Size

As with clothes and shoes, finding the right fit makes for the most comfortable experience, and the same holds true for fans. An undersized fan won’t properly cool a room and will have to be run more often, using more energy in the process. An oversized fan will also use more energy and cut into the efficiency an Energy Star rating brings to the table.

Minka Aire New Era 52 in. Indoor Ceiling Fan - White - ENERGY STAR

When selecting a fan, start with the size of the room. A blade sweep – in most cases the total width of a fan fixture – of up to 42 inches is sized for a 12 x 12-foot room or 144 square feet. A blade sweep of 44 inches is good for a room up to 225 square feet. Any room larger than 225 square feet will require a blade sweep of 50 inches or more. Now try that on for size!

Clearance

There must be 7 feet of clearance between the ground and mounted fan blades. Anything lower poses the possibility of injury. Ideal clearance is 8 to 9 feet.

Placement

Most ceiling fans include a 3- to 5-inch downrod. This is the piece between the ceiling bracket and the fan housing. It creates enough space between the fan blades and the ceiling for optimal circulation. A fan can be mounted closer to the ceiling with low-profile “hugger” mounts. These mounts ensure the 7 feet of fan blade clearance, but they are less efficient.

Efficiency

How much air can a ceiling fan move? It depends on the fan’s CFM rating, or cubic feet per minute. The higher the CFM, the more air is moved. Some manufacturers don’t list the CFM, in which case you should look at the RPM (revolutions per minute) and the blade pitch (the angle of the blades). The more RPM and steeper the blade pitch, the more air is moved and usually with a larger motor.

With these fan facts in mind, from style to size, and a glance at the Minka-Aire Styleboard, you’ll be equipped to find a fantastic fit!

The post Play It Cool: Pick the Perfect Fan appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.

The idea of mixing prints in fashion isn’t anything new, but it couldn’t be more popular now.  From florals to flamingos, stripes and stars—anything goes!  When hayneedle.com asked me to interpret some of my favorite fashion trends for the great outdoors, I jumped at the chance! By mixing stripes with florals and ginghams, you can really add a lot of depth to your indoor and outdoor design. We created this outdoor garden party to show you just how easy it can be.

With the weather warming up (or fully ablaze like we have been here in Los Angeles!), some days you just want to be outside. Just because you don’t have a pool or great deck doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the day lounging in the sun with a couple of friends.

We anchored our set up with this rope hammock from Island Bay, because there really isn’t a better way to relax and unwind on a sunny afternoon, is there? After laying out our favorite gingham picnic quilt, we began to fill the space with other cushions and pillows that people could use to lounge.  We chose these floral pillows and mixed them with this oversized outdoor pouf.  I love the idea of mixing the poufs into your normal outdoor furniture when you are expecting more guests than usual.  I fell in love with this deluxe hammock pillow and the print worked perfectly with the others we had already chosen.  When mixing a lot of different prints, keep the color palette similar.  In this case we used gray as our base color to tie everything together.

Last summer I became obsessed with bocce ball!  It is so much fun!  We spray-painted this set to go along with our lavender and gray theme.  In the spirit of mixing, we set out a combination of sweet and savory bites for friends to indulge in and a mix of our favorite dishes.  We used these pretzel rolls to create these brie, avocado, and turkey sandwiches and plated them on these Lenox Floral Fusion plates.  Who knew a plate could be so pretty?!  These Lenox Chirp dessert plates are the sweetest and the matching tiered server is super useful for setting out different types of treats and for adding height to your set-up.  I love how all of these dishes add a vibrant pop of color to our more subdued hues.

Make the space cozier by adding container plants like this Madison planter around the area and leaving out some of your personal favorite reads for friends to enjoy and, voila! The perfect luxe lounge, all summer long!

- Jen Pinkston, theeffortlesschic.com

Photography by Nichole Gibbons

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My colleagues and I have a game we like to play. It has two parts: First, how closely can you estimate how much wine a group will drink. Second, what will the guests opt more for, red or white.

During the fall and winter months, red is always the clear winner. However, there’s a certain point in late springtime when preferences promptly switch to white. I’m guessing that this year that switch will happen right…about…now!

Not only is it time to uncork a cool spring-inspired white, but it’s also time to kick off your shoes, toss a festive blanket on the grass, and welcome the sunshine with a picnic!

The “Good-Bye Winter” Wine

My white wine of choice right now is a California Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc can evoke bright flavors like lemon and grapefruit. Alternatively, it can also carry green vegetable and herbal notes. While both can be exceedingly tasty, I definitely lean toward the latter. Packed snugly away in a basket with fun glasses, plates, and serveware, I can’t wait to get outside and sip it!

