Ready to create a wonderful outdoor space where you can spend vacation relaxing at home or just enjoying your weekend?  Start by selecting an area that you love whether its your backyard patio, front porch or an area  tucked away in a private corner.  

Outdoor room

Once you’ve selected your spot, start thinking about your walls, floors and ceilings.  If you don’t have any built walls, consider adding a grouping of evergreens or a trellis for example that’s affordable.  Not only will your outdoor space feel more like a room, but you can also use it to create some privacy if needed.

For flooring brick, pavers or natural stone always look great, but if that’s not possible because of budgetary concerns, why not layer an outdoor rug over an existing patio or porch to add textural interest? 

Photo by J. Savage Gibson from Coastal Living magazine website

And if you have a ceiling, think about painting it a sky blue or hanging a chandelier?  I also love to use old wrought iron sconces and metal wall decor to spice up the space to make a space more inviting, but my favorite outdoor items are usually from a trip or a great find that’s not available from a retail store.

For more great ideas on creating outdoor style, tune in this Sunday at 10am CST to Living Large on News Radio 980 KMBZ as I talk with outdoor living experts plus Fine Living Network host of Surprise Vacations, Karen Duffy.

And for more information about Sustainable Living, don’t miss Living Large at 10:30am on Classical 1660 KXTR as I talk with Josh Dorfman, the lazy environmentalist from the Sundance Channel.