Irwin: Welcome to Design 2 Share Q&A. I am Irwin.
Nicola: And I am Nicola. Today we are asking how should I decorate my outdoor space.
Irwin: Well of course, you should realize just how important the outdoor space is. The outdoor space is really important. It extends the interior. It is great for entertaining. And the way we are using various things now, whether it is furniture that is more, you know, much more conducive to outdoors, much more conducive to comfort with outdoor lanterns and lamps and artwork and rags and outdoor propane heaters and so on and fireplaces, people are really extending their time of the year outdoors. It used to be just really between Memorial Day and Labor Day but now it is kind of extended a lot longer than that. So, planning and preparing your outdoor space, I think, is really important.
Nicola: All right. Also, it is great to define spaces. You know, you can do that much more. So, in the garden we will be using paving and fences and also accessories.
Irwin: Oh! And hedges and just small little things, it does not have to be quite certainly defined that you are going to start from room to room.
Nicola: Right.
Irwin: It is not sort of casting stone as it were as it is in your house where you got your box of a room and it is painted and it is what it is. But the shrubs kind of spill out from one end to the other, they are paving materials. Just put them down and instead of gravel and stone. It is a wonderful way to do a paving. It is quite simple you know, having squares of blue stone surrounded by pebbles. It is great and very easy. You want to do it oneself on a weekend.
Nicola: There are some great places also to go shopping for your outdoor furniture such Target, Wall Mart, Frontgate. They have really come a long way and especially with the fabrics now that you find, you know, the specially treated and weather resistant. And, you know, we just have not got the box and the thread or the cream, you know, they are really getting quite experimental with the fabrics; which is really fun to kind of you know.
Irwin: Enormous selection. In fact, all the big showrooms, all the designer’s showrooms and many of them are actually showing designer outdoor fabrics. So, it is quite sort of an important place outdoors has attempts of the interior design world.
Nicola: Let us talk about lighting outdoors. You can have so much fun now with different kind of lanterns and candles that can illuminate say, walk way.
Irwin: Great outdoor lighting is quite wonderful especially looking out ones window at night to the typical blackness that you see in a country for example or in the suburbs having points of light, having trees illuminated is very dramatic. Some of the stores actually sell little miniature outdoor fireplaces that are quite cool actually. Some of them are this sort of terra cotta mix and in kind, I have seen in catalogs that are quite inexpensive but of course, traditionally, many years ago outdoor fireplaces were quite common especially in the ‘20s and ‘30s.
Nicola: Yes, and that can create such a lovely mood during evenings and congregate around the fire.
Irwin: And extending the season.
Nicola: Yes, indeed. And also, the safety aspect, you know, you do have to be careful, you know, where you place them if that is an outdoor flame and children are around so, do be careful about it.
Irwin: Absolutely. So, in summary we should say that we really feel that outdoor place is all important. They should be given as much consideration and effort and planning and designing as interior.
Nicola: Absolutely. And they extend your entertaining space so, have fun with that. And thank you for watching Design 2 Share Q&A. I am Nicola.
Irwin: And I am Irwin.
Our wine to share for outdoor rooms is the cool and classic White Truck 2005 California White Wine from Red Truck Winery. It is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Viognier that has a Christmas we love in the great outdoors of your porch, patio, pool and garden rooms. The wine has a lot of gooseberry, grape fruit and orange flavors with a bright and snappy lime zest notes.
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