When decorating an outdoor space, there are plenty of ways to transform it from an empty patch of grass to your dream oasis. If you're struggling with where to start, why not look to your zodiac sign for some ideas on how to make the space your own?
22.06.2024 - 01:53 / sunset.com
Now that summer has finally arrived, it’s time for you to heed your call of the wild and head outside. Of course, you’re not chilling outside alone: You’ll have all your plants, grilling tools, and outdoor decor essentials keeping you company. That said, finding the right outdoor furniture to suit your space can be admittedly tricky. Not only do you have to find pieces that are designed with Mother Nature in mind—and hopefully don’t follow these key backyard blunders—but you’ll want to find items that look good, too. (Just like what’s inside your home, outdoor furniture can be surprisingly pricey, so it’s in your best interest to find furniture that ticks off all of the boxes.)
But with so many brands, materials, and options to choose from, whittling down your search to find the very best outdoor decor can be a doozy. To help, we tapped a few West Coast designers to share their favorite options. These professionals are no strangers to indoor-outdoor living, so it’s safe to say they know where to find everything from splurge-worthy investments to budget-friendly buys. Whether you’re looking for a new outdoor lounge chair or a fun bar cart, the search is finally over.
Since your time spent outside is as vast and varied as Mother Nature herself, you’ll want to find accessories that can adapt to your next great adventure. So, why not spring for an ultra-stylish lantern?
According to Devin Shaffer, leader interior designer at Decorilla Online Interior Design, this fixture from Serena & Lily is the perfect mix between “relaxation and sophistication. I’m in love with this lantern: It’s such a simple piece that makes a great impact on an outdoor space,” the San Francisco-based designer says. “The natural rattan has that rustic
When decorating an outdoor space, there are plenty of ways to transform it from an empty patch of grass to your dream oasis. If you're struggling with where to start, why not look to your zodiac sign for some ideas on how to make the space your own?
Better Homes & Gardens
Planting fast-growing evergreen shrubs in your landscape is an easy way to create a privacy screen, reduce noise, and add beauty to your space. Evergreens provide year-long foliage so you don't have to worry about losing leaves in the late fall and winter seasons. Plus, many evergreen shrubs are native to the Southern region and provide food and habitat for bees and birds. Consider these expert recommendations for fast-growing evergreen shrubs to grow in your yard.
Raised garden beds are an excellent choice for gardeners looking to enhance their growing space. The best raised garden beds offer benefits, such as improved soil conditions, better pest control, and easier maintenance. Our expertise at Savvy Gardening stems from years of hands-on gardening in raised beds and thorough research, ensuring that our recommendations are practical and reliable. We’ve narrowed our favorites to a list of six. We meticulously evaluated various factors, including durability, material quality,
Summer is the season all gardeners await. The bright sun and warm weather signal the start of the showiest time of year, and nowhere is this excitement more evident than with container gardening. Garden stores are overflowing with plants and pots in every color, size, style, and shape. Whether you lean toward tropicals or are smitten by succulents, summer is the season to show off your talents. To get you started, we’ve assembled a few designs by Riz Reyes of Seattle and Julie Chai of San Francisco (for Julie’s designs, see part 1 of this article). We invite you to tap into their creativity—and to expand upon their tips—to make this your best container season yet.
Summer is the season all gardeners await. The bright sun and warm weather signal the start of the showiest time of year, and nowhere is this excitement more evident than with container gardening. Garden stores are overflowing with plants and pots in every color, size, style, and shape. Whether you lean toward tropicals or are smitten by succulents, summer is the season to show off your talents. To get you started, we’ve assembled a few designs by Julie Chai of San Francisco and Riz Reyes of Seattle (for Riz’s designs, see part 2 of this article). We invite you to tap into their creativity—and to expand upon their tips—to make this your best container season yet.
This year Chelsea Flower Show was full of interesting trees and shrubs with lots of dreamy woodland-edge planting in dappled light underneath leafy canopies. Native trees such as hawthorns, hazels and silver birch were the favoured choices in many of the show gardens, with a mixture of native and non-native ornamental plants selected for resilience and sustainability. In Ula Maria’s Forest Bathing Garden, white foxgloves, cow parsley and other umbellifers like Baltic parsley (Cenolophium denudatum) and valerian (Valeriana officinalis) were mixed with the simple shade-loving grass Melica altissima ‘Alba’ while Tom Stuart-Smith showcased intricate tapestries of interesting foliage in different shapes and textures. In other gardens, orange was a popular colour in many shades, from deep rusty orange irises to pale orange geums, especially in Ann Marie-Powell’s exuberant Octavia Hill Garden. As always, the Grand Pavilion is the ideal place to discover new and interesting plants showcased by some of the country’s leading nurseries.
Not all living room layouts are created equal, and many people fall victim to six common mistakes when positioning their furniture in this space.
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Some of us eagerly await summer every year, ready for days of sunshine, picnics, ice cream—and, perhaps not so eagerly, an influx of spotted lanternflies. If you live in the Midwest or East Coast of the United States, you’ve likely seen the insect with its spotted wings and red hindwings flying about or just sitting on the pavement.
Once the temperature rises, and that unwavering urge to spend even more time outside kicks in, the great outdoors becomes the best room of the house. (For a few glorious months, Mother Nature replaces our living room… dining room… and, yes, even our kitchen!) However, just like in your home’s interiors, an outdoor space hinges on selecting the right furniture.
Spring has officially sprung, which means one thing: Pool season is so close, we can practically smell the chlorine. But before you slather on the SPF and do your inaugural cannonball, why not turn your watering hole into a well-designed outdoor destination? Chic umbrellas and cozy chaise lounges might be two easy ways to dress up your backyard, but if you want to take your setup to the next level, some people are using bright tiles and paints to transform their pool floors into maximalist moments.