Good morning friends! It's a muggy morning here, and as I sit in my outdoor office (aka my backyard patio where I do much of my writing and some of my jewelry making) I'm hoping that the rain holds out so that I can enjoy as much of the outdoors as I can before rain forces me indoors. Where has summer gone? I feel like it is slipping away between my fingers. Wait! I haven't had enough!
In any case, do you have a space to sit outside to enjoy nature? I don't have anything fancy, just a few pieces of standard patio furniture and a round metal table where I sit to work. But I like to decorate it a little bit to make it pretty and inviting. All it takes is a few inexpensive items to pretty up your sitting space and make it uniquely you.
My favorite things to use are:
Unique or vintage linens - I'm talking about a simple, pretty tea towel or even a single, favorite fancy cloth napkin. The one shown above and below is a vintage tea towel. Put that down on your table first and then think about adding a few small things that coordinate. Heck, they even don't have to coordinate if you don't want them to - just choose a few things that you love and that are uniquely you. I just design my table so that it makes me happy and comfortable.
A potted plant or flowers from your garden - I love a simple geranium in a clay pot. Yes, those are old broken china shards that you see in my flowerpot! They fell off a mosaic that I made (oops) and so I toss them into the flowerpot to add some interest and color. Once the hydrangea in my garden bloom (and they hardly bloomed this year, unfortunately) I like to cut some of them and keep them in a vase of water on my outdoor table. They will usually last for a few weeks where I live in Eastern Pennsylvania - and my table is beneath an awning so that helps protect them from the heat and sun.
(continued below...)
A few candles - I'm not as much of a candle person as I used to be, but having a pond a few feet away means citronella candles are a must to keep mosquitoes and other insects away. Plus, they look so pretty burning when the sun starts to go down and evening comes. Be sure to keep them away from your flowers or anything else that might catch on fire.
Other items of interest - Interesting rocks, stones, or a small statue or figurine can add interest and personality to your table. Just make sure you keep the size of things under control so that you don't use up all of your table space! How I do it: I simply keep everything inside the space of whatever linen I use.
Working outside on my laptop - I couldn't have timed this photo better if I had tried!
Remember, you don't have to be an interior decorator to create an attractive space that makes you happy and comfortable, all you have to do is go with your gut and choose the things that YOU love and that have meaning to you!
I'm the kind of person who would choose a flea market find or vintage hand-me-down a million to one over any type of mass-produced department store home decor. When it comes to decorating my personal space, I throw all "rules" out the window, go with my gut, and do what makes me happy and looks best to me. Please, decorate your space with things that have meaning to you! Everything else is just fluff! ; )
Check out my decorating tips featured on this month's Country Living Magazine online at Countryliving.com !
Which is your favorite?
Have a great week!
Laura
Join me on:
Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2019 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link corrections please leave correct info in comment area.