HOUSTON – Whether you have a small balcony or large patio, you can easily dress up any space with a few designer secrets.
Interior designer Paul Brockman suggests bringing the indoors outdoors, with simple décor, lighting and flooring choices.
To get the designer look, start with the table top.
Get a Belgium linen look for less with this tablecloth hack
Brockman says one of his favorite tricks is to use a painter’s drop cloth as a tablecloth.
These come in great oversized sizes to cover large tables, and you can easily find them at a local home improvement store.
If they get stained, just use them for aother project or toss them away.
Create some mood lighting with candles
Brockman uses LED-candle votives that will stay lit during a windy breeze and can even be remote controlled.
An easy project you can create yourself is a DIY outdoor candle arrangement.
To get started just put a small layer of craft sand in the bottom of a large hurricane lantern and then add a battery-powered candle on top of it.
You can also flip a cylinder vase over and put some battery-operated string lights inside it to create a romantic glow for an evening dinner or event.
Use indoor mirrors outside
Another designer trick is to “double your green space” by adding hanging mirrors to fences or the exterior walls of your house.
You can even create a gallery wall with a collection of metal mirrors.
All of this is so accessible and easy to get,” Brockman said.
Outdoor flooring is a great way to add more depth to spaces
For small patios or balconies, use teak tiles or faux grass tiles to create a “floor” look and feel.
For larger spaces, an outdoor rug with a pop of color can make for fun addition.
Just remember to look for the words “outdoor” on the label, so you know the products you are using can stand up to the elements, and be easily cleaned with a garden hose if necessary.
To connect with Paul Brockman, click here.