Designing an Outdoor Space You’ll Actually Want to Spend Time In This Summer

The long weekend is behind us, patios are open, and that unmistakable shift towards summer has started. Canadian summer is short and sweet, and the best way to make the most of it is to create an outdoor space you genuinely love being in.

When we’re designing the outside of a home for clients, our guiding principle is simple: the outdoor space should feel just as inviting, comfortable, and considered as the interior. A patio, deck, or backyard is another room and like any good room, it deserves layers, texture, and a little bit of personality.

Here’s how we’re approaching outdoor living this season.

Start with Comfortable Foundations

The bones of a great outdoor space are the same as any room: somewhere to sit, somewhere to lounge, and somewhere to gather around food. The difference, of course, is that everything has to stand up to sun, rain, and the occasional thunderstorm.

Look for furniture built specifically for the outdoors: powder-coated metals, teak or eucalyptus woods, and performance fabrics that resist fading and moisture. A conversation set with deep seating and weather-resistant cushions is the foundation of any outdoor area, while counter stools pulled up to an outdoor bar or island instantly elevate outdoor entertaining.

One of our favourite ways to add interest to an outdoor space is adding washable outdoor rugs. They define a space the way an indoor rug would, but you can hose them off after a muddy-paw situation or a spilled glass of rosé. They come in patterns and colours to suit any aesthetic, from neutral and organic to bold and graphic.

Layer In Texture with Outdoor Throw Pillows

If you’ve been with us for a while, you know how we feel about throw pillows. They are the cherry on top of any room, indoors or out. A living space (even an outdoor one) doesn’t feel finished without them.

For outdoor pillows, our formula is straightforward:

• Pick a colour palette first, look for two or three colours pulled from your surroundings or interior decor for a cohesive look.
• Then mix in a few different patterns and textures within that palette. A stripe, a botanical print, a textured solid.
• Vary the sizes of your pillows too. Try a couple of 20″ square pillows anchored by a lumbar pillow always works.

The goal isn’t to be matchy-matchy, it’s to curate an intentional overall look.

PRO TIP: Make sure to get outdoor pillows with UV rated fabrics and synthetic fill to get the most out of them season after season.

Don’t Forget the Little Things

Accessories are where an outdoor space really start to feel like yours. Think: matching towels stacked by the pool, insulated tumblers that keep a cold drink cold on a hot afternoon, woven placemats and a beautiful serving bowl for an al fresco dinner, and the solar lanterns that come on as the light fades late in the evening.

These are the details people remember when they leave your patio at the end of the evening and they’re an affordable way to refresh an outdoor space year over year without replacing the big stuff like furnishings.

Here’s our designer-approved shortlist for summer accessory shopping:

• Outdoor lighting: solar lanterns, string lights, a pair of battery-operated table lamps for dinner outside. Lighting is what makes an outdoor space feel magical after sunset.
• Drinkware that travels: insulated tumblers, acrylic wine glasses, a good ice bucket.
• Natural-fibre placemats and serveware: palm, rattan, woven seagrass. They add instant warmth to an outdoor table.
• Generously sized towels: for the pool, the lake, the beach, or just lounging in the sun.

Set the Scene for Gathering

The whole point of a beautiful outdoor space is the people you’ll share it with! We’re never taking the fleeting summer season for granted and gathering outdoors is a perfect way to make the most of it. Plus, we love any excuse to set a table outside. Looking for entertaining inspo? Here are two summer recipes we keep returning to:

Confetti Corn Salad

Bright and fresh, this is the side dish that disappears in minutes. Sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, a simple vinaigrette. It pairs with everything off the grill (ribs, chicken, burgers – all of it!) and looks gorgeous in a big bowl on the table.

Blueberry Mojito

Consider this the official Erin Interiors summer cocktail. It’s easy & refreshing. Muddle a handful of fresh blueberries with fresh mint and lime juice, add white rum and a touch of honey simple syrup, top with club soda over ice. Cold, delicious, and just a little bit fancy.

Voilà!

A few small changes can really transform an outdoor space from “we have a patio” to “we live out here in the summer”. Because when the weather is warm, that’s the goal.

Wishing you a summer full of long evenings outside, full tables, and the kind of weather that makes you forget February ever happened!

If you’re looking for expert support to decorate your outdoor space this season, reach out. We’d love to work with you.