Picnic Provisions

Since the first picnic of the season is a significant event, a sumptuous cheese is certainly in order. To pair with the Sauvignon Blanc, a Humbolt Fog Goat Cheese will be a treat, and oh so pretty too! Fancy cheeses like this should be removed from the refrigerator an hour or so before serving. Positively perfect for a close-by picnic! With a cheese board and knives handy, my husband and I can leave it in one big, lovely piece and dig in at will. I’ll layer the cheese on a piece of walnut raisin bread and drizzle on some honey – YUM! To add a bit more substance to our snack, I’m also going to whip up some easy-to-make and easy-to-eat crispy salami twists. A picturesque bunch of seedless Muscat grapes and dainty meringues add some simple sweetness to the spread.

Quick picnic tip: To make the crispy salami twists mentioned above, buy pre-made puff pastry (found in the freezer section). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a square about a fourth of an inch thick. Place a layer of salami, prosciutto, or cured meat of your choice, on top. With a pizza cutter, cut into 1×5-inch pieces. Twist and place on an oiled baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Wisk together one egg white and a tablespoon of water. Bush over twists. Bake until cooked through, crispy and golden!

Spring for Flowers

A picnic is also a great excuse for me to splurge on the absolutely amazing freesia that’s in the market right now. I’ve had my greedy eyes on it for weeks!

Freesia comes in a full palette of colors and all are beautiful. Cut the stems on a bias and put them in water. They’ll bloom for days, filling your home with their fresh fragrance.

Surrounded by fresh flowers, soft pillows, and the sweet sounds of birds (mourning doves in my case!), it’s a well-deserved reward for tolerating the cold winter months.

Sunshine, wine, good food, and great company. I can’t imagine a better alfresco afternoon!

Sweet summer doves partaking in the picnic.

- Elizabeth Fox, LA-based catering manager & epicurean extraordinaire

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Create the marquee!

Movie nights are the perfect solution for spring nights that are still a little cool. You can invite your guests over for some snacks and refreshments while the sun is still out to enjoy the weather, then move the party in to enjoy your favorite movies after the sun has gone down.

Set out a sign to give the guests a little info on the movie and what time to expect it. I used this chalkboard contact paper and attached it to a frame I already had in my entryway combined with a valance used as garland. Since it’s almost summer, I wanted to keep that vibe going on throughout the house. Inspired by bohemian decor, I decorated with vintage, fringe, and added a bit of glamor with crystals. You can always get a chalkboard, but I think you can find so many more interesting frames at thrift shops or vintage shops. Then just transform those into your “marquee”!

At the entrance of your party, set up the movie goods you will need for the night. As guests arrive they can select blankets and treats to enjoy throughout the movie. These baskets were perfect for stashing pillows and blankets. Label them with tags so guests know they can grab what they want.

Grab a throw for the show.

This kitchen cart held the necessities for our movie night. I stocked it with plenty of sodas, yummy flavors of popcorn, lots of candy and supplies to hold it all. To play off of the glam touch with the crystals, I added a matte sequined runner. It dressed up the kitchen cart just enough for the night. The best part was that we could roll this into the movie area and guests could access all of the goodies throughout the movie!

Stacks of snacks ...

This three-tiered container held three flavors of popcorn, perfect for anyone’s taste. I accessorized with succulents and plenty of candles to keep a little light during the movie, but not too much to ruin the view. This trio of jars held different kinds of candy for those with a sweet tooth. We served Sweet Tarts, chocolates and marshmallows for those who liked their sweets light.

Treats top to bottom.

Bottles of water are a must with all these sweets. I used this pair of giant glass bottles to serve ice cold water as guests needed.

After I cut down the chalkboard paper to fit my frame, I had a bit left over to use for labels. I cut small triangles and labeled the popcorn to tie it all together.

No shoes, all service ...

The third basket from this trio was used to hold shoes of guests. The whole point of an at-home movie night is to be comfortable, so encourage your friends to kick off their shoes and stay a while.

After the mingling is over, transfer everything into the area where you’ll show the movie. With the kitchen cart, it’s so easy to roll all of your snacks wherever you like. I lit some candles on the snack cart and around the seating area so guests could move around. We also incorporated our most comfy blankets like this one onto the couches for movie watchers to cuddle and enjoy.

With all those snacks, guests needed somewhere to hold their sweets. So I used these melamine trays to hold popcorn, drinks and candy. You could load as much or as little as you wanted onto the sturdy trays.

Tray chic ...

