Its a snowy Friday in Connecticut - our 5th or 6th snowfall this month - and as I sit here watching the beautiful snow fall, its hard to believe that it’s time to start thinking about and planning for outdoor spaces for this spring and summer. This is particularly true this year, in the time of COVID, with backordered products and shipping delays that are taking months to resolve. If you want to be able to enjoy your space as soon as the weather gets warm - and don’t want to be stuck with whatever happens to be available - now is the time to start designing, building, and shopping, especially if you live in areas where it tends to warm up faster. (Honestly, if you’re in Connecticut with me, you might be able to get away with holding off another month - but then you have to worry about everyone else already having bought anything worth having, so maybe not?)

This is a small patio seating area I’ve put together with our back patio in mind. We do have some furniture pieces down there now, but our chairs need to be replaced (seats are wearing out), and it could use with some finishing touches. Our yard is the reason we bought our house and its filled with beautiful gardens that the previous owners took great care of, a large grassy yard lined with trees for the kids to run around in, rock walls and large boulders for climbing on. The back patio is covered and overlooks the space, and is a great spot for us to hang out, drink a glass of wine, and watch the kids play.

Outdoor spaces can become extensions of your home, especially if they are furnished/designed correctly - becoming a hang out and relax zone for everyone to enjoy and get some fresh air at the same time. Keep reading to learn about these selections, and some general tips for outdoor furnishings.

First, I like to keep outdoor spaces very neutral for one main reason - I want the beauty of the outdoors to provide the color and focus. I also like to combine different styles of pieces to create a curated look, instead of purchasing a matching set. Not only does this provide different seating options, but in my opinion, it looks more interesting. Not to mention, if one chair or piece breaks, its easier to find a replacement that works with everything than having a single piece that is different.

Sofa

This outdoor sofa has loose cushions with zip-off covers made from weather resistant olefin material and a kiln dried mahogany frame. Generally, teak is the best wood for outdoor furnishings as it is naturally water repellant, but this piece was picked out for a covered patio which offers more protection. Teak is also very expensive in comparison to other products, but is absolutely beautiful even as it ages. The back of this sofa has a really cool woven nylon backing so it looks great with or without the cushions. I love having a piece with upholstery outside as it adds interior elements and a relaxing lounge spot for reading (or taking a nap) but it is important to make sure the material can handle the elements. Olefin is a man made textile that is known for its durability - including resistance to mold, mildew, sunlight, and staining - great for outdoor applications.

Chairs

The chairs provide a different silhouette from the sofa and are rattan with an FSC-certified teak base. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council and the certification indicates that the wood was sustainably sourced from forests that are responsibly managed (by the way, I had a sustainable design concentration when I got my degree, so you know I love sustainable choices!). The seat cushion provides a little extra comfort, especially if you plan to sit and chat a while.

Coffee Table

I decided to do something a little different with the coffee table and instead of having one long table, I selected two smaller tables to use as a pair. This also offers you a way to separate them and rearrange for parties or gatherings. When picking a coffee table (whether indoors or out) you needs to pay attention to the proportions to make sure it isn’t too big or too small for the space. Ideally, the coffee table will be an inch or two lower than the seat height of your sofa, and will be about 2/3rds the length of the sofa. So, since the sofa is 17 inches at the seat, this coffee table at 15 inches is perfect. The sofa is also 76 inches long, which means we want a coffee table that is about 53 inches. One of these tables is only 27 inches so by itself the proportions are wrong if we only used one, but when you put two of them together, you’ve solved that problem.

Side Table/Stools

I love some extra seating and also things that pull double duty! These stools are a great side table option, but can also be offered to visiting guests as additional seating. I also love the wire frame base which keeps them from looking visually heavy (and also keeps them light for easy mobility). You could also use them as a plant stand. Make sure that if you buy a side table with the intent to use it as a stool that it can handle the weight - this product was originally intended as a stool, which makes it perfect for this application.

Rug

I love adding a rug to an outdoor space - there is just something about the added warmth it provides, as well as making the space really feel like an extension of your interior. This may be obvious, but not all rugs can handle being outside (covered patio or not). You need to find one that is an indoor/outdoor rug and can handle the elements. Rugs are not something that you can easily pack up every time there is bad weather, especially since the same rules for sizing apply for outdoor rugs as indoor (all furniture should be at least partly on the rug). You also don’t want a cheap plastic looking mat (trust me - I’ve made that mistake) - it will not give you the feel you want.

This rug has a great soft chevron pattern and is in a fairly neutral blue and while color palette. Chevron is one of my favorite geometric patterns, but it can feel really cold/harsh because of all of the sharp angles. I love the organic take on chevron in this selection. This is made from 100% polypropylene which is durable and very stain resistant.

Planters

I love planters and adding some vegetation up close - even when outside. I wish I could tell you where to buy these planters, but they’re actually a DIY project I came across from Warm Cozy Home where they essentially took planters and spray painted them with metallic copper paint. Super easy to do and allows you to take a set of mismatched planters and make a unified set out of them. I also love the warmth that the copper adds to the space.

I am so excited to get our patio updated and ready to go for warmer weather and would love to help you if you feel overwhelmed thinking about it! Click the contact us button at the top of the page and fill out the inquiry form to get started!