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How to Decorate Your Outdoor Living Space. Create an outside oasis that's every bit as
beautiful, comfortable, and functional as the inside of your home. You will need Hardscaping
Conversational areas Lights All-weather furniture Evergreens and flowers and decorative objects.
Step 1. Invest in good hardscaping -- stone walls, patios, paths, decks, gazebos, arbors.
It's the foundation for the rest of your furnishings, which can be selected and added to over time.
Step 2. Arrange conversational areas just as you would in an indoor living room -- by
clustering seating around a focal point. Step 3. String lights wherever you can -- along
the top of a deck; at the edges of a table umbrella, on trees and bushes. Scatter hurricane
candles around. Consider a year-round outdoor lamp with all-weather light bulbs and waterproof,
washable shades. Step 4. Find furnishings with an indoor feel that can be left outdoors
-- plump sofas and chairs made of all-weather materials; drainable cushions; water-resistant
pillows, and indoor/outdoor rugs. Save space with pieces that perform double duty. Step
5. Plant lots of evergreens so something is always flourishing. Fill pots and planters
with colorful seasonal blooms. Step 6. Add a few decorative objects. They can be as simple
as vases and bowls or as elaborate as a waterfall or piece of sculpture. The only must is that
it be something you love. Did you know In 2006, homeowners spent $5.2 billion remodeling
their patios and terraces.