, it is becoming a bit breezy.  This is, obviously, making it difficult for the trees to carry on that game they like to play, where they try to see how long they can fool us into thinking that it really is still summer.  Every time there’s a burst of wind, their charade is diminished, as they are forced to relinquish more of their leaves.

While that may thwart their attempts to keep up convincing fronts, it certainly creates some heavenly scenery.  That’s because all of their remaining leaves are a vivid yellow; and, illuminated in the intense sunlight, they appear to actually be glowing.  Thus, with every gust, the resulting cascades of gleaming gold are magnificent to behold.

So, my advice to the trees is to just let go; and there couldn’t be a more perfect time to do that than right now.  After all, there’s no percentage in holding onto something lifeless and lackluster, when they can dazzle the waiting world with a whirlwind of golden brilliance.  Not only will they be a lot happier, but they will be much more appreciated; and by a wider audience, at that.

That often happens in life.  We stay with the familiar, avoiding change, and then, when it comes, we wonder why we ever resisted it; and it generally turns out for the best.  That’s kind of the way that I feel right now.  Like many others, I’ve had a sense of trepidation about the approaching winter.  Oh, sure, I enjoy the cooler weather; but I cannot stand how quickly the year passes.  Furthermore, there are some things, such as higher utility bills, that I could live without; so, yeah, I’ve said that I wouldn’t mind prolonging the season slightly.

On this gorgeous autumn day, however, that’s no longer the case.   I’m truly excited about the shifting weather patterns, no matter what course they may take.  What’s more, I think that everyone is feeling somewhat giddy today.  Awhile ago, a friend called and invited me to a cookout this evening!  Apparently, she, too, has been inspired by the recent sightings of people relaxing on their patio furniture, and has put together an impromptu, outdoor party, in November.

All right – something strange, different, and wonderful!  Tonight, just two weeks before Thanksgiving, I’m going to be sitting at a picnic table with a bunch of friends, eating hamburgers off the grill.  Hey, I can handle that!

Still, there’s no doubt that the winds of change are beginning to blow; and I can handle them, too.  In fact, I’m gonna saddle ‘em up, and ride – and the sky’s the limit!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Well, Thanksgiving is only two weeks away; and those who are hosting large get-togethers already have their hands full with preparations for the big day.  Certainly, there are tons of details to be taken care of, from grocery shopping, to house cleaning, to figuring out where to seat everyone.  In order to accommodate all of their guests, people everywhere will be dragging folding tables, folding chairs, picnic table benches, patio chairs, and even outdoor dining tables and kids’ picnic tables, out of their storage sheds.

Of course, these won’t be the only things that will be pulled out of storage in the coming weeks, as decorations will be brought down from attics, and holiday tablecloths will be taken out of cedar chests.

Then, there’s the good silverware, which is essential to elegant holiday table settings, and must be at its brilliant, beaming best.  However, because the services often emerge from their silverware boxes looking less than radiant, many people will have to add “polish the silver” to their to-do lists.  What’s worse is that, sometimes, in trying to make their silverware sparkle, they can, inadvertently, cause damage to it.

That’s why it’s best to know something about silver before you attempt to polish it.  For example, sterling silver is an alloy, comprised of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper.  Over time, with use and exposure to air, it can develop a patina, which, in some people’s opinions, makes it more attractive.  Obviously, oxidation also causes the silver to tarnish; and, under very humid conditions, this can happen quickly.

While this is natural, and inevitable, fortunately, the tarnish can be removed, and your silverware can be restored to its original beauty.  That is, as long as you don’t wear rubber gloves while you’re polishing it, as that could cause serious damage.  In fact, rubber can corrode silver badly enough to leave deep etchings, and even wear away intricate, raised designs.  Surely, sometimes, it can scar silver so severely that a skilled silversmith will be its sole salvation.  Never use rubber bands on silver, either, or store it in cabinets or chests that have rubber seals or coverings.

Because acidic foods can also mar silver, be careful about using it to hold, handle, or serve salad dressings, vinegar, olives, eggs, salt, fruit, and fruit juices.  The longer it is exposed to these substances, the more damaged it will become; therefore, if you want to put fruit in a silver bowl, either line it with plastic, or set a glass bowl inside of it.  When you’re not using it, the best place to store your service is in a solid wood silverware box that’s lined with cloth.

So, while the bad news may be that you’ll have to polish the silver in advance of your Thanksgiving dinner, the good news is that it won’t have time to tarnish again before the next special occasion.  Remember, there’s another big celebration just around the corner.  Yep.  This is just a dress rehearsal; or, for those who are going to be cooking another holiday dinner next month, perhaps I should say, dressing rehearsal.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

If you put up some nice, just-plain-fall adornments in September, and added a Halloween theme later, at least, you won’t have to spend a lot of time on decorations in the next few weeks.  Because Thanksgiving is, of course, an autumn celebration, all you have to do is to de-spookify your landscape.

So, just take the fake spiders and webs off the trellises, pergolas, and arbors, and leave the sparkling, orange miniature lights.  After that, simply clear porch gliders, patio chairs, and chaise lounges, of all werewolves, mummies, and pumpkin-headed creatures, and put on the outdoor furniture covers.  Then, it’s only a matter of chasing a few ghosts and rubber snakes out of the yard, and you’re back to your beautiful fall outdoor décor, which is appropriate to the holiday at hand.

Leave the Christmas stuff for after Thanksgiving; and don’t let anyone pressure you into putting it up too soon.  Heck, you’ll need all of the extra time that you can get, in order to finish preparing your house and garden for the winter.  After all, some of those outdoor chores can be demanding, and, in many cases, very unpleasant.

Dealing with all of the fallen leaves, for example, can be a disagreeable job.  While, not long ago, they were still on the trees, in all of their brilliant, breath-taking splendor, they are now piling up on lawns, walkways, and roofs, causing all kinds of mischief.

One of their favorite pranks is to clog up gutters, and, thus, prevent the adequate drainage of water from the roofs of houses and other outdoor structures.  Although cleaning them out is a detestable duty, it’s something that must be done before winter arrives.  Otherwise, ice jams can form, and cause water to back up and, perhaps, seep into the house.

So, get the ladder out of the garden shed, and rise to the task; and don’t forget your heavy-duty work gloves and your scraper.  You can also make another helpful tool out of a plastic, gallon jug; just cut off the top half, hold it by the handle, and use it to scoop the leaves from the gutter.  Take out as much debris as possible by hand, before using the scraper to remove any built-up dirt and gunk; then rinse the gutter thoroughly with a hose.

While you’re up there, inspect for leaks, dents, and crooked pipes, and see that the gutters and downspouts are fastened securely to the house.  Furthermore, make certain that the downspouts are directing the water at least five feet away from the foundation of the house, and that they are not blocked.  To ensure that a downspout is operating properly, put a hose into the top, run the water, and check to see if it is running out at the bottom.

If there is a blockage, you may be able to break it loose, by packing rags around the hose at the top of the spout, to seal it off, and then running the water at full power; and if that fails, try using a snake.

Uh, a plumber’s snake, that is.  Not one of the rubber specimens that you drove out of your yard.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy