Outdoor Decorating Ideas

Make your outdoor space an extension of your living room by creating an inviting setting to entertain family and friends. Creating a comfortable outdoor atmosphere that mimics an extension of the indoor area of your home will help ensure a successful party.

Place Settings and Food Display

Although paper plates and plastic flatware make for easy cleanup, they aren't always the most reliable or the most attractive option. If you plan to entertain outdoors often, upgrade by buying an outdoor dish set. Outdoor dishware is usually made of unbreakable plastic and can be found in all sorts of summery colors and patterns.

Summer provides the perfect time for fresh flower bouquets. Try using tall, thin cylinder vases. They take up a small amount of room and with decorative rocks in the bottom they will be sturdy in the wind. Potted gerbera daisies, pansies, or even wheatgrass can brighten up an ordinary table. Or find a fanciful watering can and use it to create your own arrangement using fresh-cut flowers from your yard. A colorful setting can also be achieved by using fruit as part of your décor. Lemons and limes in a glass bowl or cylinder make an easy and vivid centerpiece.

Find unique ways to serve food and beverages. Use baskets or flowerpots to hold snacks like pretzels and chips. For the buffet table, organize flatware in old-fashioned glass jars. Instead of hiding drinks in coolers, have them on show. Clean attractive wastebaskets can be put to use as ice buckets for beverages . Toss in a few miniature ice packs under the ice to ensure long-lasting cooling power.

Outdoor Seating

It's a good idea to have enough seating for all of your guests. If necessary, bring some of your indoor seating outside to create an eclectic mix-and-match look. Stackable, plastic chairs will work just as well, and you can dress them up by adding comfy seat cushions. Or create a chair-swag by wrapping material around the back of the chair and tying it into a knot. You can make your regular outdoor seating just as comfortable by placing canvas or weather-proof pillows on benches and patio chairs.

Do you have enough table space for everyone to dine comfortably? If not, bring out extra card or buffet tables and cover them up with coordinating tablecloths. Disguise worn outdoor tables, like old picnic tables, with tablecloths as well.

Establish different gathering areas throughout your yard so not everyone is confined to the patio or porch. One idea for doing this is to spread a natural-fiber area rug under a shady tree, where you can arrange some beach chairs in a circle.

Lighting

One way of creating an inviting outdoor atmosphere is to incorporate lighting techniques that will prove functional for evening parties and provide a nice element to the decoration of your outdoor space.

Some tips:

• Suspend paper and metal accordion lanterns, which hold tea light candles, from trees or porch eaves.
• Tiki torches provide a great outdoor party atmosphere and they can be used to create a feeling of privacy and intimacy for a smaller get together by arranging them around your seating area.
• Using hurricane lamps to hold candles is a good choice for outdoor parties because they shield the candle flames from the wind. An alternative choice is to use old lanterns from flea markets or antique stores to hold your candles.
• For an elegant look, try decorating trees or the perimeter of your yard with holiday string lights. The small, white lights work very well but you can also find these lights in a variety of fun shapes, styles, and colors.
  

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