Outdoor decorating is definitely one of my favorite things to do this time of year. I’ve been inspired to take on a few more projects this summer thanks to the other hosts of this series, Tiffany, Dawn, Barbara and Carmel. Be sure to check out their projects before you link up yours below.

Now it’s your turn! Link up as many outdoor plants & flowers projects as you like- old and new. Your project will show up on all 5 blogs! Please include a backlink to this post, and be sure to take a look around and show some blog love. No items for sale please!

Outdoor Decorating Projects

I’ll be sharing my top Outdoor Decorating project picks over the next week on facebook and twitter, so watch for yours! Also, be sure to come back next Wednesday for the Paint Projects Link Party!
 

Enjoy your day!

The post Outdoor Extravaganza Decorating Link Party appeared first on Satori Design for Living.

The jumping off point for my decorating scheme was these yellow, teal, and green tea towels I found at Target’s opening in Calgary. I love the graphic pattern, and thought they’d be a nice alternative to typical napkins.

I’ve always been drawn to the combination of yellow and grey, and when I spotted these yellow trellis outdoor pillows, I knew they would bring a touch of vibrancy and life to the space. I liked how they complemented the teal ikat outdoor pillows I also picked up on my Target shopping trip.

For the centerpiece, I found a variety of succulents at a local garden center and placed them in a pine crate I already had on hand. Lately I’m obsessed with these tiny plants!

Surrounding the table, I planted hostas and white begonias in yellow glazed planters I purchased a few years ago. This year I wanted to keep my pots simple since the outdoor decor pieces are quite bright. These types of plants also like a fair bit of shade, and our deck provides relief from the sun.
 

For brunch there needs to be food, of course, and I love this little glass cloche I picked up for covering anything you want to keep the bugs and dust off.
 

For water, I used this glass jug I found at my neighbour’s garage sale for $5.

Everything else we already had on hand, and it just goes to show that adding a few inexpensive pieces can really freshen up a space. This brunch tablescape has a similar feel to last year’s outdoor dining space, but this one seems more inviting with the additional layers.

Do you dine outside as much as possible when the weather turns warm? What are your favorite elements to add to an outdoor brunch tablescape?

Be sure to come back tomorrow for the Outdoor Extravaganza Decorating Link Party!

Enjoy the sun!

 
 
 
Sharing with: Savvy Southern Style, Between Naps on the Porch, The 36th Avenue

The post Outdoor Brunch Tablescape appeared first on Satori Design for Living.

The ornamental grasses and atomic lilac are supposed to get at least a few feet high, filling the front porch area in and softening the hard edges a bit. Now I just need to finish up the decorative details I didn’t get to last year before the cold weather hit. Perhaps a chair or bench, and definitely a rug and some potted plants. That’s on the top of my to-do list for this weekend.

A big thanks to all of you who joined our Plants & Flowers link party as part of the Outdoor Extravaganza. I’m definitely inspired to plant a raised bed garden next year! There’s still time to share a project of your own.

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The Outdoor Decorating portion of the series is on Wednesday, so get busy sprucing up your front porch, deck, backyard or any outdoor space this weekend! I’ll be thinking of you!

xo,

The post Weekend Outdoor Decorating Plans appeared first on Satori Design for Living.

The other hosts of this outdoor series, Tiffany, Carmel, Dawn, and Barbara, have also been busy playing in the dirt. Check out all their inspiring projects!



 
Now it’s your turn! Link up as many outdoor plants & flowers projects as you like- old and new. Your project will show up on all 5 blogs! Please include a backlink to this post, and be sure to take a look around and show some blog love. No items for sale please!

Plants & Flowers Projects

I’ll be sharing my top Plants & Flowers project picks over the next week on facebook and twitter, so watch for yours! Also, be sure to come back next Wednesday for the Outdoor Decorating Link Party!
 

See you soon,

The post Outdoor Extravaganza Plants & Flowers Link Party appeared first on Satori Design for Living.

