I love getting my screened porch and outdoor spaces ready for spring and summer!  In our Atlanta climate, we can usually spend 8 months or so relaxing and entertaining outdoors.

I look forward to getting my seasonal catalogs in the mail and flipping through the gorgeous pages.  One of my favorites is Frontgate!

This quatrefoil motif is so unique and it's style is unlike any other outdoor furniture.  It's made of cast aluminum with solution dyed acrylic cushions and is built to stand the test of time.  It is available in a sofa, love seat, side table, lounge chair with cushion (as shown above) and dining chairs.  The collection is also available in this stunning fuschia finish.

Another catalog I covet for outdoor product isGrandin Road.  They are owned by Cornerstone Brands who also owns Frontgate.  Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I am obsessed with black and white decor.  I'm thinking I must have these Clara and Audrey Planters!

They totally look like they are ceramic, but instead, they are a fiberglass composite so they resist shattering and have a chip and peel-resistant coating which make them very lightweight and easy to move around.

Another impressive element to decorating outdoors is with patio umbrellas.  Customers can purchase this beauty from Pier 1 Imports .  This fringe and tassel umbrella is known as "tedung" in Balinese dialect which means "to guard".  From the carved pole to the intricately hand-gilded canopy, each umbrella is one of a kind and takes 10 days to create.

A big trend in outdoor living is the use of string lights.  It adds a special element to a space (as if you're are at an attractive resort).  I like this globe style from Crate and Barrel.

 Outdoor draperies add an aspect of sophistication to an outdoor space as well.  Pottery Barnoffers a Sunbrella Grommet drape in several sizes and colors.

We recently added a large screened in porch to our house and it has added so much to our style of living.  It was 6 months in the making and was built from scratch by my husband and his good friend.  The palette is black and white with pops of green! Stay tuned for it to be featured in the August issue of Cottages and Bungalows magazine.

Joann