Tips and Tricks for your Outdoor Space

TIP NUMBER 1: Colors influence mood.

It’s true! Cool Colors such as purples, blues and greens are known to be calming and cheery. Warm Colors such as yellows, oranges, and reds are known to be energizing and loud. Neutral Colors such as grays and browns are known to be the least influential but more complementary to other colors and objects in the room. However, there is more to influencing the psyche than color choice. How you utilize the colors is just as important - it develops a statement about the room. Using colors to create contrast can gain appeal, but strong contrast can be very dramatic and carry visual weight. Placing small accents or accessories for pops of color throughout the space and creates a visual journey for the eyes to follow allowing your room to tell a story. Be careful, excessive pops of color may transform into a nervous or anxious tonality. Rule of thumb; choose colors that evoke a feeling you want to have, decide how you want to use them, and remember this is your space. No one’s opinion is greater than yours.

TIP NUMBER 2: In a small space, less is truly more.

Some food for thought: Long winded conversations are great when time permits, but what if you’re in a rush to go somewhere? You’re trying to get out on the road to finish errands when your friend Hank spots you and begins to flag you down to talk. A long-winded conversation in this situation isn’t going to cut it. You know you need to keep it to the point with a few short sentences so you can keep moving. In the sales world we call this KISS-ing it. The acronym KISS - Keep It Short & Simple is commonly practiced by novice salespersons in an effort to keep from “unloading” unnecessary information at prospective customers, like a telemarketer call. Alternatively, this acronym can be helpful with regards to designing a small space. Keep it simple and avoid unnecessary complexity. View the space and decide a color scheme, figure out the functionality, and then take ideas to pen and paper to create bullet points. While the vision is concocting, keep in mind functionality and that the best pieces are those that serve multiple purposes. Measure your area and begin adding. Check out Tip No.3 for an awesome easy to use tool for measuring.

TIP NUMBER 3: Large spaces are great and serve many purposes.

The use of the space is significant when dressing it. A Large area often has multiple uses such as entertainment, dining, bar and lounge. Once a purpose is determined, the designing can begin. A tool we frequently use is a ROOM PLANNER*. This tool allows the user to enter their dimensions of a space and begin placing products throughout from an aerial view for spatial mapping. Once complete, the visionary magic can be brought to life.

TIP NUMBER 4: Pick a story and run with it.

Accent pieces and accessories can have a huge impact on your space as explained briefly in Color Schemes above. When accessorizing, allow your life to spill into the space. Don’t be afraid of displaying your passions, accomplishments, or muses. More so, focus on placement. Think of your accessories as little stepping stones for your eyes to follow. If your eyes tend to drift off the beaten path, reconsider the positioning. Our Pinterest boards are full of inspiration.

TIP NUMBER 5: You get out what you put in.

Whether your outdoor furniture is low or high maintenance, being consistent with your cleaning regimen is the most important. Sure, you could cover your sets up and have the pieces preserved longer but routine maintenance is still needed. Begin by reading the owner’s manual then create a maintenance schedule that works for you. Consider your routine an investment toward the longevity of your outdoor space that pays out in the form of memories and experiences with each year that passes.