If you’re hosting your own movie night, remember these two key things: 1. Keep it comfy, and 2. serve a variety of snacks that everyone will like. Now plan your own and enjoy!

A vignette for enjoying videos.

- Lauren Saylor, afabulousfeteblog.com

The post Action! Make a Magical Movie Night appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.

Baz Luhrmann, a director known for his mastery of spectacle, introduced F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless and enigmatic character to a new generation of moviegoers over the weekend. The release of the film, a spectacle in its own right after having been pushed back from its December release, has everyone talking Gatsby – including us.

What is it about Jay Gatsby that captures our imagination? Certainly, it’s more than his millions. It may be his ability win over anyone with a smile (said to be one of four or five smiles we’ll encounter in a life). Or could it be the grand plan he always had for himself? Or better still, is it his incorruptible vision of Daisy, immune to all the sums of family money in West Egg and East Egg combined?

The truth is, everyone has their interpretation of Gatsby, and when we set out to curate a Gatsby-inspired Styleboard, we had some definite ideas in mind for what it should entail. First, entertaining would guide everything. Not just entertaining for a special occasion, but entertaining for entertaining’s sake – the way Gatsby’s summer parties attracted revelers in droves without a real cause for celebration other than a Saturday night. Next, the details would matter, and on a grand scale. Like Gatsby, we thought the overall look should be well-traveled, but not random or unfocused. Finally, and it may have been a given from the beginning, we needed to style it and shoot it ourselves.

The team met outside a 1920s French-provincial-style home on the first undeniable day of spring. This is where we’d bring Gatsby to life. A long semicircular drive set a towering pine away from the house. Vines scaled the stonework. Just around back, a conservatory became the first backdrop of the day.

The first setup involved a teak serving cart, folding chairs, a two-tiered bone china server done in the style of Japonisme, and Waldorf chicken salad sandwiches (you’ll find the recipe below). Then we went for the experimental scene involving a dozen or so parasols lying on the ground, as if partygoers had hastily left them there in their excitement.

It wouldn’t be a Gatsby-themed photo shoot if we didn’t spend most of our time on the front lawn, and that we did. The foreground for this large and involved setup consisted of pure white benches, boxwood topiaries, croquet necessities, aged trunks, and vintage glassware repurposed for vases. The drink you see is cucumber lemon mint water (recipe to follow). Notice how the boxwood topiaries draw you into the scene and suggest a larger garden outside of the frame. A pair of folding deck chairs claims a slope in the background. The strung white banners and pendants are actually vintage cutout placemats meant to give the scene a feel of festivity.

Our stylist Krystin Marsh thought the scene should have a voyeuristic quality true to the novel. Krystin’s own preference for garden elegance guided prop selection and arrangement. She gave a nod to Art Deco patterning with modern geometric fabrics and kept the color palette wistful. The house was our foundation. It implied the presence of an owner, but as a viewer, we never see him or her. Prop arrangements like a croquet mallet leaning casually against a bench furthered this idea.

This was our take on Gatsby and subject matter sure to inspire trends throughout 2013. Shop the look on The Great Gatsby Styleboard.

Interested in making Waldorf chicken salad sandwiches for your next garden party? Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2-4 cups shredded and chopped rotisserie chicken
• 1-2 chopped granny smith apples
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4-1/2 cup light mayo
• 1/4-1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoon juice from lemon
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Loaf of wheat bread, thinly sliced

Directions

Mix all of the chicken, apples, celery, and, pecans. Mix together the mayo, yogurt, lemon, and parsley, then mix with the chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread on wheat bread. To keep bread from getting soggy, spread a thin layer of mayo on each slice first. Achieve crisp edges by refrigerating the sandwiches for at least an hour before cutting, and cut bread into triangles.

Also, the cucumber lemon mint water is a good old-fashioned drink of choice for all ages and it’s easy to make:

Cut cucumbers into thin ribbons and lemons into thin slices. Add them to water, along with a few sprigs of mint. That’s it!

The post The Style of Gatsby: Grace in Every Gesture appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.

This spring, my husband and I celebrated our fourth anniversary, so I thought it would be fun to surprise him with a romantic “al fresco dinner for two” on our back terrace. Since many of our favorite memories together are from our travels, I decided to transport us to somewhere we’ve both been dying to go: Morocco! The great thing about entertaining for two is that you can make the details unforgettable while keeping prep time to a minimum. It’s all about great food, flickering candlelight and moving the eating area outdoors so that it feels more special than your typical weeknight dinner.

