Just off the family room, an inviting patio area offers quiet relaxation with its defined areas for dining, conversation and contemplation. My family celebrates outdoor living year 'round with relaxed furnishings, varied textures and romantic colors. Define and unite your indoor/outdoor spaces by carrying the color palette and design theme from indoors to outdoors. Subtle visual links lead the eye inside to outside, like the upholstered dining chairs, tiled floor and iron accents.

When you light everything on your patio with one overhead ceiling light, you miss a wonderful opportunity to provide softness and nuance. Leave the bright lights for the cooking area and other task-oriented spots and keep illumination soft everywhere else. Select wall lights with frosted glass to avoid a harsh glare.

Did you know:
Coming Home Fabrics (255-5023) is having a sale on all outdoor fabrics through September?

When designing an outdoor room, don't overlook the perimeter of your property. By placing this garden settee away from the home, I accomplish two things.

One: I have created a sense of destination.

Two: We have a new vantage point from which to look back and admire the home and patio. You can also accomplish this design element with a pair of garden chairs and a small bistro table.

Play up a single color to give your dining table punch. This Provencal red tablecloth pops against plates and accessories of gold and green.

To create your outdoor room, be sure to engage the five senses with scented flowers, lighted candles and a gentle waterfall.

I regularly shop flea markets and local antique shops for garden decor to add instant character and age to my garden and patio. Every piece has a story and the quest to find it becomes part of that story. Salvaged orange shutters found a new home on my garden wall and paired nicely with a statue and artwork.
Tami Smight is a professional interior decorator and owner of Tami Smight Interiors; 430-0127