Focus on furniture
Select one special piece of furniture and place it where it achieves focal-point status. Even one high-impact piece will make the rest of your deck furnishings feel less utilitarian. This molded-polyethylene Chill lounge blends sleek, sophisticated curves with relaxation and stands up to heavy use and weather.
Get comfy with cushions
A collection of bright and cushy pillows will give your deck indoor-worthy style. Whether you add pillows to outdoor chairs or provide them for guests who prefer to lounge along the edge of the deck, they'll help you reiterate your deck's decorating scheme. Choose outdoor fabrics in cheery coordinating colors for easy-to-sew pillow covers; spray with a washable protectant to help them shrug off moisture and stains.
Add water
Bring the tranquil sounds of water to your deck with a water feature, such as a fountain powered by a recirculating pump. Or create a soothing water garden in a pot or nearby raised bed.
Edge with green
Form a living privacy screen with a trio of head-high planters. Start with classy pots (ours are lightweight resin) and add a lush arborvitae to each. Stand the matching plantings side by side along an edge of your deck to gain privacy and put lush greenery within reach.
Hang wall art
Think of your outside walls just like you would think of walls IN your house. Filling blank spots with colorful or conversation-starting art pieces helps your deck feel more personal. This bright and beautiful kite, for instance, adds a colorful note to this stone wall. Hung within easy reach, it's also available for play whenever a breeze stirs. Architectural salvage pieces also make intriguing outdoor art that's weather-hardy.
Plant a container garden
Enhance any outdoor setting with a container garden that combines interesting colors and textures. To make the garden portable, use a lightweight fiberglass pot. The shade-loving group shown here includes polka-dot plant, pink wax begonias, white Torenia and spider plant.
Make a fire bowl
Give your deck the flickering warmth of a personal fire bowl for cozy ambience as twilight approaches. To make the bowl, place a 13-ounce can of clean-burning gel-alcohol fuel in a 10-inch-diameter terra-cotta container. Surround the can's bottom and sides with tumbled recycled glass.
Color your world
Personalize terra-cotta pots by dry-brushing them with layers of acrylic paints. Using a variety of colors in similar hues will give each pot depth and character. Fill each container with potting mix, tuck in seasonal bedding plants, and water.
Portable screen
Combine a hardworking teak planter and trellis to display flowering annuals at your deck's edge. During the day, prisms in the windowlike latticework refract sunlight; at dusk, tea-light candles cast a romantic glimmer.
Use tiny brads and fishing line to hang the glass prisms. For tea-light lanterns, start with clear, round jars or vases. Wrap 18-gauge wire around the neck of each jar, and wire a handle over the top of the jar. Hang the handles from cup hooks on the trellis, and add tea lights to the jars.
Personalize your shade
Outfit your outdoor room with a hand-painted umbrella that provides portable shelter and custom charm. Anchored in a sturdy base, this tilting sunshade adjusts to block blazing rays throughout the day. See the next slide for how to make this project.
Umbrella how-to
Using masking tape, outline a simple design, such as our aqua sunburst pattern, on the open canvas umbrella, then brush on acrylic fabric paint. When dry, safeguard with a spray coat of fabric protector, such as Scotchgard. Adorn the tips of the umbrella's ribs with "jewelry" made by wiring beads to wooden curtain rings.
Looks like you can find a dealer/representative in most states and in Canada. http://www.landscapeforms.com/en-us/representatives/pages/search.aspx
6/27/2011 02:53:03 PM Report AbuseI love the Chill lounge chair, however, when I researched it, it appears it is only available for commercial purchase. Uh, no fair!
8/11/2010 09:51:08 AM Report Abuse