6 tips to tie your indoor and outdoor living spaces together

Spending time outdoors is a great way to make new memories with your family, entertain guests and shake up a boring routine of hanging out at home. No one looks forward to spending time in an outdoor area that is dated or uncomfortable. With the warm months of summer quickly approaching, there’s no better time to give your porch or patio area a little TLC and help it to look and feel as good as your favorite indoor living spaces. Check out these fabulous design tips from the Ashley HomeStore team to tie your indoor and outdoor spaces together like a pro.

1.       Define your home decor style

Before you can decorate any space in your home, it’s helpful to identify what your specific home decor style is. This will not only make shopping for furniture and decor easier, but will also create a sense of consistency and balance as you move throughout your home. Walking into an eclectic boho-inspired dining room after a tailored, minimalist living room may feel a bit disjointed. Strive for one overarching home decor style as you put together each area of your home. The result will feel stylish and cohesive. 

2.       Stick with a specific color palette

Repeating the same color scheme throughout your home is another simple way to tie different areas together. For instance, if your home is predominantly decorated in neutral tones, such as creams and tans, using the same accent color, such as navy blue or blush pink, can make your rooms come to life while helping one space flow seamlessly into the next. Even better, highlighting one or two of the same accent colors is an effortless way to bring your indoor and outdoor living spaces together. 

3.       Blend your indoor and outdoor spaces

The best outdoor entertaining areas are the ones that feel like an extension of your living room or dining room. Along with decorating your back patio or porch in a warm, inviting manner, making your outdoor living space appear to be connected to the inside of your home is always beneficial. Open up the windows or glass doors that separate the two as much as possible. If curtains, blinds or shades are obstructing the view of your outdoor entertaining space, consider taking them down. Being able to see clearly from one space to the next will make them feel as if they are one and the same.

4.       Use greenery generously

It’s no secret that plants have the power to make both your indoor and outdoor living spaces look better, feel warmer and achieve a more welcoming atmosphere overall. It’s always a good idea to use potted plants in your indoor and outdoor decor. Here are some tips to help you make the most of the greenery in your living spaces.

• Use a variety of different sizes, types and colors when decorating with houseplants to elevate the visual intrigue in your indoor and outdoor areas.
• Make greenery the focal point of a space by using it in your centerpieces, as your pop of color in neutral rooms or in unexpected ways, such as hanging from the ceiling.
• Choose plants that are feasible with your lifestyle and your willingness to care for them. If that means low-maintenance plants, such as succulents, or even high-quality artificial ones, that’s OK! You don’t have to have a green thumb to create a stylish look.

5.       Prioritize comfortable outdoor furniture

If you want to design an outdoor entertaining area in your home that feels like an extension of the home itself, it must be comfortable. Unfortunately, many outdoor seating arrangements simply aren’t as cozy as their indoor counterparts. The good news is that prioritizing the comfort of the outdoor furnishings you invest in can make a big difference in creating a porch or patio area that your family and guests will look forward to spending time in. Along with outdoor sofas, conversation sets and dining chairs that feel as good as they look, the accessories that you pair them with can enhance the coziness of your outdoor space. Add decorative pillows to your seating area as well as an area rug to provide a cozy touch that everyone is sure to love.

6.       Bring indoor furniture out and vice versa

While interchanging indoor and outdoor home decor pieces was rarely seen in the past, this is one design trend that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Using outdoor-inspired pieces inside your home and indoor accessories in your outdoor spaces is a great way to make your home feel more contemporary and thoughtfully tie all of these spaces together. If you love this idea but aren’t sure of where to begin, check out these inspirations to get started.

• If your patio area is covered, accessorize with indoor elements such as throw blankets, side tables and wall art to make a one-of-a-kind outdoor entertaining space.
• Invite nature into your living room by decorating with raw elements. For instance, replace a traditional floral arrangement with bare branches in a white vase, a cotton wreath hanging over your mantel or a bowl of pine cones on your coffee table.
• Don’t let the lighting of your outdoor area be an afterthought. Instead, create a dramatic effect with indoor table lamps, string lights and even candles sprinkled around your patio to make the space feel modern and magical.

Pulling together indoor and outdoor living spaces that feel fresh while making entertaining guests a breeze is easier than you may think. With these simple tips and a few quality pieces from Ashley HomeStore, you can design a home that you’re proud to call your own. Stop by our convenient showroom location in Tucson today to browse our large selection of unique home furnishings. We can’t wait to help you get started!