Supplies

Large strawberry pot with numerous pockets and drainage hole

Herbs (as many varieties as pockets in strawberry pot, plus 2 or 3 more for planting in the top- chives, basil, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, lemon balm, etc.) Note: resist mint or other herbs that are too vigorous

Gravel or small rocks (to cover drainage hole, plus more for watering channel)

Good quality potting soil

Cardboard roll (from paper towel or wrapping paper)

Water

To begin with, place a small layer of rocks at the bottom of the strawberry pot to cover the drainage hole.

Next, add a base layer of potting soil (about 2″ deep). Start feeding one of the herb plants (trailing plants are good to start with) through a bottom pocket from the inside of the pot to the outside, being careful not to damage the foliage.

Continue planting until all the bottom pockets are filled, following with the top ones. Repeat the same process of feeding the plants from the inside of the pot to the outside.

If any herb plants are root bound, carefully pull some dirt away and loosen the roots before placing in the pot.

To create a watering channel, place the cardboard tube in the center of the strawberry pot, pushing down into the base layer of soil. It should be about 1-2″ from the top.

Fill the tube with rocks to the top. Begin adding potting soil around the tube, packing lightly around the plants as you move upward.

Finish by planting herbs in the top of the pot between the watering channel and the edge of the strawberry pot. It’s important not to crowd the plants so they have room to grow (I only planted two basil plants as they will fill in over time). Add more potting soil to fill in any gaps.

Give everything a light watering, both on the top of the pot (pouring slowly into the watering channel) and into each pocket. This gets water right to all of the roots rather than just the foliage. The cardboard tube will fall apart in no time, leaving just the rocks down the center.

Herbs like it best in a sunny spot and like to be moist, but not soggy. To use for cooking, simply cut or pinch off what’s needed. Most plants will re-grow throughout the summer. Keep them trimmed often for best results.

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the Outdoor Extravaganza Plants & Flowers link party. I can’t wait to see all your inspiring projects!

xo,

 
 
 
Sharing with: Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, The 36th Avenue, Serenity Now, It’s Overflowing

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So what exactly is Spark Studio? I was just as curious as you, but it didn’t take me long to figure out how it all works. Think of it as a place where you can view great, creative products that have been “crowd-sourced” by Pinterest users. Let’s just say it’s an innovative shopping experience that gives you the opportunity to shop how you want.

I was immediately impressed by how easy Spark Studio is to navigate. You can browse and shop products by:

Inspirations- Items by Walmart shoppers on Pinterest

Fashion and Beauty- Discover must-haves from Walmart shoppers

For the home- Solutions and ideas from Walmart fans

Babies- Search the top picks from Pinterest moms

Pets- Find everything you will need for your pet

Playtime- A collection of items to entertain the whole family

I’m always on the hunt for beautiful decor and clever organizing products, so I clicked the arrows on the main banner until I landed on For the home. I simply clicked the banner, and photos of popular home and garden products popped up.

The first item I found was this Rolling Underbed Storage Unit with adorable chalkboard label (available in other sizes), a must-have for kids’ spaces. Spark Studio makes it so easy to pin with the button located right under the image.

What did I discover in the Fashion and Beauty section? Say hello to this Faded Glory Knit Maxi Skirt. At under $15, it’s the perfect summer essential paired with a t-shirt and sandals. Pinned again!

Searching for items by Color and Brand was simple too. In the Brand section, Better Homes and Gardens immediately appealed to me, and I quickly spotted this Lake Island Deck Box. We’ve been looking for additional storage for our outdoor space, and this weather-resistant wicker trunk is perfect!

To discover items by Color, I clicked on the corresponding picture. In the Blue section, I found this fun Third Avenue Women’s Hybrid bike that would be so fun to cruise around in at the cottage. I just love the nostalgic powder blue color!

To be taken back to the main screen at any time, all I had to do was click on the Spark Studio button at the top. So easy!

