The calendar tells us that summer officially begins June 21, but for many people throughout the country, the warm weather has ushered summer in a bit early. With all of the time that you’ll be spending outside this season, are you looking to eliminate the borders between your interior and exterior spaces? I’ve assembled 3 no fail solutions for you to do just that, all while staying in budget, and making investments that will last many seasons through.

1. Outdoor furnishings are the most important piece, when constructing an exterior room. If you want to bring the inside out, match the lines of your outdoor furniture to the lines of your interior décor. For instance, if you have fun modern decor, find fun modern exterior furniture with the same clean lines and linear details. If Eclectic or Shabby Chic is more your thing – the juxtaposition of completely different lines might be more your thing. Think about twig and wicker rockers mixed with wrought iron benches can easily be tied together with coordinating cushions and confidence. It will be a sophisticated match that’s comfortable, too!

2. Accessories and Art are just as important to the exterior rooms of our homes as the interior rooms. Don’t have weather temperate accessories? Why not use plants? With such a variety of colors and heights – there is a plant for every design style. No place to hang art? Try the floor! A few cans of “oops” paint from your local hardware store and free time could land you a beautiful hand painted rug atop that old concrete patio. Remember to give it a coat of waterproof sealer! Are you lucky enough to have great floors that don’t need painting? Look up! Porch roofs are a great place to dabble in fine art. With stencils readily available – you can achieve just the look you’re going for, and a wow-factor your friends will rush home to copy!

3. Engage the senses. Just as we rely on soft lighting, candlelight, or a fireplace glow to give ambience to an indoor room; or the sound of soft music, the smell of fresh flowers, the feeling of soft cashmere throws to tempt the other senses – our outside rooms shouldn’t lack that quality. A fountain can provide a wonderful buffer to the noise of the neighbors or inside traffic, and wireless speakers connected to your home entertainment system or computer can provide you access to your favorite playlist without the bulk of a radio outside. Citronella candles now come in a variety of scents – providing a fragrant, bug-free oasis to enjoy, and weather-sensitive, fabrics are carried at every home-town fabric store.

So get out there, and enjoy your summer, it will be fall before you know it!

Tags: Art, decor, furniture, home, Home Decor, lighting, summer