Janette Ewen Outdoor Picks

In my last blog I touched on my top 10 “must-haves” for home décorfrom BestBuy.ca. This week, I’d love to dig a little deeper into one of my favourite locations to design and create: the outdoor living space. In recent years the outdoor space has really become a focal point of the home, an extension of our interior living spaces. When designing an outdoor space, be sure to source and arrange your furniture much like you would do in your interior space. This means create a dining area, a kitchen area, a lounge area, and yes, even a bedroom area (more on this in a bit). Let’s get decorating!

Remember when you shop at BestBuy.ca you will receive free delivery and 30 day hassle free returns.

Patio Entertaining

sonax.jpgStart with the living area. This is where you can bring in your outdoor sofa and coffee table combos. This area will need to do double duty as a relaxation zone and an entertaining hub. Shop for a conversation set and arrange your furniture accordingly. Outdoor living rooms should always be arranged to promote conversation. This may mean having two outdoor sofas facing each other with two accents chairs. Sonax has a great five-piece set that is comfortable, stylish and super versatile.

You will want to accessorize the outdoor living and dining areas. This means bringing in a fabulous outdoor umbrella or two. I love the CorLiving 3m Offset Patio Umbrella in Red; it’s a nice way to bring in a splash of colour.

Treat your outdoor space the same as your indoor space when it comes to the finishing touches. Throw pillows and ceramic planters are a must as is a tabletop or ground level fire pit. BestBuy.ca has so many great fire pit options starting at $19.99! Another fun designer tip, if you have an outdoor wall or fence, consider hanging an outdoor mirror—it really livens up a space and can even make your outdoor space feel larger.

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Get Cooking

Now let’s talk about your kitchen area. This is obviously where your grill, outdoor fridge, etc. will go. I like to place this area closest to the home, normally right off your indoor kitchen sliding door. This makes entertaining and preparing food a lot easier as you can seamlessly move from the indoors to the outdoors. When it comes to selecting a grill, I’m a huge fan of Napoleon grills, especially the Napoleon Mirage 48,000 BTU 5-Burner Propane BBQ. This grill is an entertainer’s dream with porcelainized cast iron cooking grids, an Ice/Marinade Bucket and Cutting Board.

The best place to set up your outdoor dining room is right next to your outdoor grill. BestBuy.ca has a huge selection of outdoor dining sets from casual to formal—there is something for everyone. Shop for a set that suits your dining style and works for your family. For a larger family that likes to keep it casual, I would recommend the Walker Edison 7-Piece Patio Dining Set.

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I like the casual chic lines of this table and chairs. It will look great on a patio or deck and the table features a hide away butterfly leaf in case you have a few extra guests. If you prefer a slightly more formal style, the Sonax Park Terrace 5-Piece Patio Dining Set is a great option. With a glass tabletop and sleek steal frame, this set has a cosmopolitan vibe. The ultra-durable resin rattan wicker is easy to take care of and really comfortable. Best part is the price! 

 

Outdoor relaxation

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Last, but not least, is the outdoor bedroom or relaxation area. Here is where you want to bring in an extra casual-chic vibe. Place your relaxation area a little ways from the main outdoor living area. Perhaps down the garden path. I was recently at the One and Only resort in Cabo Mexico and fell in love with the Brazilian hammocks that hung from the palms along the beach. I was even happier to discover that BestBuy.ca sells the exact hammock for under $100. I would hang two of these in my garden area.

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Be sure to have outdoor lighting in the area, and you also will want to line the path to your relaxation area. To keep with the chic boho vibe of the hammocks I would suggest these solar frosted jars as lights.

Have fun decorating your outdoor space! Remember that this is the last week of the Home Furnishing event, with $1M dollars in savings and it ends event June 11, so there is no better time to shop at BestBuy.ca.

 

Janette Ewen
Interior Design and Style expert

My personal mantra "stay interested, be interesting" guides my life. I started my career as an MTV (USA) stylist and since then have had success as style editor and writer for several lifestyle publications in Canada (House and Home, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine and Chocolat). My love of adventure, and passion for style have been featured in the LA Times, Nylon Magazine, In Style Magazine and on Entertainment Tonight. I can be seen regularly on national TV shows in Canada and the USA including Cityline and Canada AM, as well as The Decorating Adventures of Ambrose Price (VH1) and the HGTV series From the Ground Up. I continually entice readers and viewers to focus on experience and celebrate life to the fullest.

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