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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Inspiration Board - Dreaming in Shade

Imagination and Innovation in Fabric by FabriTec Structures

In our research for this week's posts we discovered very quickly that shade design in residential settings is almost non-existent.  The single pole market umbrella reigns supreme in the backyard yet there are so many more compelling and effective shade options on the market.  We relied heavily on commercial shade applications for inspiration this week to illustrate the shade possibilities.  In the case of commercial applications you will notice the use of significant structure for the sails and umbrellas but don't fret, there are many residential options on the market that will help you get this commercial look without the beefy engineering and we will introduce you to some of those fabulous options this week.

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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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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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Inspiration Board - Accessorizing

I've had the opportunity to design and produce a couple of speciality outdoor living spaces for Home Infatuation customers.  At the end of each of these projects I smugly thought to myself, these spaces look great.  That smugness quickly dissipated when the stylists arrived with their bags full of seemingly incompatible fruits, foods, flowers, vases, planters, bottles, glasses and  knickknacks to style the spaces for the photo shoot. It is truly amazing what skillful accessorizing can do to a space - I believe it to be an art form.  My projects went from nice to amazing right before my eyes. This week we will be talking about accessorizing your outdoor spaces and I thought there was no better place to start than with some inspiration from professional stylists' portfolios.  

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Inspiration Board - Global Style

We are taking you globe-trotting this week on the blog.  There is a lot of design chatter this year about Global Style and we've been listening with great interest.  One thing we love about this style is that it doesn't hem you in - you can mix and match cultures to your hearts content.  We are kicking off the week with a quick trip around the outdoor living world to inspire you to think global this year in your outdoor spaces.

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Inspiration Board - Small Outdoor Spaces

Living with smaller outdoor spaces is certainly a trend in many parts of our country. How to combine décor with utility to get the most out of the space will test your imagination and resourcefulness.

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Inspiration Board - Privacy Solutions

We all like to spend as much time outdoors on the patio or around the pool but how do we create privacy without sacrificing design? This week we will be offering design solutions, examples and inspiration on how privacy and design can blend together.

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Inspiration Board - Enjoy The Season! We Will Return January 3, 2011

May you have
walls for the wind
a roof for the rain
drinks bedside the fire
laughter to cheer you
those you love near you
all that your heart may desire

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Inspiration Board - Let the Outdoor Holiday Decorating Begin!

We would like to believe that your outdoor spaces can be fantastic year round but if there are two times of the year that they are the stars of the show it is summer and the holidays.  All this month we will be inspiring you to make your outdoor space great for the holidays and we will start you off with this Inspiration Board.

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