Jiti Moroccan Blue Rectangle Outdoor Pillow

I love to serve cocktails and appetizers in one area, then move somewhere else for dinner to keep a gathering of any size interesting. To make our outdoor living area feel more lounge-y, I tossed cozy blankets and Moroccan-inspired pillows onto the couch, then arranged a big bowl of citrus fruit and bunches of green viburnum as a simple coffee table centerpiece.

I set out a few appetizers with an exotic bent to nibble on while we toasted with glasses of champagne. I love using serving pieces that feel organic; the Enrico Root Wood Chip & Dip Platter & 3 Section Server are perfect for sectioning out small bites like hummus, pita triangles, herb-marinated olives, roasted peppers and pistachios with golden raisins.

Next I set the table, starting with an embroidered bohemian linen that adds a punch of color and pattern to the setting. A bunch of pink roses from the garden and a bowl of clementines keep things feeling casual yet colorful, and I stack a couple of my favorite Sophie Conran Pasta Bowls in anticipation of the flavorful tagine I’ll be bringing out later.

Nothing sets a romantic tone like flickering candlelight; just before Adam gets home, I light these earthy candlesticks by ferm Living in natural, green and blue.

Since this dinner is all about coziness, I opt for the most comfortable Telescope Deep Seat Armchairs instead of formal dining chairs. A couple more patterned pillows continues the Moroccan vibe, giving us a spot where we’ll want to lounge long after I’ve cleared our dinner plates.

Sophie Conran White Tagine

Dinner time! I’ve always wanted to make a traditional Moroccan tagine, and lucky for me, it required me to scoop up this gorgeous white tagine dish by Sophie Conran to prepare and serve it in. I loved being able to pop it in the oven and then transfer it right to the table; the tagine’s cone-shaped cover funnels condensation back to the food to keep it moist and tender.

I opted for a chicken tagine cooked with carrots, apricots, green olives and preserved lemons. A Moroccan spice blend called Ras el hanout, incorporating cinnamon, turmeric, chili peppers and cardamom, infused the dish with so much flavor and imparted the best aroma when I lifted the lid.

A layer of couscous studded with pine nuts and currants went in the bottom of our Sophie Conran bowls, then we dished the tagine and all it’s flavorful juices on top.

For dessert, you’ve got to go decadent! This dish is so simple but looks impressive: roasted pears layered with cinnamon flatbread, then drizzled with honey-sweetened ricotta and pine nuts. Everything can be prepped a couple hours in advance, and then quickly assembled when it’s time to serve.

Since this dinner was all about transporting us to somewhere we’d love to go, I made Adam a photo album that walked through all the places we’ve been together. As the night turned a little more chilly, we fired up the heaters (love the clean, modern look of our Fire Sense Square Flame Heaters) and cozied up next to them.

Over dessert and cups of traditional Moroccan tea, we looked through the album and remembered all our favorite trips… hopefully, Morocco is next on our list!

Shop all the beautiful picks by Camille! See them here.

- Camille Styles, CamilleStyles.com

Photos by Kate LeSueur

The post Camille Styles: A Moroccan Dinner for 2 appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.

When my son, Ethan, was only 14 months old, my daughter, Eden, came into existence. Being so close in age, these two are buddies. They do everything together, though they have completely opposite personalities. When we moved into our new home, we decided to let the kids share a room. Our home has a big bonus room above the garage that we turned into the kids’ own personal loft space. They love having their own space together!

Stars and stripes play well together.

They’ve been begging us for bunk beds. Luckily, hayneedle.com has the best selection of modern bunk beds. I didn’t want anything bulky or too ornate. Because the space is modern with whimsical touches, I wanted to find simplistic beds. The Sunrise Twin over Twin Bunk Bed is perfect! The sturdy metal will hold up to heavy use and the modern style will keep us company for a long time.

Make a point of the kid-friendly details.

We were lacking in storage and a place to display accessories. To go along with the modern aesthetic of the room, I found these Way Basics Double Madison Bookcases. These shelves give us plenty of room to display toys, books and decorative accessories. They can also hold storage baskets and boxes perfectly, and assembly is super easy. You just peel and stick the 3M Brand adhesive strips and you’re set. No tools required. AND this unit is completely eco-friendly. It’s made from zBoard recycled paperboard material, making it lightweight, strong, water resistant and best of all, completely recyclable. I’ve been promoting these shelves everywhere I go. I’m completely sold!

Way Basics Double Madison Bookcase and Room Divider - White

I wanted to add some fun touches around the room so when I saw these star decals from ferm Living, I knew exactly where I wanted to place them. I think that they look so cute displayed above the shelves. It creates a fun and aesthetically pleasing design for the kids.

