Patios/Garden Escapes

The owners of this Venice, California, home needed places to eat and to relax in their renovated yard. A floating bench and a fire bowl, created from a colored concrete planter, make up the new living space. Blue bamboo helps screen the dining area.



A nap on this ship-shaped daybed, inspired by a Chinese boat, may just feel like a journey across the ocean. It turns a simple backyard corner into a perfect lounging spot.



This traditional porch near Palmetto Beach, South Carolina, employs coastal-style architecture to give this new home old Southern charm with shutters that reach all the way to the ceiling. The folding shutters can be opened to let in light and air or closed for more privacy. The slats can be adjusted to let air circulate.


A large stone fireplace is the centerpiece to this screened porch that sits in a wood cabin along Lake Michigan. Fire logs are nestled in a silver drink tub next to a slipcovered ottoman with a floral and fruity pattern.



Two lounge chairs and a fountain make this patio a great place to hang out with friends or take a nap. The lounge chairs are upholstered with chocolate brown fabric, which can stand up to outdoor conditions and easily hide stains.



Just outside this home's kitchen is a patio for casual meals. Paved with saltillo tile, it overlooks the courtyard, with its cooling custom-designed fountain

Extended Rooms

Sheer draperies, a jute area rug, and plush seating lend this outdoor space the elements of an interior room. The interior decorator selected a lively green fabric to complement the woven-wicker furniture. The hand-tumbled, all-masonry brick fireplace....I love this room!!!



A covered porch off the master bedroom provides a comfortable vantage point for watching boats come and go in the harbor. The interior decorator treated the private space as an open-air sitting room, complete with area rug, table lamps, and cozy seating.



On the first-floor porch, synthetic-wicker seating covered in patterned cushions extends the interior's living and dining spaces. OK, I could do this .......



Oatmeal-colored spa-weave outdoor fabric and a bevy of ourdoor throw pillows cover wicker chairs and chaise longues.



This backyard veranda serves as a fireside retreat. With views of lush landscaping and ancient live oaks, the covered terrace evokes the laid-back ambience of the Mississippi River Delta.