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Our blog...OUTDOORLICIOUS!
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September 2010
Today, it seems that every hotel has a pool - it's something that travelers expect, especially if the hotel location is sunny and warm. Creating an OUTDOORLICIOUS! pool area that exudes style and beckons even the non-swimmer has often become the one thing that sways a traveler to one property over another. This is just such a place.
If I checked in here, I would look out my window, see these cute little cabanas and make a beeline the first chance I had. Cocktails at the end of a busy day (after any stray children had gone beddie bye) would be the time I would block off on my mental calendar. Or, perhaps they offer poolside massages? Pull the drapery panels closed for privacy and voila - the perfect massage temple. Soothing music, aromatherapy, muscles turning to mush finished off with a glass of soothing spa water with fresh lemons or limes. This is sounding better and better... I think I just talked myself into a reservation.
Do you have an outdoor living area that is OUTDOORLICIOUS? Yours can be featured on our blog for all the world to see. Go ahead... brag. You've worked hard to create it. You love using it, why not share it? If selected, you will receive a gift certificate to Casual Living for more of whatever you need to make your outdoor living room even better.
August 2010
An outdoor living area does not have to be sophisticated, elaborate, or highly styled in order to be what I call OUTDOORLICIOUS! In this case, 6 Adirondack chairs line up on a hill overlooking the ocean. They are placed solely with one objective - to take advantage of a million dollar view. With their wide arms available to set things on, tables are not necessary and the white chairs alone, lined up in a row, create a bold graphic in this otherwise empty landscape. Now, I'm a big fan of accessorizing your outdoor room, but sometimes simplicity is the key to getting it right. Knowing when this is the case and selecting the appropriate pieces to suit your purpose is enough to create the perfect outdoor room.
Certainly the chairs were chosen for their lack of need for a cushion and their ability to weather Mother Nature's range of emotions, but I love the portability of these chairs. Place them in a circle around a firepit as the weather cools and one can still enjoy the beauty of the ocean. Placed side by side, as they are, one can enjoy the company of others, but it is clear that the ocean is the belle of this ball.
July 2010
Somebody, please, give me the name of this resort. Believe it or not, the lucky family that gets to enjoy this OUTDOORLICIOUS! room, lives right here in South Carolina. They believe strongly in the term, "staycation" and have embraced the outdoor living lifestyle to the fullest. This covered area is part of a larger porch that is attached to a well-equipped pool house. Areas for cooking, dining, sitting and sleeping are all incorporated. A bathroom inside and a full kitchen make this a home away from home and a great guest house. Oh, and did I mention the outdoor fireplace? The owners commented that now that they have this idyllic space, they hardly use their house anymore. Who can blame them?
Spring outdoor rocking chairs with thick outdoor cushions are as comfortable as any inside the house (maybe more so). The easy rocking motion takes away stress and burns up nervous energy on the way to a blissfully calm state. It's a fact - this is what comfortable outdoor furniture does to you. In the center of this conversation group sits an interesting table that has a top made with copper dust and a beautiful aged copper patina.
The soft spa colored Sunbrella draperies help define and soften the space, giving the feel of a cabana. With the black pool just beyond and gardens around the perimeter, this outdoor living area is private, cozy and picture perfect in every way.
June 2010
OUTDOORLICIOUS! for sure. Teak seating is arranged in a small conversation group just outside the kitchen door. Sitting on a stone patio with a brick accent pattern, this outdoor space borders the pool and cutting gardens just steps away. We love the bright green ( Sunbrella macaw), white and black color scheme, which blends nicely with the natural area beyond, but is also bold and definitely does not blend into the background. This area gets strong sun during the day and saturated color is important to stand up to the bright light.Solution-dyed fabric, like Sunbrella, is a must for an area like this. Year in and year out the color in this fabric remains without fading...amazing, but true.
The bench and chairs have a slight Asian feel to the design and we like the continuation of this theme with the pagoda lantern in the garden behind the bench. If one wants to create the perfect outdoor room, consideration of outdoor accessories and how they relate to the furniture and surrounding area is just as important here as inside the house.
The homeowners tell us that although they have a screened porch and other outdoor areas, this space is well used because of its proximity to the kitchen. During meal preparation inside, this inviting space is a convenient place to relax while waiting for everything to come together and is ready to serve, often on the screened porch--another OUTDOORLICIOUS! room.
May 2010
The owners of this OUTDOORLICIOUS! room say that they feel like they are sitting in the middle of the garden when using this space. Flowering bushes, such as peonies, viburnum, and hydrangeas are interplanted with perennials: columbine, lilies, flocks, hosta and canna lilies beneath a flowering crape myrtle that towers above. An outdoor vista is an important feature of an outdoor room. Something nice to gaze at while unwinding after a busy day is sometimes all that is needed to feel rejuvenated and ready to begin anew.
We love the sunny Buttercup yellow Sunbrella draperies banded in black. The button detail sets these draperies apart from the norm. We're told that when the morning and evening sun comes through these draperies, a warm and sunny glow is cast throughout the room. Sounds delightful!
A porcelain tile floor in a neutral allows for color scheme changes in the future - though who would ever want to change this room? Porcelain tile is a great choice for an outdoor room. Unlike other types of tile, porcelain is extremely durable with the ability to take cold temperatures. This tile will not absorb moisture and will not risk cracking from the weather. For cooler months, or for another layer of decoration, an outdoor rug can be used. Including an area rug adds another design element to take your outdoor room up a notch to compete with your indoor living room.
The owners wanted a heat source when they designed this porch in order to use the space as much as possible throughout the year. Not wanting to block the view of the gardens, they opted to include a small wood burning stove. In the winter, they can pull the draperies together and, with the stove fired up, can bring the temperature up to a comfortable level. Keeping a throw or two on hand, makes this porch inviting in all but the coldest days of the year.
We are told that this is everyone's favorite room "in" the house. It would be mine, too because I can't resist an inviting outdoor room and, I know, I can't live without mine.
April 2010
What's not to like about this OUTDOORLICIOUS room? We love the "sink into comfortable" cushions that are color coordinated in a fresh green. Floral accent pillows in deep brown with touches of pink add just enough of a feminine touch but still keep the space gender neutral.
Potted plants, fresh flowers and vines growing up the columns continue the "green" theme. Notice the bird feeder just outside-someone enjoys relaxing for a few moments while watching and listening to the birds. What a great way to feel connected to Mother Nature for a few moments during a busy day.
Architecturally, the cool stone walls and floor will help keep this room cool in the summer while the area rug under the seating group helps warm it up the rest of the year. Adding an area rug helps define a space and can be used to create boundaries for different functions in your outdoor room. They add warmth, color, pattern and texture just as they do inside.
Candles and outdoor lamps add soft light in the evening creating a warm ambience that is welcoming and cozy. More about lighting another day. | | |
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