Star Wall Decal - Gold by ferm Living

I also used the Wesley Bird Diamond Throw Pillow and Wesley Bird Buffy Throw Pillow from DENY Designs on each of the kids’ beds. They’re great transitional pillows that aren’t too kid-ish. I might even steal them for my living space.

Pillows by DENY Designs offer style for all ages.

The best thing about designing a kids space is that you are able to think outside of the box and get away with it. We have a giant antelope head displayed in their room. The kids named him Anthony. They talk to him all of the time! It shows that you can have fun in your children’s space and you don’t have to take anything too seriously.

Eden spends time with Anthony the antelope.

- Kirsten Grove, Simply Grove

The post Opposites Attract in a Kids Space for Two appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.

Couristan Recife Garden Cottage Indoor Outdoor Area Rug

Start with the big picture. What’s the style you’re looking for, and what do you want to do? Are you feeling like kicking back with a cocktail and freshly pressed linen pants on a patio set with South Beach chic, or do you want to entertain in a more traditional outdoor setting, with Adirondack chairs and wood tables? Maybe you just want to come home from work and sink into a space that gives you a sinful amount of plush decadence that you’ll never want to leave. Whatever is most important to you, hold on to that image and let’s start talking specifics.

Open Air Cinema 12-ft Cinebox Home Theater System

The furniture is going to be a focal point, so don’t hesitate to look for what you really want. Corrosion-resistant metals, resin wicker, all-weather finishes, and moisture-proof, fade-resistant fabrics make almost any style possible for your climate. If you like to watch sports or entertainment, a portable projection screen can transform you patio or yard into an open-air theater, great for watching a big game or movies with friends. Whatever style you choose, from dining to relaxing, be sure to include a healthy dose of the essential companions such as side tables and ottomans for a complete look.

Smart Solar Chinese Lantern Solar String Light

Don’t stop there! If this was the indoors, you’d start adding accessories to flesh out the style, so we’re going to bring those accents outdoors. Lighting is a great way to enhance any style, so you can add illumination with lamps, torches, or decorative lighting. If there’s too much light, then you can go the other direction by adding an awning, pergola, or an outdoor umbrella.

Lodge II Wood Pergola

Textiles are key for creating comfortable space outdoors. Outdoor rugs, pillows, and curtains in weather-resistant materials add color and style to any outdoor layout. And if you’re going to be spending this much time outdoors, you may want to consider a storage chest or deck box to store various patio supplies.  As seasons change, try adding a fire pit or patio heater for a bit of warmth that allows you to stay outside later in the year. You’ve made all this progress extending your personal style across that indoor/outdoor boundary, so don’t let anyone tell you when it’s time to go inside!

The post How to Extend Your Living Space Outdoors appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.

See (& shop!) the awesome results by Style Expert Brian Patrick Flynn …

Strictly because I’m ridiculous, I fully prop-style almost every surface in my house an hour or two before guests come over. I am fully aware that this is a complete waste of time and most likely makes no impact whatsoever on the experience of my visitors, but I always do it anyway. And after years (read: decades) of wondering why, I finally came to a conclusion one night while visiting my sister Shannon. During the entire dinner, I focused more on her corner sofa than the corned beef on my plate. What I realized was that every time I enter a space—regardless of whose it is and why I’m there—I instantly zero in on ways to mix it up … simply because, well, that’s my job. This is probably very, very unhealthy but, oh well.

Shannon has a two-story Victorian house in Georgia that was built in the early 1900s. It sits right smack in the middle of a pedestrian neighborhood and is packed with architectural details I love, but furniture I want to set on fire. Eighty percent of the time, you can find the whole family hanging out on its spacious front porch—including my brother-in-law, two nephews and younger sister, Meg, who has set up a home office in their guest room. After our aforementioned dinner—during which I obsessed over the poor space-planning and wobbly, mismatched furniture—I decided to take it upon myself to unleash that porch’s hidden potential. From its pear green and deep purple exterior, to its tall ceilings and generous square footage, my team garnered loads of inspiration to draw up a fresh, fun and functional design… which we literally executed in a single day. Now, my entire family is able to utilize the 9-by-28-foot space in their unique ways. So it’s safe to say they like it… they really, really like it. I wish I could say the same for that corned beef I was invited over to eat, but since I hate corned beef, I ate tacos on my way to the house, then took measurements of the patio instead. The end.

The Family Poses for a Photo on Their Porch

In a single day, my design team and I transformed my sister’s front porch into a colorful place for herself, husband Scott, and sons Braden and Brennan to full enjoy their new home in the South. Sure, they look super-cute, but don’t let these boys fool you; six seconds after this image was taken, they made a mad dash back to their iPod Touches to play “World of Warcraft” and fight with each other.

