Outside Views
Marcia Blake is President / Creative Director of Outdoor Interiors® a design firm specializing in creating outdoor living spaces. She also provides design and consulting services for outdoor furniture manufacturers and has launched a new collection of soft goods and accessories she designed called Outdoor Couture®, she is an active member of the Color Marketing Group, ASID and ICFA.
When Designing an Outdoor Living Space Consider the Surrounding Features
When designing an outdoor living space you should take into consideration the surrounding materials. In the photo above you will see the red brick accenting the outdoor living space, therefore, a natural choice for the outdoor furniture is wrought iron or aluminum in a dark powder coating. Accenting the furniture with beautiful Sunbrella fabric that has the same coloration as the brick is the key... Read More
Comments (0)Add Texture to the Patio When Designing an Outdoor Living Space
Adding dimension to your outdoor patio surface is easy with the addition of stamped or textured concrete. Stamped concrete can be imprinted to resemble brick, slate, flagstone, stone, tile or wood. This process is very durable and looks authentic. Another option is to texture the concrete with exposed aggregate or a rock salt finish. If you already have an existing concrete surface you can resurf... Read More
Comments (1)Honor our Fallen Soldiers on this Memorial Day!
As we spend this Memorial Day together with family and friends, let’s take a moment to commemorate the soldiers lives that were lost in the pursuit of our freedom. Say a special prayer and thank all of the men and women who fight everyday to ensure America’s freedom!! Hug your children tight, tell your parents that you love them, cherish... Read More
Comments (0)Joe Ruggiero Inspires Design Indoors & Out with Sunbrella Fabric
Miles Talbott is a family owned and operated custom built upholstery company whose mission is to design, build, and deliver affordable top quality furniture. They have teamed up with Joe Ruggiero to create the Joe Ruggiero Collection! Joe’s upholstery collection is all about comfortable style. Style that’s sleek, livable, and that provides a... Read More
Comments (0)Decorate with Solar Lighting & Garden Art
Allsop Home & Garden is a small family business, started by a father and a daughter who were inspired to create a better wheelbarrow. Nearly six years later they are still inspired to create the best, the most innovative and conscientious products possible from original garden tools to solar lighting. They are the founders of the concept "solar garden art" and also known for unique combinations... Read More
Comments (0)Natural Pleasures & Treasures Surround Us Outdoors
In 1900 Sandra Blacksmith wrote, "The way to avoid housework is to LIVE OUTSIDE" she obviously knew the benefits of outdoor living. I woke up this morning, sat outside on my patio while enjoying my morning coffee in a mug that says this, "The way to avoid housework is to LIVE OUTSIDE." What better reason do we have to create an Outdoor Oasis? Savoring a cup of Italian coffee, listening to the... Read More
Comments (0)Training Your Sales Staff Is Crucial To Making Sales
My husband and I are in the market for a new BBQ. We don’t have a lot of space in the location that we need to place it in our backyard, so we realize it might not be that easy to find. We are hoping to get a builtin BBQ, so we started out by getting estimates from contractors. We continued our research by searching online for stores that sell builtin BBQ islands. After making a few calls and rece... Read More
Comments (0)Plan a Spring Time Soiree
Italian Countryside This time of the year the birds are singing, flowers are blooming, the sun is warming you Inside & Out creating a festive feeling. Whether you’re in the mood for a laid-back waterfront cookout with your family or a celebratory party with all of your friends, it is an ideal time of the year to have a Spring Time Soir... Read More
Comments (0)Outdoor Grilling Can Entertain
It’s here, the time of the year when we plan our meals around the outdoor grill. Outdoor grilling is at an all time high, so this is the best time to research portable and built in BBQ grills, as well as recipes to use on the grill. When I was a child growing up in the northeast, we would typically grill steaks, burgers and hot dogs. Now that I live on the west coast and the years have progres... Read More
Comments (0)Retailers Can Help Owners of Small Patios, Reflect Their Personal Style
Casual retail stores can assist owners of small patios to reflect their style in color, fabric, furniture and design choices. If their patio looks like this photo above there is hope. In one neighborhood take a look at the diverse choices homeowners are making while purchasing and designing their patios. From white, blue, red, black, green, brown and tan, colors are everywhere. A Green Sunbre... Read More
Comments (2)Create Vignettes that Appeal to the Senses
Drawing attention to an area will stimulate the senses. Whether you are outdoors in your very own backyard or walking through a retail store it is important to create small vignettes that appeal to our sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. This is a very simple task. To design a vignette appealing to our sense of sight and smell a few decoratively arranged potted plants with flowers c... Read More
Comments (0)Outside Color Choice Reflects the Interior
The weather is warming up and it’s time to spend more hours outside. The line between the indoors and outdoors is blurring as you and your guests spill outside from your interior great room. When designing an outdoor living space it is always fun to utilize a touch of indoor style and unify the space by adding outdoor drapes, pillows and rugs to complete the look. You can mix and match chandeliers... Read More
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