Years ago, when I was first diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, my counsellor recommended incorporating daily morning walks into my routine. I didn’t. It probably would have helped. However, as a stay at home mother of two my need to be out of the house for sanity’s sake has overcome my laziness. I have discovered a host of benefits beyond those to my mental and physical health. One of the benefits being decorating inspiration. One particular patio always catches my eye and I wouldn’t be surprised if the owners think I’m some kind of creeper slowly walking by their backyard and gawking. However the clean, classic lines of the furniture, the pop of colour with the geometric pillows, and the sculptural floral arrangement make the decorator in me drool.
The combination of glorious mother nature and this stunning patio inspired me to do some interior decorating to my exterior space. I didn’t have the budget to bring my outdoor space to the caliber I have seen, but a trip to Lowes bought me some beautiful flower baskets (only $10 each!), and a stylish outdoor rug. The rug is neutral enough that if I change my mind about accent colours I can go for it without worrying about clashing, and the violet flowers echo my violet accents inside (always violet, never purple, my colour teacher insisted that “purple” is violet’s ghetto sister, not to be spoken of). Our sundeck side table used to be a tacky bamboo plant holder I found which I painted white and had glass cut for. Its geometric lines mimic the geometric pattern found on my favourite throw pillow inside. From the living room you look straight onto the deck so it was important to me that the design remain cohesive in terms of colour and pattern.
These simple and inexpensive elements truly made us feel we had an outdoor living space we could enjoy as a family (note the kids books on the table, its a favorite place for cuddle reads). Although I still have grandiose plans for my sundeck’s future (this patio set at target is to die for!), for this summer we will appreciate the simplicity of our little piece of heaven.