Shannon and Scott are both super-successful professionals with insanely good hair and gorgeous eyes, but from the looks of their porch in its previous state, you would have thought Gollum from “Lord of the Rings” lived here, perhaps while still in college. Of all the bad things happening in the space, there was something I still really liked about it. No, that’s a lie; I hated every single thing.

Thanks to a pair of cool outdoor sofas, flanked by an extra-long coffee table and corralled around a custom piece of outdoor-friendly art, a once-lackluster porch is now a full-fledged exterior gathering spot that feels a heck of a lot like the indoors.

The entire family can gather with style and privacy to spare thanks to curtains that not only obscure the neighbors’ view, but contribute a punchy, yet sophisticated color scheme of grape tones mixed with spring greens.

Color, pattern and texture define what was previously a mismatched snore-fest of a porch, now reborn as a designer-caliber living room (which just so happens to be exposed to the elements).

Although the newly updated porch still feels open and airy, it offers enough privacy to feel set off from the street and neighboring houses. Prior to the redesign, any passersby could easily see all that was going on inside the porch. Now, Shannon, Scott and the kids can hang out and misbehave without the feeling of living in a fishbowl.

A New Mailbox for a New Look

All it takes to completely throw off an impressive porch design is one small blemish… like a dirty old mailbox mingling with shiny new everything else. We ditched that silly accessory for a designer-caliber, architecturally-appropriate mailbox. Its black finish, set against the pear green of the exterior, creates a strong, eye-catching contrast you notice from the moment you walk up to the front door. And since black goes with virtually every color in the spectrum, this new mailbox will still coordinate down the road, should Shannon and Scott decided to repaint the exterior

Patterned and Solid Pillows

When it comes to sofa upholstery, I usually keep it neutral, allowing myriad different accent colors to be introduced down the road in the form of fresh pillows and throws. But this time, I took a different approach. Since I really wanted to tone down the super-cheery green of the house’s exterior, I used the exterior trim color, grape, in upholstery to counterbalance its Easter basket-like vividness. To bring that springy tone back to the sofas, but in small doses, I added a pair of spring green patterned pillows as well as a pair of solid purple ones, just a few shades lighter than the grape accent tone.

Lattice Containers

Most well-designed spaces incorporate some element of pattern, whether in the form of bold prints on the walls, furniture or floors, or even just by using simple pillows and throws to break up an otherwise-solid aesthetic. To keep the spring green flowing throughout the seating area while adding some pattern, I used a medium-sized lattice container for a houseplant called drunkard’s dream—an appropriate species for a family that considers St. Patrick’s Day more important than Christmas.

Texture plays a pretty big role in the decoration of this home’s covered porch. For this particular project, I kept the upholstery rather flat, instead adding texture via the construction of the sofa bodies themselves. A pair of wicker sofas offers seating for six and incorporates a rough and rugged weave that beautifully complements the spring greens and purples. And since the wicker is synthetic, it offers optimum durability for an active family with two young boys and an even more active retriever. Plus, the dusk-toned upholstery is a Sunbrella fabric that’s easy to care for with a wet sponge and water.

Georgia supposedly has four seasons, but I say there are only two: a ridiculously long and steamy summer and a short, yet gray and gloomy winter. This means that floor surfaces are either chilly and feet-freezing or sticky and stupid. To keep the porch’s underfoot surface comfy and colorful year-round, I grounded the seating area with a 7.5-foot-by-9-foot indoor/outdoor area rug. The plethora of greens, gray-greens, and browns adds a layered effect perfect for a homey space such as this.

Victorian neighborhoods have a lot in common with those made up of row houses or brownstones: They’re big on encouraging interaction among homeowners. The porches are pretty much all lined up on the same plane, allowing neighbors to communicate with one another without actually leaving their houses. This is fantastic when you’re in the mood to socialize, but when a sucky day makes you just want to escape with a magazine and a cold drink, that’s when privacy comes into play. My team added outdoor curtain panels around three sides of the porch, attaching them to the exterior walls with plumbing pipes and flanges to keep costs low. What I love most about them is that their green tone is slightly off from that of the house exterior; this avoids the whole matchy-matchy thing most of us loathe.

Great design is often about mixing styles. Rather than going all Queen Victoria with Shannon’s house and taking a super-literal approach, I shook up the historically appropriate Victorian color palette by adding up-to-date furnishings. Overall, the sofas appear more “updated traditional” than anything else, while the end tables are straight-up modern and the table lamps are transitional.

