How to create the perfect patio retreat
The flowers are blooming, the sun has finally started to shine and we’re all more than ready to get out and embrace patio weather. But is your outdoor space ready for the season? Not to worry. Read on to learn about the hottest patio-decorating trends, plus timeless tips for creating gorgeous outdoor spaces – and must-have products for making them work, courtesy of Danish retail chain JYSK Bed-Bath-Home.
Start with timeless pieces
“I tend to take the same approach with outdoor spaces as I do with indoor spaces, which is to keep the big pieces classic, whether in style or colour,” says Delta-based interior designer Sarah Gallop, principal with SGDI. “Then change out your pillows or accessories from year to year.”
Durable polyrattan is always a solid choice, and likely to remain in style for many seasons to come, adds Miska Suzara, seasonal furniture and accessory buyer with JYSK. “Polyrattan is a great material for the outdoors; while maintaining the look of a natural wicker, it is quality tested for outdoor use. When used in combination with an aluminum frame, it is the best type of metal for a patio; rust resistant and lightweight.” Make it work: Boracay
Corner Sofa Set ($1,999). This elegant sectional sofa and table are the perfect anchor pieces to carry through multiple seasons of outdoor relaxation and entertaining. Made of classic grey woven polyrattan, they feature traditional lines and fade-resistant black cushions.
Accessorize with trendy textiles
This is where you can really start to experiment. “You might want to try a really bold colour or fun pattern here that you wouldn’t necessarily try inside,” says Gallop. Suzara concurs, adding this year’s most coveted prints are ferns, pineapples, flamingoes and bold geometrics.
Make it work: Billund Outdoor Deco cushions
($19.99) in flamingo, pineapple, jungle, fish and cactus bring 2017’s trendiest prints into play at an affordable price point. Buy in pairs or mix and match.
Define boundaries
Outdoor spaces that feel like living rooms are all the rage. However, says Gallop, to make this work, the “room” needs to have defined boundaries. “If you don’t have a covered patio area, for example, the furniture can feel a bit like it’s floating,” she says. How to pull it all together? An outdoor rug is a great unifier, as are overhead umbrellas, privacy screens and planters.
Make it work: Made from durable PVC-based fabric, the reversible Inverness Outdoor Rug ($19.99–$69.99) features a super-stylish blackand-white geometric pattern and comes in multiple sizes. Add some stone-look Stacey
Planters ($29.99–$69.99) around the edges and a Murcia Hanging Market Umbrella ($99.99) overhead et voila: instantly tied-together living area.
Layer lighting
To further define your space, and inject a little magic into evening entertaining, Gallop suggests adding lighting at multiple levels: lanterns on ground and table surfaces – and string lights overhead. “You can create a lot of ambience with lighting,” she says.
Make it work: The Solarus faux-candle lantern ($24.99) can rest or hang virtually anywhere, and adds just the right amount of glow under a string of sparkling Edison lights ($49.99), threaded through tree branches or along the top of a pergola or gazebo.
Make it work for you
“Many of our pieces are designed in such a way that they work together, whether they’re polyrattan, FSC-certified eucalyptus wood or aluminum – so you can create your own perfect environment rather than having to choose a premade set.” Sounds like a solid start to that private backyard paradise.
For more on JYSK’s outdoor offerings, visit: jysk.ca/
patio-furniture.html , or shop at any one of their 59 JYSK Canada locations.