Interiors: Luxe Tips to Make Your Outdoors Indoors

By Nancy Pearson

Summer is all about the outdoors! Whether you are sunning yourself in the Hamptons, enjoying city views in New York from your terrace or lucky enough to be relaxing in a leisurely country setting, now is the best time to refresh your outdoor space and make the most of summer.

Start by adding a few summery accents, whether it is a multicolored throw pillow, a vibrant flower or flashy napkins. One of the best approaches when adding green colored accents is to use plants. Revive the yard or terrace with new flowers and furniture made from natural materials, like our amazing tree slice coffee table, which is still very on trend.

It is great to be prepared for the heat and all the socializing that occurs al fresco during the months ahead. Although grey has been a hot color for the past few years, now is the time to lighten up. Keep the color pallet fresh with summer whites complimented by bright accents.

On a Sag Harbor porch, I slip-covered all of the outdoor furniture in white Sunbrella, which is easily cleanable and washable. It gave new life to the outdoor space! Drama was added with airy billows of sheer white outdoor draperies.

Next, I decided to play with color, texture and pattern in vibrant pinks, oranges and purples. Ikat designs and graphic fabrics with summer images gave the outdoor pillows style. They are a perfect way to accent and make a statement on a budget. Pick two colors and add a complimentary one to give your look extra punch, such as, blue, turquoise and magenta.

Gold accents are one of the big trends in decorating for 2016. In planning for outdoor entertaining, I paired a white dining table with slip covered chairs. The table top was given a new lease of life courtesy of the gorgeous melon and gold accented Limoges china.

A garden stool is an absolute must in any outdoor seating area. A gold one is particularly glam and gave the porch an upscale feel. It contrasted the purple petunias, which are a rather common annual flower, and added unexpected element that is key to a successful design.

Next, become a trend setter with a fashionable bar cart which not only is a great decorative statement, but is a highly functional element for serving ice cold libations on a hot day. For this project I used different textures to achieve a polished yet light look. I went with clear glassware with a lot of texture, silver metallic bar utensils, and to carry out the final look of the summer style, I decided to go with a bold melon colored tea set. Not only does the cart look stylish with the finishing touches, it also ends up being able to accommodate a day time happy hour and a cool summer night tea party.

If you are working with limited space, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to open it up using a few trusty décor pieces. My favorite way is to incorporate mirrors. They are a great way to expand a small space you are working with. Try going for a statement piece that will look great all year round.

During day, a mirror will reflect the sun, filling your area with plenty of natural light. For a night time look, go with candles or mood lighting - the mirror will shine like the beautiful moonlight.

If you are feeling a bit more adventurous with décor elements, try swapping out any silver or gold serving utensils or even the cart itself for a rose gold or copper finish on any metallic surface. It will create an interesting contrast between the furniture and the designated drinking area. Rose gold or copper silverware will make for an interesting conversation at the dinner table.

It has been great sharing my design knowledge and tips with you. For future design ideas stayed tuned for new updates and more details visit me at www.nancypearsonltd.com