How to get the most out of your porch
(NC) Breeze into a spectacular season of summer entertaining with these tips for maximizing your home’s front or back porch.
DIY furniture updates. Find vintage or antique pieces — or even a fabulous yard sale find — and give them a custom look and feel with a fresh coat of paint. Chairs and tables made of wood, wicker or rattan painted in shades of white or blue will look especially great and give your porch an oceanfront or cottage chic aesthetic.
Illuminate with a skylight. A bright skylight on your porch overhang will bring in plenty of natural light while you’re enjoying the outdoors. Your overhang will keep you shielded from the elements, while the skylight works to draw light that can travel through your vertical windows or patio door to brighten your interiors. If you have an enclosed porch or sun room, a Velux programmable skylight is an ideal choice to add more daylight and keep the space cool, as it opens to allow for fresh air and natural ventilation.
Go bold. Afraid to try a certain vivid hue or dynamic print? You can be more adventurous in outdoor spaces, so go on and experiment with bold, bright patterns and colours for your pillows, furniture and accessories. Think eye-catching botanical prints and exciting shades like trendy greenery.
Mix and match. The key to a stylish porch is to avoid combinations that are too matchy-matchy — guests and family members will all feel most comfortable in an atmosphere of relaxed sophistication. Achieve this by mixing up your furnishings, for example with coordinated but not identical chairs for the dining set. A unified colour palette will keep things eclectic, not busy.
Accessorize. Don’t just plunk down a patio set and call it a day — to ensure your porch is an extended part of your home’s living space, decorate it as you would any other room. Bring in texture and colour with pillows, lanterns and an outdoor rug. Consider a large piece of outdoor art and add some potted plants for a fresh and lively finish.
Check out more ideas for brightening your porch at velux.ca
(NC) With warm weather on its way, there’s never been a better time to start planning your garden. To help you get started this season, we asked Frank Ferragine, aka Frankie Flowers, for his thoughts on top gardening trends this year.
Big pops of colour. Last year we saw some contrast with loud hues married to more muted, pastel tones, but this year is all about bright colours. Calibrachoas will be this year’s showstoppers with brilliant purples and beaming yellows. Not only do they require little maintenance, but they’ll last from spring until first frost with masses of cascading branches full of petunia-like flowers. Expect to see a rainbow of vibrant impatiens with brighter reds, pinks and oranges in hanging baskets across the country.
Urban planting. This year, condo and apartment dwellers aren’t likely to miss out on the gardening fun. “Urban gardening is going to be bigger than ever,” says Frankie. “Hanging baskets will be popular spring purchases and many gardeners are already excited about the wide selection of colourful pots from brands like President’s Choice to make a statement in their yards or on their balconies.”
Tough meets tender. A great way to keep your garden looking lush throughout the year is by mixing tough plants with tender ones. While softer, less hardy varieties like peonies, salvia and verbena look lovely, it’s a good idea to intermingle them with lower-maintenance resilient varieties like echinacea, roses and succulents that will keep your garden full in spite of harsher, dryer conditions.
Climate-consciousness. Canada is huge and our climate is varied, therefore it stands to reason that a plant that grows well in Victoria may not fare so well in Winnipeg. Plant tags contain key information on plant hardiness zones and what type of plant will do best in specific zones or regions. Still, Frankie shares that “Canadians are more informed than ever about the role our climate can play in growing a successful garden.”
Patriotic plants. Red and white plants are already gaining a lot of attention in the gardening world. “Without a doubt, this year’s hottest flower is the Canadian Shield Rose,” says Frankie. Made in Canada, this choice is a perfect way to celebrate our country’s 150th birthday. Named as 2017’s Flower of the Year by Canada Blooms, this flower is able to survive our rigorous winters from coast to coast. It’s the perfect way to celebrate Canada in your garden this summer.