10 May, 2016
Your deck is a reflection of your home and your lifestyle. To achieve a truly unique look, and provide optimal entertainment for your guests, check out these 15 outdoor design tips and ideas:
1. Outdoor Rugs
Outdoor rugs can be just as elegant and tasteful as indoor rugs, and be the finishing touch you’ve been looking for to complete your patio.
2. Fireplace
Outdoor fireplaces, specifically upright fireplaces, are making an appearance on the deck and patio scene, adding coziness and elegance to your outdoor lounging area.
3. Bar area
Keep the party going outside with a full bar area, equipped with all of the equipment and storage you need to keep your guests happy.
4. Incorporated garden
The garden has made its way onto the patio, and can be as simple as potted plants or built-in plant boxes that function as the back of your bench seating.
5. Minimalist
Your patio design does not have to be extravagant to be tasteful. Simple white furniture against a wood deck is a calming combination. Keep it simple, and you can’t go wrong.
6. Elegant
Choose furniture and décor with clean, straight lines and neutral colors with subtle patterns for an elegant patio look. Use soft lighting from carefully chosen fixtures to create a high-class ambiance on your patio.
7. Lounge furniture
Transform your patio into a sunbathing and relaxing veranda, rather than simply an outdoor dining room. Use reclining chairs, foot rests, and furniture with ample padding. An outdoor screen will complete your outdoor lounge room, and make your patio the go-to for neighborhood movie nights.
8. Outdoor kitchen
No longer does barbecued food dominate the outdoor food scene. Add a full outdoor kitchen to your patio to prepare anything from sushi to pizza, and impress your guests with your wide range of outdoor cooking.
9. Beach style
Sand boxes are not just for the kids. Create a sandbar surrounding your deck or patio to allow your guests to bury their feet in the sand while lounging in the sun. Of course the kids will want to play here, so make sure to have a suitable cover to contain the sand and keep out the unwanted furry residents.
10. Oversized garden chess set
Entertainment is an important part of any outdoor deck or patio. A new emerging trend in outdoor games is oversized chess sets. Use grass and concrete to create your contrasting squares, and purchase oversized pieces for a fun and memorable game of wits enjoyed in your own backyard.
11. Soft outdoor furniture
Wicker and metal aren’t the only options for outdoor seating. Think poufs, bean bag chairs, bean bag lounge chairs, etc. Outdoor lines of soft furniture are usually UV and fade-resistant and weatherproof, and also fold easily to simple storage, so there are no excuses to skip the comfort for outdoor seating anymore.
12. Eclectic
Mix and match textures, use bright, contrasting colors, and combine the use of wood and metal to create a quirky and eclectic space where everyone feels comfortable to be themselves. If you have a knack for creativity, consider using your own designs and creations for some of the décor and furniture to round off this look.
13. Privacy wall/screen
Unwanted onlookers can be prevented by adding a privacy wall or screen to keep your party private and secure. Privacy walls can serve two purposes as they can also complement your décor, creating a beautiful architectural accent piece as well as containing the events of your party.
14. Built in hot tub
There’s just nothing like the relaxation that comes with slipping into a hot tub at the end of a day, but the large, bulky design can make many hot tubs an eyesore. Consider creating your patio or deck with a hot tub in mind, using a built-in hot tub design so your patio stays open, and your hot tub is easily accessible but also not an intrusion.
15. String lights
A popular feature in modern deck and patio designs are string lights, and rightly so. There’s a sense of wonder and magic when a dark night is lit by overhanging globe lights. You can even use different colors for the bulbs to customize your party.
To add a modern touch to your deck or patio, check out the line of modern outdoor furniture and décor from RST.
