How to Merge Indoor and Outdoor Spaces

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Interior design trends can come and go but one that seems to be sticking around over the past couple of years and even gaining momentum is “bringing the outdoors in”. This trend can be taken quite literally and basically conveys the idea of merging both indoor and outdoor spaces so that effectively they appear as one large connected space.

If you’ve experimented with this trend yourself then you won’t find it hard to understand why it is so popular. It offers many benefits to the homeowner; it has the ability to make your living space appear bigger, brighter and more modern. Furthermore, it promotes a more sociable home life in which you can strengthen your connection with the outdoors as well as have more room for entertainment. Achieving this trend is no walk in the park though and you need to be prepared to make significant changes if you want to do it right.

Open the View

Eradicating any sense of a barrier between the inside and the outside is a hugely important element of this trend. Furniture and interiors can obstruct the view to the outside which makes a space appear smaller. If you want to achieve this trend then you will need to declutter your interior living space and open up the view fully. For example, pieces of furniture placed in front of or near large windows or sliding glass doors can act as a barrier as can interiors such as heavy curtains around windows. A good choice for window coverings can be semi-transparent blinds or shutters – these won’t hinder the view and will enable you to control the level of light coming into the house. In particular, exterior shutters can help declutter the interior living space while at the same time add character and style to the outdoor space.

Have an Abundance of Glass

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Glass and lots of it will help you to enhance the connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces. In particular, sliding glass doors and accordion glass doors are great for this effect. They can be opened out during sunny days and allow for a continuous flow between the two spaces. Of course, in order to get the most out of them you need to ensure your garden is well maintained and that all the outdoor space is tidy and well-kept too. If you don’t have a garden, you can make up for it by placing lots of greenery outside such as potted plants and flower baskets. This will really help to enhance the view outside.

Get the Flooring Right

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Choosing the right flooring is key to achieving this trend. Flooring can cleverly blur the line between outdoor and indoor spaces and will allow for a nearly seamless flow to the outdoors. Try to select flooring that can run from the inside of your home to the outside patio area and ensure to have it at the same level in both spaces if possible. Using the exact same type of flooring material inside and outside or very similar material will help to reinforce the feel that the interior and exterior areas are a single space. Getting the flooring right really plays a big part in eliminating the barriers between the indoor and outdoor spaces.

Choose the Right Furniture

In order to reinforce the feel that you are in the one living space it is a good idea to have similar, if not the same furniture and colour scheme in both spaces. For example, adding colours from your garden to the inside of your house can help to blend the indoor and outdoor spaces or alternatively, painting your garden furniture to reflect the colour scheme in the interior living space is another good way to link the two spaces. In addition, remember to be mindful of the view when selecting your furniture; don’t choose high furniture that could obstruct the view of the garden or outside area.

Have Greenery inside the House

Finally, it’s vital to connect the indoors with the outdoors and a great way of doing this is to actually “bring the outdoors in”. This can be done by placing large potted plants in the house and other forms of greenery. This helps to effectively link the indoors with the outdoors.
“Bringing the outdoors in” is a very popular interior design trend at the moment and it’s likely to stand the test of time given its many benefits for residential living spaces. Using the above advice to merge your indoor and outdoor living spaces will ultimately allow for a more enjoyable home life and create a bigger and brighter space for you to enjoy.

The Different Types of Window Treatments

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A window treatment is an interior decorating element placed on, in, around, or over a window. It can both enhance the aesthetics of the window as well as the room and importantly, provide insulation.

There are a few different types of window treatments available, so it helps to know about the differences between them. Here is some helpful advice about the types of window treatments and the benefits you can expect from each.

Hard treatments

Hard window treatments are made of hard materials like wood or vinyl. These include the following:

Shutters

Window shuttersare usually fixed to the inside of your window in order to create a decorative effect. They can either be stationary or tilt to allow the desired amount of light into a room. They look particularly good in beach style, rustic, or “shabby chic” style homes. As well as being decorative, interior shutters are also practical window treatments since they allow for privacy, insulation (both heat/cold and sound), ventilation, and light control. In addition, because interior shutters are usually permanent, they add value to your home.

Types of shutters include:

• Wood shutters
• Faux wood
• Poly resin shutters
• Vinyl
• PVC

Blinds

Window blinds have louvers which allow one to open to a view without lifting the shade. A typical window blind is made up of several long horizontal or vertical slats of various types of fabric, wood, plastic or metal which are held together by cords that run through the blind slats. The cord can then be used to adjust the level of light coming through and allows one to create a customized feel. Types of blinds include:

• Venetian
• Vertical
• Roman
• Faux wood blinds

Shades

Window shades are a piece of fabric which rolls, stacks or folds, allowing full access to the window only when the shade is rolled up. Types of shades include:

• Roman & Folding Shades
• Roller Shades

Soft Treatments

Soft treatments are anything made of soft materials and include the following.

Curtains

Curtains are unlined, stationary window coverings. They can be hung over windows using a curtain rod or decorative pole, and are often held back with tiebacks to let in some light. Curtains can be made of almost any lightweight, sheer or semi-sheer fabric.

Draperies

Draperies are window treatments made of fabric that’s heavier than what’s usually used for curtains. They can be stationary or mobile, and can be used with fabric tiebacks or fixed holdbacks mounted on either side of a window. Draperies can be lined for the purpose of insulation or light blocking and used with a variety of decorative curtain rods. Common materials for draperies include brocade, chenille, suede and velvet.