Your porch or patio is a great place to entertain guests, dine, and relax with your friends and family.  Even a simple backyard can be transformed into a beautiful secondary living space when designed well! Simple upgrades in your outdoor furniture, lighting, and decor can turn your space from plain to inspiring in no time!

Here are some great outdoor furniture ideas to help you plan your space:

1. Think about what you use your space for, or what you want to use your space for the most in the future. Do you want it to be a relaxing place for your family? A place to entertain friends and host parties? A nice spot to spend time alone and read? Think about what you envision the space being. This will dictate the decisions you make about your outdoor furniture & decor.

2. Draw out your space. Measuring your space is imperative in buying outdoor furniture because you need to know the exact amount of space you have available before you start buying. Go out to your space and analyze what the typical traffic patterns will be. Do you need a lot of room for people to walk around? Take notes on highly trafficked areas you’d like to keep clear.

3. Browse Pinterest & other inspiration sites for all of the elements you’d like to see on your patio space. Think about food– do you need a grill, decorative wood serving bowls, or dining tables & chairs? How about your lighting–candles are always a great option for a romantic and dreamy outdoor space. Hanging string lights are festive and bring life into the space. Get a piece of paper, browse Pinterest & take note of all of the different things you love about porch and patio decor.

4. Consider the climate. Will your outdoor furniture & decor need to be weather resistant? If your patio furniture will be exposed to harsh heat, cold, winds, rain, etc… you might want to consider products that are maintenance free and can survive throughout even the most severe weather conditions! Do a little browsing online and you’ll find great outdoor rugs to keep the floor looking stylish and resistant to the weather too! If your furniture, rugs, etc, will be exposed to rain and wetness, don’t use any fabrics that will mold or decay over time!

5. Colors. Choose color schemes that bring out the personality of your space and your home! We love the bright blue of this ultra modern outdoor furniture set–accented by the blue water of the pool. Think about your space and the feeling you want your porch or patio to give your guests, and find colorful furniture and decor to match it! Browse Pinterest for inspiration.

Stay tuned for more updates on the perfect outdoor furniture style for you & your space!