WHAT WAS IN, IS NOW OUT

Cooking, entertaining, reading, relaxing and sleeping for many decades in the USA have been activities that homeowners did inside the house.  Now, the trend for many is to move activities to the out spaces.  Just as formal  sitting rooms indoors are passé, formal gardens are out and the lived-in garden is very chic. 
     Kitchens for the patio come complete with fire brick pizza ovens, refrigerators, ice makers, sinks, and the traditional favorite BBQ grill in a fashionable streamlined stainless steel model.  Entertainment tents, screened in  3- season rooms and gazebos move the crowd from the main indoor living spaces.  Piped out music, a flat screen TV and speakers that look like rocks, add to the draw.  A hot tub complete with built in DVD/CD player and mood lights couldn’t hurt!  Container water gardens and fountains soothe the weary and bring tranquility to this outdoor haven.
     How does a stager treat these areas?  Less is still the best.  Resist plastic, religious objects and garden gnomes.  Add a few quality eye-catching pieces that project simple elegance.  Place a few  colorful pillows on the seating pieces with an accenting throw over the back.  Now is not the time for neutrals!  You want to accentuate the  (hopefully) neutral color of the home, so be sure  your potted plants and hanging baskets are all in the same coordinating colors.  Think— POP— and — WOW! This includes vertical spaces, so think of vines, trellis shapes,  and climbers. An outdoor rug can anchor a grouping as well.  Plants that are scented: like roses, lilac, and jasmine, add to the ambiance but don’t overwhelm when outdoors.
     A good outdoor living space can sell the home, as the prospective buyer envisions the memory making moments that could be experienced here.

     If you want to be part of the “in crowd”, you will want to be thinking “out”.

Kathleen Lordbock - Re$ale Design - Brainerd, MN