Patios at play

Although the official start of summer is still a month away, the outdoor living season has arrived in the Las Vegas Valley.

Today, more so than ever before, our yards are becoming extensions of our homes. From styles to materials to accessories, the lines between indoor and outdoor living areas are blurring.

"We see the outdoor rooms as an extension of our indoor living space so we are adding wall décor, clocks, rugs and lighting to create a full room setting that has style and unity with the rest of the home," said Sharon Kepley, home licensing manager - home furnishings for Woolrich.

In addition, outdoor furnishings, whether they are dining sets or deep-cushioned conversation groups, are borrowing styles and color trends from their indoor cousins.

"This spring, as homeowners are expanding their everyday living space to include porches, decks and patios, they can also extend their favorite indoor furniture styling to those exterior spaces," said Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the American Home Furnishings Alliance.

Materials, finishes, fabrics and overall designs in outdoor furnishings have become more sophisticated, she said. For example, complex metal work, distressed finishing and authentic Provence design details characterize Century Furniture's new Maison Jardin outdoor collection. Designer Richard Frinier incorporates riveted nailheads, classic French motif fabrics and white, Carrara marble accents to capture the essence of a quintessential French garden.

Hirschhaut said midcentury modern designs have been rising steadily in popularity for indoor rooms and are now emerging in outdoor furniture collections, as well. The new Mendocino collection from Kingsley-Bate, for example, is reminiscent of midcentury modern in both its style and scale, while the shape of Brown Jordan's Papillon lounge chair calls to mind Arne Jacobsen's 1958 "Egg" chair, an icon of the modernist furniture design movement.

Although Martha Grigsby, manager of The Home Depot on Sunset Road in Henderson said customers still seem to prefer dining sets versus conversation groups at her store, she's noticed that more people are switching to bar-height sets. Hampton Bay's Salem high dining set, for example, has been extremely popular. The set, made of aluminum with a bronze finish, has a faux stone table top and features dining chairs with woven recyclable polyethylene all-weather wicker frames and fabric cushions that are fade and mildew resistant.

Regardless of which style of seating you prefer, Kepley said to make sure you purchase furniture that is made of "weatherproof materials such as treated woods and metals or resin over aluminum frames like we use in the Woolrich Home outdoor furniture."

"Evaluate your outdoor living needs and climate then look for durable materials and construction designed for your year-round weather conditions. In some climates storing the furniture and cushions indoors during severe weather is recommended to prolong the life of the furniture," she said.

Kepley also recommends purchasing deep cushions and comfortable seats that are ideal for relaxing and napping, and fabrics should be resistant to fading from the sun and mildew, as well as being easy to clean.

"Your outdoor setting should be an extension to your interior color palette, but you can add brighter accent colors suitable for outdoor living," Kepley said.

"This summer is about escapism and creating your own outdoor oasis. This means incorporating an exotic-inspired palette - think citrus oranges, pool blues, shocking pinks and lemon yellows - along with tropical prints," said David Hacker, Kohl's vice president of trend and color. "An on-trend look can be easily achieved with a few simple items: pillows and cushions in bold floral prints, accents inspired by nature, and brightly colored summer entertaining essentials like dishes and glassware."

Grigsby said she is seeing a lot of earthy, jewel tones in this season's outdoor furnishings and accessories. The colors are rich and deep, especially in outdoor carpets, which help define an area or pull a conversation area together.

Carpets are just one component of today's outdoor settings. When creating an outdoor room, Kepley said it is important to remember to accessorize, just as you would for your inside rooms.

"Outdoor accessories add a homier and welcoming feel. The lighting, wall décor and planters warm up the area and add ambience," she said. "Fire pits create a wonderful focal point and add not only warmth on chilly nights but also a place to roast marshmallows for dessert."

Grigsby said it is important to remember lighting. Technological advances have made solar-powered lights, especially those with LED bulbs, a great option.

"No wiring is needed. You just stick them in the ground and the sun provides the power," she said.

Grigsby said The Home Depot also carries indoor/outdoor ceiling fans, many of which coordinate with dining and seating groups or have attached light fixtures.