TUTORIAL: Outdoor Living, An Extension of your Home by Emanuele Drago

Having your own outdoor space is important, especially if you live in the city and want to escape the routine. That's why you should not neglect how to furnish it. Find out how to do it in the article.

Creating an exclusive outdoor living area puts you in a good mood, gets you in touch with nature, and helps you socialize, especially if you live in a concrete jungle of a city. With a great outdoor space, you just might find yourself surrounded by big groups of friends and family eager for an invite to Sunday lunch on the patio or a barbecue on the terrace.

If you live in a big city, after two years of pandemic living you know you’re blessed if you have a balcony, patio or terrace. And while strolling through the streets of Milan, you realize that all it takes is a little creativity and determination to transform even the smallest of balconies into an oasis where you can breathe in the fresh air and soak up the sunshine as soon as Spring rolls around.

If you’re on the top floor of a building, you get breathtaking panoramas over the rooftops of the city or landscapes on the horizon. With no one above you things are quieter, you have more privacy, and you’re more protected against break-ins.

A patio or terrace are perfect for a Sunday brunch, a romantic dinner, a summer evening party, or for relaxing with a glass of prosecco after work. But the problem is that cities are full of balconies and terraces that have been turned into storage rooms, are poorly maintained, are overrun with plants, or worst of all are full of fake plants whose leaves have faded over the years in the sun.

Design lovers should let their imaginations run wild, turning even the smallest of balconies or terraces into beautiful retreats that refresh body and soul.

Giving balconies back their identity

Ideally, we should start seeing our outdoor living areas as actual rooms in our homes. If you want to create continuity between interior and exterior, choose a similar color palette and forms that reflect your interior décor. Living areas become even more spacious and airy if you use the same colors and materials for the flooring laid on terraces and balconies.

In choosing sustainable furniture, go with pieces in wood, metal or recycled plastic. Use pieces like armchairs, small accent tables, vases with beautiful greenery. Go with a mix of shapes and colors, like plants with large leaves mixed with smaller ones, and evergreens as well as deciduous trees to watch the seasons change. Then there are those finishing touches like lighting and weatherproof rugs.

Inspiration 

Bohemian style is back! Mix and match different pieces, combine vintage items found in flea markets with quality pieces of design, use candle holders and lots of vases and containers in glass to create a magical atmosphere of flickering, delicate lights. 

If you’re looking for great ideas to decorate your outdoor spaces, check out Design Italy’s outdoor collection, where you’ll find a vast selection of beautiful furnishings and accent pieces to decorate your balcony or terrace. We’re on hand to suggest the perfect designs for your space, including pieces by Missoni Home Collection, Driade, Sergio Papi, and much more. 

Happy outdoor decorating! 

Emanuele Drago