From the Floors Up

Outdoor Entertaining

By

It is officially the season for barbecues, pool parties, and outdoor entertainment. With the weather warming up, homeowners can look forward to having the chance to entertain outdoors. It is no secret that with hosting guests comes a lot of time and planning. Put your mind at ease this summer by following our easy guide to having an outdoor party. 

 

Guide to Entertaining Outdoors:

  1. Invites. With every great party comes a guest list. First, you will need to decide on the size of your party. Who are you inviting to the party: is it family only? After you decide on how many people you are inviting, you can set a theme. Are you planning on having a barbecue, pool party, dinner party, etc.? Are children invited?
  2. Seating. Unless you are planning on having everyone stand the entire time, it is important to make sure you have enough seating options for guests. Things to consider are: if people will outdoors the entire time or if you are having the party be inside and outside. If you are having the party inside and outside, you can get away with providing less seating outdoors. If you are having the party only outdoors, consider a number of people coming and where you want them all to sit. 
  3. Tables. You can set the table similar to how you set your table inside. But instead of using cloth napkins, use paper napkins to make it more casual. If you have enough placemats, incorporate them into the table’s design. Try adding a fun centerpiece from your house to draw guest’s eyes towards the tables. 
  4. The Meal. If you are serving food outdoors, make sure to place it in a shady area. Avoid direct sunlight because it can cause your vegetables to wilt. Your best bet is to serve food that is good at room temperature (grilled kebabs, noodles, beans, etc). 
  5. Lighting. Light up the night with some stringed lighting and candles. You can string the lighting throughout your trees, bushes, and fence. Your candles can serve as a centerpiece during the day and light up your space at night. Try incorporating some insect repelling candles to avoid having your guests get bitten. 
  6. Decor. You can decorate the party with your indoor decorations to save time and money. Take some of your favorite decor pieces from inside and incorporate them into the outdoor’s design.

 

You can have an outdoor party for basically any reason nowadays. From graduations to get-togethers, our outdoor entertainment guide can help you create the ultimate party. 


Fall Date Nights

By

Fall has arrived and with Halloween just around the corner it is the perfect time of year to start thinking about fun dates that can help to spice things up during the cold months. Besides, after all of the summer months of hot weather, it will be nice to get out into the fresh, crisp fall weather. 

 

Especially with it being so close to Halloween, a little fright night might be just the thing to bring you and your partner closer. A haunted house is just the thing to add some thrills to the holiday season. Grab a bite to eat before and then head to the haunted house for a some fun scares. If your town doesn’t do haunted houses look into haunted hayrides. The haunted hayrides may also be more appropriate for nights you can’t find a babysitter and the kids need to come along as well. 

 

Another great date night for the fall is to find the closest apple orchard and take your partner apple picking. It’s the perfect activity to enjoy sparks between you, as you stroll through the apple orchards in the beautiful fall weather. With nothing to distract you from one another you are sure to enjoy stimulating conversation with one another while getting in a leisurely workout outside. To top the night out, bring the apples back and bake a delicious apple pie you can enjoy together.

 

 

Finally, what else could be better then spending the night carving pumpkins with each other. Perhaps carve them over your favorite scary movies, but be careful for the jump scares when you are using your pumpkin carving knife. Once you have your carvings perfected, roast the seeds for a side snack for the rest of your night. If you have children, you can include them too! Just be sure to chose a scary movie more geared towards their appropriate age. The kids are sure to love the roasted pumpkin seeds.

 

Whether you chose a romantic date night for just you and your partner to enjoy welcoming fall, or you also include the kids in on the fall fun, you are sure to have a great night out enjoying the cool fall weather.

Planning for Summer Outdoors

By Leave a Comment

Cooler weather doesn’t mean that it is too early to begin planning and decorating your outdoor living space, sun porch or front porch. The cooler months of spring are the perfect time to assess what you have, what still works and what you will need to replace for this summer.

 

Outdoor furniture may need to be replaced more frequently than the furniture inside your home since it is exposed to the elements. Rain and sun can both do damage to outdoor furniture that is made of wood or plastic or painted. Outdoor fabrics are designed to be water resistant and less likely to fade but will eventually show the wear and tear of life outdoors.  Outdoor rugs are similar to outdoor fabric in terms of fading and resistance to water.

 

Wood and metal furniture can be given a second life with a coat or two of spray paint. Prepping the chair or table to remove any dirt and rust is a must for the paint to adhere. A light sanding can also roughen the surface to accept the new layer of paint. There are even spray paints designed to work on plastic that can be a great option for plastic patio furniture.

 

Once you know what outdoor furniture and accessories you can still use this coming summer you’ll know what you need to buy new.  Planning your budget and shopping early will help you get the right piece and stay within your budget.

Pool should Integrate with your Home

By Leave a Comment

If you want to add a pool or any backyard feature to your home, think about more than the addition itself. It needs to connect to your home and the other elements in your yard.

This pool addition was designed to take full advantage of a natural nook created by the home’s architecture.

The stone chosen for the pool surround was extended all the way to the foundation of the home, making the space feel like an inviting oasis in the yard. By centering the pool, visitors have plenty of space to move around it from the French doors. A wider section of stone on the far side of the pool provides space for a couple of lounging chairs.

The choice of stone was smart. It has enough variation to handle this large an installation, and is versatile enough to work on the columns holding the patio cover. The light tone provides an effective contrast to the dark wood surrounding the windows and doors.

Another fun design element is the choice of thatch as a patio cover. It adds a tropical flavor and softens the design. A small splash of green toward the far side of the pool provides a cool contrast to the light stucco wall.

Remember this pool as you plan your own. You can see that by using stone or tile for your patio and repeating the style with your pool surround and trim, the new addition will feel like a fundamental part of your home.

Bring the Beach to your Patio

By 1 Comment

Whether you live near the beach or not, you can create your version of this inviting scene on your own patio.

Let’s consider the design elements that make this beach so inviting. The sand underfoot in a light neutral color provides a nice contrast to the dark natural wood tables and chairs. Candles and other outdoor lights allow gatherings to continue after the sun goes down. Finally, a few touches of color from the flags in the background brighten up the scene.

Although completely different in location, this patio has elements that connect it to the beach above. To start, the travertine pavers that make up the patio have a natural feel and mimic the color of clean bright sand. For patio furniture, the oiled teak here has the same natural wood contrast as the twig tables and chairs on the beach. Once again, the patio has a much sleeker and more finished look than the beach, but that is appropriate to its location.

In place of the beach flags, throw pillows add that splash of color that brings this outdoor space to life. Yellow, green and red solids bring that mood home with simple weather-resistant solid fabrics.

All that’s left is to capture the lighting from the beach scene. A few candles and some outdoor light strings will make this patio ready for a party as the sun goes down.

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

Recent Comments

Subscribe

Enter your email address to receive new post notifications via email.