| Outdoor rooms are extremely popular these | | | | can just be replaced the next year! This is a |
| days, and not just amongst the rich and famous! | | | | great technique for the end of a porch or deck, |
| You can squeeze an outdoor room in almost any | | | | and can help control the sun as well. Be sure to |
| space, and decorate it to match the style and | | | | use tiebacks for those times you want to let the |
| mood of your home, inexpensively! | | | | breezes blow through. |
| Any room needs furniture, and an outdoor room | | | | Lighting is so often overlooked in outdoor rooms |
| is no exception. However, much of the patio | | | | because of its expensive nature, but this doesn't |
| furniture on the market today is quite expensive. | | | | have to be the case. Candles and torches are |
| You can make inexpensive resin chairs work for | | | | wonderful for outdoor meals, and solar lights can |
| you, however. There are new varieties with a | | | | be used for safety, without the expense of |
| texture to them that looks more like wood than | | | | electrical installation. Strings of clear holiday lights |
| their slick plastic counterparts did. Look for these! | | | | are magical wrapped around a tree, or over a |
| Also, the white Adirondack resin chairs sell at my | | | | porch beam. Luminerias can be created with |
| local discount stores from $11 to $15, and look | | | | recycled cans and a punch tool, then drop a |
| amazingly like the real painted wood chairs, | | | | candle inside. |
| especially from a distance. Dress up your new | | | | Finally, don't forget accessories to add charm and |
| chairs with some cushions, and they will fit right in | | | | style to your outdoor rooms! Pick up some |
| to any décor! You can also now spray paint | | | | unfinished bird houses at the craft store, and |
| those chairs with a new paint from Krylon called | | | | decorate them with paint, then hang in a group on |
| Fusion. Pick it up for about $4 and customize | | | | the garden fence or wall. Use scrap lumber to |
| cheap plastic chairs. (Hint: Look at garage sales for | | | | paint signs for your garden room with inspirational |
| used ones you can repaint!) | | | | sayings, or words. Use your hand tools as |
| Once you have your furniture in place, time to | | | | décor items and hang them on the fence or |
| think privacy. Hopefully, you are protected on at | | | | wall. Lean an old picket fence against the porch |
| least one side by a wall, fence, or building. A great | | | | wall,( or a new one, you can get a premade |
| way to offer yourself some more private | | | | picket fence piece for around $8 at the home |
| moments is to use a trellis as an extra wall, and | | | | improvement center!) then place planters of |
| plant fast growing vines at its base. You can | | | | flowers in front of it. Add cut flowers in pretty |
| anchor the trellis in a planter to make a moveable | | | | pitchers and bowls from the kitchen, pick up |
| wall. Morning glories, scarlet runner beans, and | | | | candles at the dollar shop, and lay out a fabric |
| moonflower will all cover your new "wall" in no | | | | napkin or two as an impromptu tablecloth. |
| time! | | | | Any way you do it, an outdoor room is worth |
| If your outdoor room is protected in part from | | | | having in any home, and with a little creative |
| the weather, fabric curtains can be used outdoors | | | | thinking can be decorated with style, comfort, and |
| as well. I suggest using cheap flat sheets and | | | | the spirit of the seasons which coax us out of |
| either a staple gun or a grommet kit. Cheap | | | | doors. |
| muslin can work as well, and is so inexpensive it | | | | |