seasonal Archives - Manor Design

Nashville has had touches of Spring (and even Summer) the last month and it has me so excited for patio season. That time of year when you want to open the windows and doors and let the smell of fresh air into your house, when you get to sit outside and bask in the sun after hibernating for months. It’s the best!

And ever since we moved into our home here in Nashville I have come to appreciate the important of a well styled porch or patio. And not just that it looks good, which is obviously of utmost importance, but that it is also functional and can withstand the elements. For us, those elements tend to be heat and sun, as our porch and patio get direct sunlight until about 3-4:00 in the afternoon. So I knew we needed something that wouldn’t get hot to the touch, that it came with covers, and a dining table that had an umbrella spot. My husband wasn’t as keen on that last part but, shocker, it’s been the most essential part to that dining area.

So before you pull the trigger on any furniture, make sure you think about the elements, the use and the flow you want for your porch or patio.

CHAIR | SECTIONAL | COFFEE TABLE | PILLOWS | VASE

If you have a fireplace, centering the furniture around that area is a good place to start. Whether it’s a fire pit or a built-in fireplace, you can find a great seating arrangement to enjoy your company and the fire on a chilly Spring evening. But I’ve included some great fire pits below if you’re not of a mind to build a structure and want to be able to move it in and out as well. That’s what we did at our home in Minneapolis where we had a small 10 x 10 sitting area but wanted to enjoy a fire occasionally.

But the one thing that I will always preach when it comes to making your porch and patio feel like an extension of your home is to focus on the finishing touches. I’m talking the color of the cushions, the pillows, and even adding a side table with planters or lanterns for an added touch. You put so much work and money into the interior of your home, you don’t want the style to go downhill the second you step outside! So let that style flow out to your patio with some of the great finds below.

I’ve grown to love styling my front porch. Even at our old place where no one could really see it, I loved the outdoor accessories and styling that you could do with a few square feet. And don’t even get me started on the holidays and seasonal decor. So exciting!

Our front porch in Nashville is on full display for the neighborhood so I really wanted to step up my game. I did have to upgrade our doormat and outdoor rug which we had out for a few years in Minnesota. They are linked below and while they are a little pricier than some, they really hold up and are amazing quality! Keep in mind, we left them both out during the summer and only took them out during the worst winter months so, I think lasting a few years is pretty good! I kept the doormat the same, but decided to change up the rug layered underneath.

I wrote a post about layering rugs a while back, and if you scroll to the bottom it shows a graphic of how to and not to layer outdoor rugs. I’ve seen all kind of no-no’s out there, so check that out there and make sure you aren’t one of them! The general rule of thumb is to stick with a 3×5 outdoor rug and your doormat to be about 2×3. Some of the less expensive ones will likely be smaller so make sure to try and get the larger ones if you have room for it.

DOORMATS

OUTDOOR LAYERING RUGS

You can’t forget the planters!! Even if you don’t want to get a planter and just get a basket to plop a plant down into, the effect I believe of having live plants styled at your front door will immediately raise your grade 😀 I’ve had these rattan planters for years and love the basket-like feel to them as well as the neutral color that is great to pair with a stone planter. I found mine from a local garden center, but love the neutral look because it can go with any shade of pumpkin :-D.

Don’t have room for two planters? No big deal! You could get one large and one small, put them on either side and pair with some lanterns at varying sizes as well. Smaller planters are also great if you have steps. You can intersperse them with pumpkins in the Fall or lanterns throughout the rest of the year. Tons of options!