Furniture. Metal tables and chairs are reasonable and come in an array of bright colors. It's easy to maintain and repaint when it starts to look worn. Wicker can also be repainted in bright teals or oranges, or liven up with floral seat cushions. Traditional muskoka furniture looks fine with a natural stain, but try painting it in a bright shade to add some "wow" factor.
Take basic white wood tables and chairs and liven them up with bright blue or green paint. Paint the table in corresponding stripes.
Keep your neutral wood table, but paint your chairs in a distressed finish and top off with a colorful vase or candles.
Accents: Don't forget to add accessories such as a coffee tables or bar cart in a complimentary color.
Take an old stainless steel tub, paint it up and use it to store ice for keeping beverages nice and cold.
Simple throw cushions can perk up simple brown outdoor furniture.
Hang brightly colored lanterns that stand out both during the day and at night when lit.
Buy colorful glass votive holders and hang them from branches for a fire-fly like effect when lit.
Add a bright outdoor curtain for privacy, or tie together at deck posts. Be creative with your curtain rod, using such items as bamboo poles and branches.
Go to the local re-use center and look for some nifty metal accessories such as old chandeliers or metal grates. Sand them down and paint them wild colors. Hang your chandelier over the table and add flowers instead of bulbs.
Outdoor rugs that look better than their indoor cousins are all the rage. Find a bold pattern and combine it with simple painted or upholstered furniture.
Style: Add personal touches that create a funky, whimsical look. Use stencils to add large flowers or geometric patterns to your wicker or metal chairs. Similar to this, but smaller, add subtle floral swirls to the corners of tables or the arm of a chair.
Even larger structures such as garden sheds can be painted in bright colors or stripes. Add some gingerbread trim and shutters and it will become the center of your garden.
Have a plan that makes all the colors and accents come together. For instance, paint your chairs in various primary colors, but have a single solid color for the cushions that ties them altogether. Add a couple patterned coffee tables using all the colors.
Plants: Hanging planters or large containers filled with blooming annuals are perfect accents that add interest all summer long.
In open areas, create a floral border with two or three containers of flowers or decorative grass. Taller plants sitting on a ledge also act as a screen for added privacy.
Paint terra cotta planters bright colors or get colored metal pails and hang them from your fence for a blast of color.
A cluster of plants will create a bolder statement than one pretty little daisy in a pot.
Author: Justin Havre
About the author:
Complete Calgary real estate search: View all Calgary property listings including spectacular airport real estate. Access photos, virtual tours, neighbourhood info, maps, and connect with a trusted Calgary real estate agent at JustinHavre.com.
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