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Setting the Mood
Outdoor Rooms Offer New Frontier in Decorating Fun By Tara McLellan
Once merely the realm of spas and vacation resorts, many luxurious outdoor sanctuaries are now being created right in our own backyards. Homeowners are spending more time, and money, at home and are looking to create unique spaces that reflect their personalities and give them room to relax, entertain and get away from it all.
The "outdoor room" gives homeowners a new look at an area of their home that is more relaxed than the interior, easier to accessorize and that can function as a living space, entertaining space, cooking space and gardening space. No other interior room can function in the same way. And just as homeowners' tastes for outdoor decorating accessories have changed, so has furniture manufacturers' with a new line of outdoor room sets.
"Folks are staying home more and are trying to create an entertaining space they can have fun with at home," says Gary McCray, vice president of marketing for Laneventure, one of the leaders in furnishings for the outdoor home space. "The outdoors is a fun area to decorate, and with the right accessories, such as a fireplace and lounging furniture, people can move beyond just grilling and the pool."
In addition, outdoor fabrics no longer have the feel of vinyl or plastic. Furniture designers understand that fabric is the most striking part of a piece of furniture, as well as the part with which the consumer comes in contact the most. Many have worked to create fabrics with a softer feel, yet with the same easy-to-clean durability.
Other new materials are quickly growing in popularity, with sleek and modern aluminum and natural, all-weather wicker leading the trend. Outdoor rugs also offer a unique way to highlight a space and are made from materials such as polypropolene to maintain color and longevity. Colors now offer more versatility than ever before, replacing too-bright tropicals and whites with earth tones that offer color in a polished and natural finish that blends with your surroundings.
