Urban Home
Elevating Your Home Style in Your Own Backyard
The best remedy to break winter’s long bout of cabin fever is to move your home life outside. Before you run for the door to start snapping up this season’s trendy furnishings and colourful accents designed for outdoor living, you’ll need a plan.
“It’s a wise decision to have your style strategy in place first,” advises Jodi Mason, interior stylist and owner of Urban Home. “It’s hard to complete the design if you don’t have a plan to execute.”
By giving the outdoor room the same attention to detail as you would give to indoor spaces, the result should be attractively cohesive. Create a colour scheme and décor theme that either continue the look of your home’s interior or infuse your backyard with an ambiance all its own.
The process is simple and straightforward with Urban Home’s 3D design service, offered as low as $349. With your outdoor room’s measurements in hand, the design team virtually lays out a custom digital floor plan, indicating where everything is to be placed, including new items and pieces you already own and want to use. A colour board revealing fabrics and finishes is created, so you can see and touch the materials that will form your new space. Digital design snapshots show you how it will look when every detail is complete. “You’ll receive a shopping list, as well, to guide you when you hit the stores,” Mason says.
Most of what you want is likely already at Urban Home, which recently launched Urban Outdoors, a new collection of al fresco accessories and furniture. Constructed on lightweight aluminum frames finished in durable colours, all-weather wicker or natural rattan, the pieces can be personalized with customizable cushion fabrics. “More than 100 solid and patterned Sunbrella fabrics in subtle tones or vibrant hues including yellow, orange, turquoise and lime green allow us to create really fun, harmonized settings,” says Mason. In only two weeks, your customordered sofa, loveseat, sectional, ottoman, lounger, dining and occasional tables or dining chairs will be gracing your outdoor space.
One other treat to add is a comfortable seat that rocks, swivels or glides. “Our outdoor motion furniture provides function while you’re enjoying the view,” Mason says. “It’s perfect for unwinding on lazy, hazy summer days.”
Whether your tastes are traditional or contemporary, there are loads of options. “One of the hottest trends for summer living right now is coastal couture,” Mason notes. “To achieve the effect, we’re using organic materials, like nautical roping for curtain tiebacks and floor rugs, driftwood for accents and tree slabs of teakwood for tables.”
With so many gorgeous choices available, Mason suggests focusing on one outstanding element as the starting point. “Perhaps a new area rug will be the inspiration piece that brings your outdoor setting together.”
Urban Home will be at the Windsor Home & Leisure Show from April 25 through 27. Designers will be onsite to discuss your decorating ideas and dilemmas for indoor and outdoor rooms.