WHEN ALFRESCO LIVING MEETS SOCIAL DISTANCING

The warm weather has finally arrived and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to get out and enjoy it. Usually, we would be getting ready for a family cookout, rooftop party, or a pool party. Unfortunately, with our current pandemic these things probably won’t be happening anytime soon on such a grand scale. That doesn’t mean your summer has to be dry and drab.

Now is the time to finally bring that backyard to life. Create your own alfresco outdoor living oasis to relax or turn up in. We have been wanting to hang out in style in our backyard for 3 years now and its finally ready to fully enjoy. Welcome to our alfresco outdoor living space!

PAVILION & FURNITURE

When we were planning our outdoor living space for the patio we wanted to ensure that there was a shaded and non-shaded area. Having this pavilion creates not only shade from the much needed relief from direct sunlight, but it also adds to the intimacy of the space. We love to travel and the goal was to create a resort feeling in our backyard. The seating was a great find. It is actually, two L-shaped sectionals from Wal-Mart! The sectionals also came with 2 oversized ottomans that can be used as a coffee table or additional seating. What I love most about it is the iron material and comfort of the seats. The iron material is perfect for outdoors, as the animals won’t destroy it and the cushions are neutral enough for me to add my own decorative flair.

FIRE PIT & LANTERNS

I don’t know about you, but an outdoor living space with a resort feel is NOT complete without a firepit and lanterns. Just think about all the wonderful conversations that you will have around it and the soft glow the lanterns will make as the sun sets. Finding these brass lanterns was an amazing find as I love all things gold. I wanted a few embellishments to soften all the dark colors of the pavilion and seating. Can y’all tell I’m excited about this. I can’t wait to watch our son roast his first marshmallow!

PILLOWS, PILLOWS, PILLOWS

Here is where my wife and I typically bump heads. I love a beautifully crafted pillow and truly think they are essential in creating that homey feel. She on the other hand, thinks they are unnecessary and are in her way! I just can’t with her sometimes. Anywho, my color palette for the patio was green, white, black, and gold. This is where I wanted to draw the eyes. Initially, I started with just elongated black and with pillows because I wasn’t sure how everything would flow together. Once the sectionals arrived and I could see the pillows on the seats along with the rugs, then I proceeded to search for the banana palm leaf and striped pillows. One thing that really helped me was purchasing them from the same store. I was able to visualize them all together and finalize my layout.

KID SPACES

Of course, the adults need a space to fully enjoy cocktails, lounging, and socializing. But we can’t forget about the kiddos. They also require an area to cool down, eat and play. It was a bog toss up between two tables for our son. One had sand and water buckets included with the wooden picnic style table. We ended up purchasing this table instead because of its durability and traveling capabilities. Another deciding factor was our ability to use it beyond his toddler years which the other table would not allow. I am in love with this table and how well it coordinates with our adult section, and it was cheaper than the other table. I still wanted him and his cousins to be able to have those fine motor play areas, so I purchased an additional rug for them to play on with toys. Occasionally, I will bring out the large containers we have for water or sand play and this worked out perfectly!

ALFRESCO OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE LOADING...

Now, I realize that many of you may not be ready to start such a project, or want to begin enjoying your back or front yard while you start the creation of your alfresco outdoor living space. Prior to the completion of our space we used good ole folding tables and chairs to hang out and get the fresh air that we desperately needed. There were even times that we had BYOLC (bring your own lawn chair) gatherings. You can still camp out, roast marshmallows, and feast on a delicious grilled hotdog without the developed space. Just, get creative and enjoy the warm weather!

PATIO DECOR LINKS

Please note that some items may no longer be available. Alternatives have been included for your convenience.

Furnishings	Décor & Flatware	Kid Area
Sectionals & Ottomans Firepit Alternative Pavilion Alternative Prep Station Cooler Storage Chest	Striped Pillows Banana Leaf Pillows Rugs End Tables Lanterns Alternative Outdoor Platter Clear Short Tumblers Outdoor Plates Outdoor Bowls	Kid Table with Umbrella

Enjoy the sunshine and nature!