Written by: Deb German
Lift your spirits; throw open the doors and windows. Winter has breathed his last gasp in most of the country, and long-awaited springtime is finally escorting in joyous relief from record low temperatures and epic snowfall. Here in Vermont even the most resolute winter enthusiasts have shown signs of cold-weather weariness. We sometimes doubt this moment will arrive in earnest, but it always does. Time to shake off the cold and go outside.
Prologue: Your outdoor room needs furniture.
Gracious living includes square footage outdoors. And the best news is that patio furniture placement refuses to be defined by fixed doors and windows. The proverbial sky’s the limit when you are designing your outdoor room. If you must have walls, use willowy curtains to create them—no need for rigid architectural vocabulary. Place a sofa and chairs where you can observe backyard action, or the backyard horizon; a coffee table accommodates your cocktails and nibbles, maybe some tender buds from your cutting garden in a tiny vase next to your afternoon reading. Or close the book and set the vase on top of it. Go ahead and sprawl dramatically with your forearm to your brow: comfortable tufted Sunbrella cushions are made to cradle your lines, and to fit the classic lines of summery wicker. And even if your furniture is exposed to sunlight—diffuse or direct—Sunbrella fabric is guaranteed to resist fading. (And mold and mildew, too.)
Chapter 1: Soften your hardscapes.
You wore your cute little cover-up poolside and plunked down in a wrought-iron patio chair with an umbrella drink. And when you stood up the chair pattern was written all over your legs in shocking pink. Branded by the furniture. There is no need for torture; patterns belong on textiles. Sunbrella-covered chair pads are made in varied sizes and shapes to take off the edge. (You can even tie one onto your Adirondack chair.) Soft, skin-saving chair pads come in cheerful solids and stripes.
Chapter 2: Take a load off and stay awhile.
Your kids used to fidget when you became engrossed in tiresome adult conversation at the grocery store. But you’re not on the clock now: nobody needs to be fed their supper, nor delivered to soccer practice. It’s a beautiful day and you have the luxury of that and your best friend’s ear for the afternoon. Good conversation is an art form, and total immersion in it is a thing of beauty. Your backside deserves an indulgent cushion for your long, indulgent talk. (And you’re just getting started.) Good thing deep-seat cushions come covered in Sunbrella fabrics; they’ll match the rest of your outdoor décor, and they’ll last and last.
Epilogue: Complete Your Thoughts with Proper Punctuation.
Every sentence ends with a period. Or an exclamation point if it’s exciting! Your outdoor sofa deserves as much. Sunbrella-covered toss pillows help complete your decorating thoughts in a wide array of solids and stripes to reflect your tastes: demure and contemplative…. Or boisterous and celebratory! Maybe just a proper finish, plain and simple. (Mixing stripes with coordinating solids adds visual interest to the outdoor décor that will be the backdrop for your casual living.) Of course, you can always try reading backwards: maybe you’ll draw inspiration for your entire anthology from a single pillow that speaks to you.
I raise my condensation-kissed glass to you: may your summer days be filled with enduring stories of comforting softness.