Hopefully you got to see the Home Made Simple episode this last Saturday where we brought the inside out in the design of a patio space but in case you didn't see the photos here! On that same theme here are some more inspiration photos that show how you can use furniture/accessories that are usually used indoors, out! You can do this by adding cozy home elements such as colorful pillows or a rug. You can also do the opposite by bringing the outdoors to the inside of your home by using outdoor materials for example: wooden sticks (see photo below of DIY trash to treasure statement chair).
The obvious question is wear and tear when it comes to using interior elements in the great outdoors. I recommend outdoor furniture being a seasonal thing unless you have a cover or live in a temperate climate. There will be some fading that could happen to fabrics, etc. so make sure the furniture and accessories you do use in your outdoor room set-ups are items you're okay with fading or are willing to refresh with a coat of paint from time to time. You can stave off some wear by using outdoor fabrics and sealing furniture with a spray or paint on polyurethane or other sealer.
- The colorful pillows and cushions add cozy comfort to this wooden furniture set-up under a gathering of palm trees and a floor of gravel.
- In our outdoor room at the Mr. Kate office (see full design here), I used an outdoor rug, like this one, to bring color and coziness and also ground the space. Similar to a living room set up, we have a loveseat and two accent chairs around a coffee table. The pillows are interior pillows but since I have a canopy cover over this area, I'm not worried about them getting too dirty or wet from rain.
- I love a chandelier in an outdoor space and this is a pretty fantastic outdoor room. Notice the eclectic combination of design styles from the sarape-style rug, mid-century coffee table, chairs and credenza, brass chandelier and raw wood walls.
- Curtains and chandeliers used outside really adds a 'room' vibe. You could use curtains made out of outdoor fabric or if you don't mind a little wear and tear, gauzy cotton curtains in spring and summer add so much ambiance and are less expensive than outdoor fabric. World Market has nice natural looking curtains for $14.99 each.
- Speaking of raw wood, currently we're using the DIY Stick Chair as outdoor furniture at the Mr. Kate headquarters (see more photos above and in the Mr. Kate Office Re-design post).
