DIY Outdoor Facelift

by Kathy Peterson Inspired excerpts from Kathy Peterson’s Great Outdoor Decorating Makeover

I love to decorate outdoor spaces and find that it’s much less intimidating than decorating a room with four walls!  And believe me, most any outdoor seating area can be jazzed up by simply adding comfy pillows, cushion covers, fabric and a hand painted outdoor floor cloth.  

HERE’S WHAT WE DID:
For this makeover, instead of purchasing expensive ready-made outdoor cushions, I decided to use a coordinating tablecloth (Yes! –a tablecloth!)  and ready-made pillows to add comfort and color in this outdoor space.  When decorating your outdoor space, consider using colors from the inside of your home.  In this case, I pulled green and gold colors from this homeowner’s living room to transition the outside to the inside.  Also--when using unprotected fabrics, consider using them only for special occasions, in protected areas from sun and weather or spray with a fabric propellant to avoid weather damage.

This homeowner’s porch wrapped around the entire house with 2 lonely antique deck chairs off to the side of the house so it only made sense to carry the same colors and textures for a comprehensive outdoor look. 

ADDING TEXTURE AND DIY FLOOR CLOTH IS A WELCOMING TOUCH:
Adding plants helped soften the edges and corners of the wood and wicker furniture pieces in this outdoor space.  Pulling the colors from the fabric, I also cut octagon and rectangle shaped floor cloths then painted it to give this space another focal point.  This was an easy project that most anyone can do by using nothing more that artist’s canvas floor cloth, sharp scissors, craft glue  and some craft acrylic paints and sealer.  For a finished look, fold under edges of the cloth to about ½ to 1 inch and glue.  It’s that easy!

DESIGNER TIP:
Save money by using linens you have tucked away in drawers and closets and recycle them for a new look outdoors.  Hide unsightly seating or worn cushions (that are still usable otherwise replace them please!) with a colorful tablecloth or left over fabrics.  If using unprotected fabric outdoors, consider using a water repellant to protect the fabric or use the fabric accessories only for special occasions.   In most cases, if the outdoor space is well protected from weather elements and direct sunlight, the fabric should hold up fairly well.   Here’s to great outdoor living!

 Image credits:  Kathy Peterson’s Great Outdoor Decorating Makeovers book