This spring and summer, I may be responsible for a huge percentage of sales for the Joe Ruggiero Salona End Table. In fact, I’ve used it in three different designs, all featuring three completely different aesthetics and periods of architecture. Since its lines are so simple, the table blends seamlessly with just about any look.

Not only did I use a pair of mercury glass table lamps to bring light to the porch at night; I also chose them for the reflective qualities of their bases. This is not a design element you’d expect to see outside of a Victorian home, so it adds an element of surprise. Hands down, the coolest feature of the lamps is the houndstooth pattern of their shade’s interior;  once lit up by a 40-watt bulb, the pattern shows through.

At this point in my career, I think my clients, friends and editors are sick to death of my using wall hooks. What can I say? They’re practical; keeping everyday items like bags, jackets and hats from cluttering up sofas, tables and counters. Just before the seating area, a series of wall hooks along the exterior wall provides a spot to take a load off before relaxing on the sofas. It’s a simple solution, but you’d be surprised what a godsend just a few of these can be in any space—indoors or outdoors.

No room for free-standing planters? No problem. Deck railing planters are awesome for porches and decks that cannot accommodate free-standing potted plants and flowers. When it comes to filling the planters, I like to stick with a mix of green perennials for a variety of heights, shapes and textures, then I sprinkle in some color with annuals.

Prior to the porch’s redesign, the zone just off the front entrance was wasted with an ill-fitting bench. To add style and substance the entire family could enjoy, my team installed a white porch swing directly into the joists of the porch ceiling, ensuring proper support.

The white finish of the porch swing adds a classic touch. The look is fresh, clean and bright, and, like black, white is the ultimate neutral, so it will work with any color combination Shannon and Scott may change the house exterior to down the road.

Braden and Brennan have a best friend named Ike who lives directly across the street. Since the three amigos jet back and forth between each others’ homes multiple times each day, providing ample, hardy porch seating for them to hang out on was important. While the bright purple coffee table is great as a companion to the porch swing, it can also do double duty as a makeshift seat or kid-height homework table.

Coffee tables are often a point of contention between myself and my clients. Most of the time, I try to convince them to go big, while they’d opt for smaller accompaniments for their sofas. Since most standard sofas measure roughly 7 feet in length, I find a 5-foot-long coffee table to be the perfect fit—not only for its useable surface area, but for keeping scale and proportion in check. The slate gray finish of the 60-inch long coffee table is also neutral enough to allow the colors and patterns of this space to take center stage. And its durable construction can stand up to my sister’s soccer-playing sons—and their affinity for standing and climbing on just about everything that exists.

Hurley, the family retriever, is also welcome on the newly designed porch, since the materials we used are weather-resistant, kid-proof and pet-friendly. I can’t say the same for any squirrels or raccoons that make their way onto the porch. It’s possible they may find Hurley un-friendly, since he’ll most likely bring them inside as a present.

When it comes to plants, boxwoods are the ultimate way to say, “Welcome to my house. I am clean and hospitable, and everything I own is always perfect 100% of the time.” To add life and color to the porch swing area, I flanked the swing with a pair of spring green planter boxes that house spherical boxwoods so easy to care for, even the family dog, Hurley, can tend them with success… and he doesn’t even have opposable thumbs.

To add some personalization to the entryway without brandishing the family name like a graduation banner, I simply introduced “S” for Shannon and Scott with a coir mat. Oversized and easy to clean, it’s handy for knocking dirt off the boys’ cleats before they enter the house after soccer practice.

The porch swing area is used mostly as secondary or short-term seating. To delineate it from the conversation area, I laid out a versatile braided rope rug in an eye-catching eggplant tone. Its braided rope construction brings texture to the space, and its toned-down purple color helps extend the layering of grape hues throughout the porch.

Monogrammed Napkins on the Tabletop

On weekends, the porch becomes a casual, secondary breakfast spot for the entire family. They dine in style using a combo of purple bowls and plates, and cloth napkins embroidered in a silvery gray. This reminds me of an episode of the best TV series in history, “Married to Jonas,” in which Kevin Jonas’ mom makes his new bride, Dani, feel like a second-class citizen for busting out paper napkins over dinner. While I’m all about cloth napkins wherever possible, I think that every mom should get a little slack when feeding folks under the age of twelve. That said, cloth napkins are more of a grown-up touch.

Admiring the look from afar? Get it here!

The post Spacious Front Porch Makeover appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.

With that cool outcome in mind, the following tips will help you find the best patio umbrellas at hayneedle.com for your favorite outdoor activities and seating arrangements.

