It's a fashion to take things outside - to the yard, the garden, the patio, the deck, the pool, the nook. Whatever you have, you can turn it into an inviting outdoor room. Summer invites us to do more than take the party outside. It beckons us to move life out of doors. With our climate's warm evenings kissed by Bay and Delta breezes, an outdoor room expands our living space, sometimes dramatically. But it also expands summer living by giving us a place to play, entertain, relax and, well, just live life.
Outdoor living, after all, gives us the things we love: Mother Nature to serenade us, the sun to warm us, breezes to caress us and the moon to romance us. What better place for another room? So what goes into creating a comfortable outdoor retreat? Our three outdoor-loving designers agree on this: It's about comfort, privacy, lighting, a water feature and figuring out where to store everything come winter-or choosing products that can live outdoors when the weather turns nasty.

Pay attention to the following important elements relating to outdoor decoration, and a wonderful outdoor time is waiting for you.

Setting the feeling
What kind of look and feeling are you going for in your yard? Consider all the different atmospheres that can be created depending upon what you want to do and feel in your outdoor space.

You should create a spot in your garden, or even an outdoor living space that draws you in and invites you to sit down. I have a bench in one of my perennial gardens, that calls my name on warm summer days.

Use natural hedges or trees to section off a portion of your yard to create the feeling of seclusion. Plant tall plants and flowers toward the back, and work forward to smaller plantings. You can use stepping stones, bricks, or pavers to line the floor of your outdoor room if it will receive much foot traffic. Especially if you plan on entertaining.
You can also add a water feature (pond, or fountain), grill, or clay fireplace to your outdoor living space. It's a great way to get out there and enjoy all the hard work you put into your garden and yard.

Create structure
Outdoor rooms require some structure just as an indoor room would, to help provide intimacy and comfort. Floors, walls and even ceilings can all be created inexpensively. Good design is important in this. A good structure design can make the later work more easier, such as lighting, furnishing, and the design should have a comprehensive vision, to consider all the things together, not just for the structure. Comfort comes first, then practical and functional is important. A good design can save you money actually, just be a little creative. You don't need to have someone to do the design for you, you could do it yourself to have more personal element to fit into your own interest and recreation needs.

Add lighting
Often, outdoor rooms are used during the evening hours when providing lighting needs to be a consideration. Devising unique ways to light up the night, such as round bar that has a variety of lights sources. And there are always candles or Christmas lights that deliver a romantic glow.

Lighting can make or break a room, even an outdoor room. Lighting is a feeling you can see. It creates a lot of atmosphere. The right lighting in the right spot can do wonders. Lighting an outdoor room is crucial. In the nighttime, the space is just a black area, You need to have something beyond candles. I like to use uplights to highlight trees. Even in my own backyard, our low-voltage lighting is on a circuit so it stays on several hours every evening. The key to attractive outdoor lighting, according to the American Lighting Association, follows a "less is more" philosophy. It recommends soft, natural light that mimics moonlight on the property.

Add furniture
Furnishing an outdoor room can seem a very expensive chore. However, with a little creativity and elbow grease, you could furnish your space with style and charm. Although wonderful weather-resistant furnishings are available, what could be more outdoor-perfect than a bed made of grass.

Cast iron and bronze or tubular steel furniture has heft and substance, and powder coating (a baked-on finish) is many times thicker and more resilient than painted metal furniture. Today's weatherproof wicker, woven from long-lasting plastic wrapped around a frame, also delivers durability year-round. And because faux wicker furniture-makers use a metal frame rather than rattan, the furniture's structure won't rot. Even those big, comfy cushions for outdoor furniture are built for outdoor living. Flow-through (or drain-dry) foam lets water flow through the cushion, preventing water damage or mildew.

But of all the advances in outdoor furniture, outdoor fabrics are grabbing the spotlight because they finally feel like fabric, not like plastic. They're perfect for anything where sunlight is an issue," he says. These fabrics started as boat top material, but they've been refined to be softer, and they're now available in a wide range of colors and patterns. They're easy to clean and they really stand up to the elements.

Add accessories
Accessories are the jewelry of any room, including outdoor rooms! Being creative can keep costs low, while allowing you to place a personal stamp on your outdoor space. You may use a variety of soft pillows and throws and interesting art to give attitude to the outdoor living room.

The things to consider in creating an outdoor room evolve around color, materials and style. You want to make sure that your outdoor living area and furnishings go with the style of your house. Comfort is important. An outdoor living area has to be functional and practical. When it comes to outdoor furnishings, there's more selection than ever before because outdoor living is becoming more popular every year. We're all enamored with spending more time outdoors.

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