Surprising Lesson You Can Learn on the Patio

I’d been searching for the perfect patio furniture for a long time and hadn’t found a product that satisfied my standards of quality, value, and price. Last fall I finally made a great find and outfitted my backyard with all new outdoor furniture.

We didn’t get a lot of time to enjoy it before winter hit, but we did discover that the chairs are super comfortable. Bob (my husband) even wanted to bring the lounge chairs into the house because he thought they were more comfortable than his living room chair (I said no).

Now that spring is here, our weather in California went from a cold, rainy winter straight into hot days and warm nights, allowing us to use the furniture again. Bob and I celebrated a belated wedding anniversary last weekend on our new gorgeous patio.

We popped open a bottle of Dom Perignon Vintage 2005 champagne and made a tray of delectable snacks to enjoy in our comfy chairs around the fire pit. It was absolute perfection.

What you can learn about design from my night out on the patio?

Sometimes You NEED to Splurge

Our beautiful bottle of champagne was so good, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  Even though it was a gift, I realized that sometimes you need to splurge and get the good stuff. This is the same with design.

It could be expensive marble tile on your kitchen backsplash or a piece of artwork that makes your heart skip a beat. Whatever your splurge is, it is essential to your soul (or in my case patio furniture!).

You Need a Variety of Colors, Textures, and Patterns

Our snack tray was beautifully prepared by my hubby with salami, dried fruit, olives, cheese stuffed pepperoncini, smoked almonds, brie cheese and cracked peppercorn crackers. This mix of color, texture, and pattern looked too pretty to eat.

This is what happens when we design a space for you, when we carefully select the perfect mix of colors, texture, and pattern to make something truly delectable. When you walk into your room, it feels right. It makes you happy. It makes you feel at ease. These feelings don’t happen by chance; they happen because we’ve spent many, many hours developing those emotions through design, by learning what is important to you.

The Rich Balances the Tart, the Sweet Compliments the Salty

I don’t care for bitter or sour foods, but the harmony of the champagne and mix of treats complimented each other effortlessly. I didn’t cringe with a bite of pepperoncini because the sweet fruit and savory salami balanced the flavors each other perfectly.

Finding balance in your rooms (whether they be indoor or outdoor) is important because an unbalanced anything (work, life, and spaces) can be uncomfortable. As interior designers we’ve become quite adept at creating interesting spaces whose visual objects are equally weighted. The tart black accent wall is balanced with the sweet and soft flowing drapery and the space feels comfortable and inviting.

Wish You Were Sitting With Me on My Patio

I know I can’t bring you into my patio to share in snacks, sips and relaxation, but as you start planning your summer parties, making your playlist and getting ready to enjoy the good life on your patio, I can outfit it with outdoor furniture that will make your backyard the envy of the neighborhood.

I’ve got two outdoor room vignettes in the Design Workshop just waiting for you. Come check them out and get great and stylish patio furniture perfect for outdoor living!