6-ft. Palapa Patio Umbrella

Material Issue: What Makes Up the Pole & Canopy Matters

A patio umbrella is a material duo: a supporting structure of pole and ribs that holds up a shade-spreading canopy of outdoor fabric. The material you choose for these two parts will determine not only your umbrella’s style and durability, but also the design features it can provide.

In the case of poles, aluminum and wood are the primary options. Wood poles are preferred for their traditional style. Their light and dark weather-resistant finishes are a classic match for wood dining tables or resin wicker conversation sets in contemporary earth and jewel tones.

Many of our wood poles at hayneedle.com feature brass trim and hardware, a beautiful choice for dining-oriented patios and decks. If your backyard has a more tropical aesthetic, a bamboo pole with stainless steel hardware would make a great home bar or BBQ canopy.

The downside of wood is that most wood-poled patio umbrellas feature a simple pulley-lift or push-up-lift system that locks the canopy in place or secures it with a large metal pin – and that means no tilting to block the sun as it slides through the afternoon sky.

Aluminum patio umbrella poles are the contemporary standard. Aluminum’s a strong, lightweight, rust-resistant metal that’s commonly used as a frame material in modern patio furniture. Aluminum is therefore a great stylistic match for most home patios, and a very rugged pole material for commercial venues. But aluminum’s greatest appeal lies in the high-tech, shade-shifting versatility of its crank and tilt canopy systems (there’s more detail on those in the “What’s Your Type?” tips below).

As for umbrella fabrics, Sunbrella is the industry leader in both style and performance. Sunbrella canopies are water-repellent and mold- and mildew-resistant, easy to clean, provide up to 98% UV protection (variable by color depth, e.g. darker is better), and come with a five-year manufacturer’s fade warranty. Among Sunbrella alternatives, fabrics such as solution-dyed acrylic and Olefin should provide excellent colorfastness and moisture-resistance. For a value buy, try spun polyester, a high-strength poly upgrade with excellent color retention for commercial or home use.

Galtech 9-ft. Aluminum Deluxe Auto Tilt Patio Umbrella with Sunbrella Fabric

The Scoop on Size & Shape

A patio umbrella’s size is a measure of its shade diameter. The most common sizes are 6- and 7-foot patio umbrellas for bistro and café tables, and 9- and 11-foot umbrellas for standard patio tables (round, square, or rectangular). As a general rule, your umbrella canopy should be at least 5 feet larger than the area you wish to shade.

If you don’t feel like busting out the measuring tape, use these numbers as a point of reference:

• A 6-foot umbrella can cover a 30-inch bistro or café table
• A 7-foot umbrella can cover a 36-inch bistro or café table
• A 9-foot umbrella can cover a 48-inch round or square patio dining table
• An 11-foot umbrella can cover a 60-inch round or square table or a 72-inch oval or rectangular table

While most patio umbrellas are round, you’ll also find square market-style umbrellas at hayneedle.com, in addition to rectangular and oval designs.

Another option to consider in large dining or poolside settings is an offset umbrella. This cantilevered design extends the canopy far out from the pole, giving ample shade, while eliminating visual clutter in ensembles such as conversation sets or sectional sofas.

Galtech Easy Tilt 11-ft. Offset Umbrella

What’s Your Type?

On long summer afternoons, a standard patio umbrella can make you feel like you’re trapped in a sundial, constantly picking up your chair and shuffling back into the slowly moving shade. If you’re upgrading your patio from a standstill, sundial-era canopy, you’re going to love the ultra-convenient umbrella designs that are available at hayneedle.com. These modern patio marvels can block the sun in its tracks, without even the hassle of getting you out of your chair.

These super-easy shades are known as tilt patio umbrellas and are available in three basic types:

• Collar tilt, named for the “collar” above the crank, which allows for infinite adjustment positions at any shade angle, even with a non-fully opened canopy
• Auto tilt umbrellas (aka crank tilt), which crank fully open, and can then be cranked further to move the canopy to any desired shade angle, even from a seating position

Galtech 11-ft. Classic Teak Patio Umbrella with Crank-Lift System

• Push-button tilt, which requires you to stand up, push a button to unlock the canopy, and move the umbrella manually to one of its available pivot points

In addition to tilt and crank designs, another type to look for is wind-resistant patio umbrellas, which feature flexible ribs or springs for greater give and resilience, allowing the canopy to bend in the wind without cracking.

Summer’s just around the corner. Get ahead of the sun with fast, free shipping on patio umbrellas and accessories from hayneedle.com.

- Joshua Avram, guest blogger

The post A Penchant for Panache & Sun Protection appeared first on Hayneedle Blog - Make it Home.