Lastly, I explored the Top Pinned section to see what everyone was oohing and ahhing over. With heat waves in our near future, I can see why so many people pinned these Blackout Energy Efficient Curtain Liners. We could definitely use them for our bedroom.

Check out my Spark Studio Finds pinboard where I’ve started curating all of my favorite products. It’s like my own personal shopping list with photos.

Want to join the fun? Create your own Spark Studio pinboard and link it up in the comments below. I’d love to see what your top picks are!

* This post was sponsored by Walmart Labs. As always, the opinions are 100% mine. I don’t promote anything I wouldn’t purchase or use myself, and would be happy with any of the items I personally selected to share with you and pin on my board.

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With the dining room smack dab in the middle of the living room and kitchen, it’s important to get this light fixture right. Too heavy or cumbersome, and the sight line will be impeded from one side of the house to the next. However, if it’s too small or insignificant, it won’t give the dining area enough presence, and the table could appear to be floating in the middle of the space.

Aside from these considerations, it’s also imperative to think about the style and size of the table in the dining area. We have already discussed a few options for the space, and my client is leaning towards a Salvaged Wood Trestle Table.

Typically the light fixture in your dining room should be about one-third the length of your table. If the table is 84 inches long by 42 inches wide (as in this case), the lighting fixture should be about 28 inches in diameter. Another rule is to take the width of the room and multiply it by two. The number you get is the approximate measurement in inches that would be ideal for your space. For example, this dining room is 11 feet wide, so the light fixture diameter calculation is about 22 inches.

Of course these are only ballpark figures, and size of the light fixture can be adjusted up or down depending on the openness of style or heaviness of color or material.

For this particular dining room, there are several options I can see working very well. The first that comes to mind is an open cage chandelier which always seems to be the perfect balance between traditional and modern styling. I love that it has presence, but the openness of the design makes it a great choice for these kinds of spaces.
 

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Another option is a skinny-arm metal chandelier. This light fixture choice could be cheated a little on the larger side because it reads less weighty. There are many versions of this style of chandelier, including those with crystals and beads, and those a little more clean-lined. Many versions could work.

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Another option that would be stunning in this space is a glass chandelier. These fixtures basically disappear during the day keeping the space looking light and airy. At night they provide additional lighting and a hit of drama.

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The final suggestion for this space is a capiz shell chandelier. These light fixtures reflect the light beautifully and tend to work with any color scheme. They also bring a bit of natural texture to a space.

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Have a favorite style of light fixture for an open concept dining room? I’d love to know what your choice would be.

xo,

The post Light Fixtures for Open Concept Dining Rooms appeared first on Satori Design for Living.

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Last fall my husband and I were out shopping for furniture for our newly finished basement when we came across a going-out-of-business sale on outdoor furniture. It’s always so unfortunate when businesses fail, but it was nice to be able to score two loungers made by Mountain House Furniture. We have wanted a pair since we completed the deck addition a couple years ago, but found they were either cheap looking or very expensive. I’m sure many of you know what I’m talking about. These ones are beautifully constructed in high quality virofiber with solid mechanisms, and heavy enough they won’t blow away in a voracious wind. They’re very similar to this black one, but in a multi-toned coffee color. (I’ll snap some photos this weekend once we pull them out).

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The loungers didn’t come with cushions (or that gorgeous pool…sigh), so yesterday I started looking for ready-mades that would work. If I can’t find anything suitable in size, quality, or color, I plan on getting them made. I’m leaning towards natural linen or navy cushions to complement our outdoor decorating scheme. Of course I may change my mind if I’m inspired by something else!

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Speaking of outdoor living, have you started your projects for the Outdoor Extravaganza yet? The Plants & Flowers link party is on May 15, so there’s still time to get ready for it. Would love to see you there!

Hope the sun shines wherever you are this weekend so you can start enjoying your outdoor living space, too!

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