Summer Outdoor Living

Hello, and Welcome to the summer home tours!

Each season, I partner with 30 other decor bloggers to showcase seasonal decor in our homes. Today, I, along with five other ladies, have my day to share.

The complete list of all 30 summer home tours is at the end of this post. Each tour is full of summer decor inspiration, like Kristin's home at White Arrows Home, a log home in Wisconsin that is the perfect summer retreat at this time of the year!

Thank you to Marty from A Stroll Thru Life for putting this tour together each season!

If you're visiting for the first time, my name is Cristina, and I call Maryland home with my husband and two young grown-up kids.

I'm always working on something inside my home, whether it's a DIY, organizational, or decorating project. I love to get busy using my home as a canvas for all my creative endeavors. 

Our summer outdoor living space is the one I'm sharing with you today. After a long winter and a good power wash that the mister helped me with, this is how this area looked about two weeks ago. 

The initial plan was to paint the railing around the deck and the potting benches. 

The old paint on the potting benches was flaking badly. I first had to remove all those paint chips, and the funny part is that this wire brush I bought a long time ago to clean the grill also worked perfectly for this task. 

No, I hadn't used it on the grill. I wouldn't dare apply grease on wood before painting it. 😖

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Anyhow, the potting benches were painted and spruced up.

And I even got into these little DIY hanging planters.

Once the decorating started, I wanted to avoid painting the railing. Instead, I brought out all the elements to create our summer outdoor living here!

Let's take a look, as these ideas can be incorporated into many areas of your home for summer.

ESTABLISH THE PURPOSE OF YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE

Does your family love to have dinners at Al Fresco? 

Then, a dining table might be a necessity for you.

Do you just want to be out there lounging and enjoying the weather?

A patio set, like the one we have in our space, may fit your needs. 

Consider how you want to enjoy your outdoor space and furnish it accordingly.

| Rug | Pillowcase | Wire Basket |

ADD A RUG

Decorate your outdoor space the same way you would do any of your rooms inside your home. 

Using a rug as the first layer in your room design will be a visually grounding way to mark a seating or dining area.

Rugs up the cozy factor in outdoor areas, and your feet will love a nice, soft place to walk on.

| Side Table | Buddha Head Planter | Pillow Cover |

ACCESSORIZE

Throw pillows add comfort and style. Outdoor pillows are usually designed with weather-resilient fabrics, but that doesn't mean they are waterproof. 

I keep the chair cushions and throw pillows out here all summer, but when they're not in use, I cover the entire chair with heavy-duty patio chair covers that keep all the cushions looking their best for years!

Small furnishings are another layer of outdoor comfort living. 

Get creative!

A large upside-down wire basket or a wooden crate can double as a coffee table.

This upcycled wooden garland is another accessory that can stay here all summer.

| DIY - Wooden Garland |

Bringing out all those indoor amenities is how we can create a little oasis in our backyard!

| Patio Set | Patio Umbrella | Rug |

USE PLANTS

Duh, it's the outdoors! Plants and more plants will bring joy and another layer of awesomeness to your outdoor living space.

Don't have a green thumb?

No problem! Try using plants that are hard to kill, as I did here with these Day-Lilies. I keep dividing them and planting them in big and small pots around the yard. They keep on coming year after year. They are perennials! 

I also use a few tropical plants that I bring inside the house during winter. As warmer weather approaches, they come out again.

SPRUCE UP FURNITURE PIECES

Nothing like a fresh coat of paint or stain to improve the look of outdoor furnishings.

These benches have been with us for almost twenty years! First, they were the kids' playset that later became the helpful potting benches you see below.

My daughter's pottery creations and finds are here on full display.

Friends from her pottery studio created the adorable turtle and hanging planter you see here.

We love to hang out on this small deck in our backyard. I love to sit here and listen to the birds chirping and the sound of those big trees swaying with the evening breeze. 

OUTDOOR LIGHTING

As the sun sets, outdoor lighting adds a touch of magic and creates a wonderful atmosphere for your outdoor living space.

String lights easily mounted above the railing give this area needed light and a lot of wow factor.

A lighted umbrella and tea lights also help!

| String Lights | 

Next up on the tours is Tammy from Pink Peppermint Design. I know you will love her home as much as I do!

I hope you and yours make this summer one you'll never forget!

Here are all the tours in the 2022 Summer home lineup.

 

Monday - June 6th LineupA Stroll Thru Life - Our Southern Home - Grace In My Space

Hymns & Verses - Southern Hospitality - Chalking Up Success

 

 

Tuesday - June 7th Lineup

Calypso in the Country - StoneGable - 11 Magnolia Lane

White Arrows Home - RemodelaCasa - Pink Peppermint Design

 

Wednesday - June 8th Lineup

Designing Vibes - Cuckoo4Design - Whispering Pines Homestead

Decor to Adore - Thrifty and Chic - Clean and Scentsible

 

 

Thursday - June 9th Lineup

CitrineLiving - Southern Home and Hospitality - Worthing Court

The Stonybrook House - Southern State of Mind - This is our Bliss

 

Friday - June 10th Lineup

Follow The Yellow Brick Home - Country Road 407 - Quarters One

Shiplap and Shells - Simply2Moms - Pasha Is Home

 

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