Design 101 - Space Design for an Outdoor Dining Room

Ramon Esteve de Estudio Arquitectura

When faced with a bare deck or patio it is sometimes difficult to visualize how to break the space up into different outdoor ‘rooms’.  I am a function over form kind of girl when it comes to design so I always start looking at a space with function in mind.

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Inspiration Board - Al Fresco Dining

Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner and we view that as the holiday that kicks off the outdoor dining and entertaining season.  In this season the dining table is the center of attention and activity so we thought we would bring you a week about how to design with, style and entertain on dining tables.  This week's posts will be full of photos of dining tables in a variety of styles and settings so if you are in the market for a dinning table there will be plenty of inspiration.  Here is a taste of things to come this week.

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Inspiration Board - Ceramic Furniture

We had been following the trend of ceramic stools and side tables creeping from interior spaces into outdoor spaces.  When we headed to the Casual Living show last summer we expected to find evidence of the growing outdoor trend but we didn't see the traditional ceramic garden stools that we expected to see.

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Get The Look - Victorian Beach Pods

Photo Inspiration - Happy Hotelier

The outdoor pod trend has reemerged as a very contemporary furnishing - taking a cue from the mid-century designs of Jacobsen and Henrick-Larsen.  If your outdoor decorating tastes trend toward the romantic and Victorian, there is room for you too in the outdoor pod trend.  I was delighted to come across this postcard of high-back cane chairs from the Victorian era.  Contemporary wicker pods are bigger to allow for more comfortable lounging but you can still Get The Look with the help of some accessories with Victorian details.

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Top Topic - The Original Pod

Henrik Thor-Larsen Ovalia Egg Chair

Like so many contemporary furniture designs the pod was inspired by a previous design concept.  The modern pod has its roots in the mid-century designs of Henrick Thor-Larsen and Arne Jacobsen. For Today's top topic I went in search of these space-age designs in hopes that I might find them in their 'native' mid-century habitats. To my surprise I didn't find many vintage photos but rather found some great examples of contemporary designs that had incorporated this vintage design.  Pods are back!  How will you incorporate one into your current outdoor space?

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Design 101 - The History of the Chaise Lounge

François Halard, Photographer

As our weeklong devotion to the chaise lounge continues we called upon one of favorite designers, James Casey of Steve&James® for his thoughts on the allure of the chaise.

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Top Topic - The Daybed

She Moves The Furniture - Photo Post

It almost isn't an exaggeration to say that since the dawn of time daybeds have been a favorite furnishing.  The history of daybeds is long and there is no shortage of historic and current examples of the daybed in use.  Much like the sectional sofa the appeal of a daybed is its design and function flexibility - which explains its long design history.  Flexibility in design for outdoor spaces is key so it's no wonder the daybed concept has taken off in outdoor decor.  From ostentatious to crude there are so many interior examples to fuel your imagination. 

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Inspiration Board - Underfoot

When designing your outdoor space don't forget to look down.  What's underfoot?  Nothing,  an unsightly deck, a boring concrete patio?  This week we are going to be talking about the wonderful opportunity to add color or pattern to the ground.  From outdoor rugs to impermanent  snap together wood and stone tiles there are lots of options for spicing up your space or covering an unsightly mess.  To start off the week here are some inspiring examples of color and pattern underfoot.

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Design 101 - Guest Blogger Gale Steves, From the Outdoors Looking In

Rees Roberts + Partners

Everyone is so busy moving their indoor looks outside these days. I wish they would stop for a minute or two and ponder how their new exterior creations will affect the view from the windows.  And those windows are important for bringing the outdoors inside. And then stop to think about how the existing garden color scheme will influence furniture choices and colors as well.

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Inspiration Board - Living Outdoors in Harmony with Your Landscape

When we talk about outdoor living we should bear in mind that we are actually guests of our outdoor environment or landscape.  We can either be the obnoxious guest who takes over and dominates our host's space or we can be the guest that falls into step with our host and will ultimately be asked back time and again.  This week we are going to be talking about falling into step with the outdoor environment and landscape when designing our outdoor spaces.  Here are some inspiring looks that have integrated almost seamlessly with the outdoors.

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