Outdoor Rooms and Fresh Looks for Summer

Now that summer is officially here, how about a few ideas to freshen up your home for the season?  One of the easiest ways is to add garden flowers–if you don’t grow your own, you can stop off at your local farmers’ market for a large bouquet for just a few dollars.

Another idea is to change your linens.  I like to change out my dining room linens and dishes in the summer to blue and white, with a bit of green thrown in.  It’s such a classic combination, and the cool colors remind me of water, blue skies, and green grass.

 

 

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Another warm weather color direction you could take, especially here in our cloudy Pacific Northwest climate, is citrus brights.  I just revamped the cushions, pillows and tablecloth on my deck (custom sewing by Tracy Quoidbach).   All of the fabrics shown are Sunbrella indoor-outdoor fabrics from Robert Allen, available through Nest Showroom in Portland.

Kathia's Deck DETAIL w:Callie

 

When the previous owners showed the house, even though it was fully furnished, the upper deck was completely bare except for a table.  Here  was a room-sized  space with SO much potential!  I couldn’t wait to transform it with pots of colorful plants, comfortable furnishings  to lounge and dine on, and great textiles.

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KATHIA’S UPPER DECK “BEFORE”

 

KATHIA’S UPPER DECK “AFTER”:

Kathia's Deck View to Kitchen
Kathia's Deck 2013

 

The wonderful thing about these outdoor furnishings is that you do NOT have to move them every time it rains because they are designed to withstand moisture and UV rays.  What a remarkable benefit for those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest.

If you have an outdoor space that’s going to waste, give Emery & Associates a call today.  We’d love to help you create the outdoor room of your dreams.

There are 13 Comments to "Outdoor Rooms and Fresh Looks for Summer"

  • Jim says:

    It really is a lovely, inviting space. And, as you can see, the cats approve!

  • Donna Pizzi says:

    Kathia, your deck looks absolutely smashing! Love the colorful rug that blends harmonically with the new cushions and pillows. Just delightful. Always love your sense of color! And I recognize that first photo from our shoot – http://blackstoneedge.com Still awaiting word on the kitchen article. Stay tuned!

  • Marisa Schaer says:

    I love the idea of changing the colors for summer. Blue-and-white is my absolute favorite.

  • Judi Cleghorn says:

    A perfect blog post for the first day of summer! I love the concept of Citrus Brights, including yellow, lime, and orange. The rug is really eye-catching, and, as the Dude (Jeff Bridges) said in The Big Lebowski, “it just pulls the whole room together.” The Dude abides, and he knows his rugs, man.

  • Jason Thu says:

    Hi Kathia: things that jumped out to me – good china pieces and the snail napkin ring. 🙂 The colors definitely suit the season.

  • I’ll be right over!

  • Vickie Grimes says:

    Loved your outside patio….I think I can take some of your ideas to my west side patio. thank you for sharing!

  • Shari House says:

    What a lovely, summery place! The colors remind me of sherbet and summer flowers. It must be an inviting space for entertaining. Good to know about new materials and UV protection. Some outdoor furniture looks good at first but deteriorates quickly from exposure.

    • Kathia Emery says:

      Thanks, Shari. The cushions that came with the chairs we bought a few years ago looked REALLY awful. The designer fabrics I originally used for bench cushions and table cloth (indoor/outdoor), lasted almost 8 years, and I leave everything out all year round! Many indoor/outdoor fabrics will label the number of hours they will stand up to sun and weather–I’m going to take these new ones in for winter just to extend their life.

  • Jeanne says:

    I love it! But then everything you do is fabulous. Thanks for the inspiration.

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