Bringing the Indoors Out Sixteen hours into the project, the design plan is all but complete. The only elements to be added in the two hours remaining are furnishings and accents. Feel-Good Furniture Since the goal of this design is to establish an "outdoor living area," the selected furnishings are warm and comfortable, just as they would be in an interior living room. A wonderful teak table and matching chairs are the focal point of the furnishings; colorful, functional tableware and accents complete the welcoming feel (figure A). Note: Teak, always an excellent choice for outdoor furniture, is worth the extra expense. It's durable and comfortable, it weathers beautifully and doesn't become uncomfortably hot to the touch in high-temperature weather. As art director Ken Short explains, it's important to consider whether you want to bring outdoor furniture inside every time it rains. If you choose a material like wicker, you'll have to protect it from the elements to keep it in good shape. Light Delights Highlighting plants with "up-lights" (figure B) is a great way to allow plants' colors and textures to be enjoyed at night. The pointed stake can be inserted easily into a container, allowing the beam to be perfectly positioned to accentuate a plant's best angle, as shown in figure C. Along the deck overhang, simple retro-style lights (figure D) are strung casually along the edge to provide soft illumination in the evening hours. Antiques and Accents For a final touch of warmth and interest, a small rectangular antique side table is placed along the wall of the house beneath a window. Shiny copper pots on the tabletop and directly beneath set off the table's warm cream finish and incorporate plant material into the furnished area (figure E). A Last Look Ultimately, this home has gained another room through the dramatic transformation of its deck -- the space is now comfortable and functional and will make the home more enjoyable. (And it looks incredible, too!) In just one weekend, the addition of two simple -- yet distinctive -- steps, a coat of deck stain and a variety of vivid plants (both in-gournd and container-planted) have created a perfect place to relax and entertain (figure F). A Note on Plant Material: For this landscape design, larger / mature plants weren't a cost-effective choice since they're generally expensive and this design called for a large number of plants. And although the area is already a picture of perfection, three years from now the plants will have grown to enclose and define the space even further, making it more beautiful as well as more private.
RESOURCES :
Hampton Folding Table
Model: S418640
36"D x 27"H
Smith & Hawken
Website: www.smithandhawken.com
Hampton Folding Chairs (4)
Model: S415240
37 1/2" H, 18 1/2" W, 18" D
Smith & Hawken
Website: www.smithandhawken.com
Octagon Market Umbrella (Forest Green)
Model: S621540
11 1/2' D, 2" pole
Smith & Hawken
Website: www.smithandhawken.com
Umbrella Disk Base
Model: S698506
24" D
Smith & Hawken
Website: www.smithandhawken.com
Industrial Light String
Model: S622290
50' string, 10 units
Smith & Hawken
Website: www.smithandhawken.com
Artichoke Finial (small)
Model: S-106 (TC)
5 1/2" sq. x 12" H
Campania International
Quakertown, PA 18951
Phone: 215-538-1106
Website: www.campaniainternational.com
GUESTS :
Ken Short
Perennial Productions
4661 Palmero Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90065
Phone: 323-550-8900
Fax: 323-550-8989
Email: perennial@earthlink.net
Art Director
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