Outdoor Living:

Our Best Ideas for Your Outdoor Décor

Posted by: on May 16th, 2012 | Make A Comment

Spring is a great time to update your outdoor décor, and there are so many ways to improve your outdoor spaces, from creating a new shady spot for outdoor entertaining, repainting an old patio furniture set to finding a few simple ways to add a little color to your back porch.

Take a look at the best of the outdoor decorating ideas we’ve featured here on the Apron Blog.

When you’re looking to create an outdoor living room or backyard oasis, first consider how you’re going to define the space. A gazebo or canopy is an easy easy way to designate a corner of your outdoor area for an outdoor living or dining room.

Outdoor living room with cabana and grill from Centsational Girl

 

If your outdoor area is a porch or covered patio, consider sprucing it up with accessories, or adding a privacy screen to create a cozier space.

 

Update Your Patio with Accessories

 

It’s important to know your budget, and if you’re working within a smaller one, consider refinishing your old patio furniture with some sandpaper and spray paint. It’ll be a time-consuming project, but it’ll breathe new life into an old friend and keep pennies in your pocket. Did you know you can also spray paint your patio umbrella to match your furniture?

 

Refinished rusted outdoor dining table, using spray paint

And take a look at our Style Challenge series, in which we showed you how guest bloggers styled a Home Depot patio set and walked you through all the style choices they made. Katie Anderson of Modern Eve create a beautiful table setting for her outdoor dining room.

Outdoor Table Setting Ideas with Katie of Modern Eve

 

Kelly of Fabulous K took up the Style Challenge by designing a beautiful outdoor living area for her covered patio.

Shop all of our outdoor living items to find inspiration for your green space, including gazebos and canopies, pillows and throws, grillsoutdoor furniture, and more.

A Casual, Southwestern-Style Patio from Sara of The By & By

Posted by: on May 16th, 2012 | 3 Comments

Style Challenge with Sara from The By & By

In our Style Challenge series, we challenge some of our favorite bloggers from around the web to surprise us with their ideas for creating a stylish and functional space using a single Home Depot product as a starting point.

Sara Stoner from The By & By created a smart, yet casual Southwestern outdoor space to suit an Austin backyard. Working with the Morris 4-Piece Patio Seating Set, along with succulents, throw pillows, and quirky accents, Sara shows us how to make the most of a small outdoor space.

When the Home Depot reached out to The By & By to participate in the Style Challenge: Patio Edition, I jumped at the opportunity – momentarily overlooking the fact that I happen to live in an apartment and not a house with a yard. However, I did have a patio in mind that I tend to frequent more than my own street-facing porch… enter my very good friends Courtney and Ray (and their cat Kristo)!

Since they recently made the move from apartment living to renting a duplex with a yard, I figured that assisting with a backyard makeover would be the perfect house-warming gift for my favorite couple. Not to mention, hopefully ensure my invitation to backyard gatherings all summer long. OK, so my motives weren’t entirely selfless. What can I say? I’m a hopeless cook who loves homemade burgers. And great company, obviously.

 

Girl outdoors with a gray cat

 

Finding the perfect patio set was key to the makeover. However, since the backyard is really narrow and has a relatively small patio, choosing a large, traditional patio table wasn’t really an option. Instead, we set our sights on finding a set that came with separate pieces that would utilize the space more effectively.

The Martha Stewart Morris 4-Piece Patio Seating Set from The Home Depot turned out to be more than we could have hoped for. Complete with two cushy armchairs, settee, and a crazy-gorgeous slate coffee table, it has the perfect amount of seating for entertaining a small group (like, say, yours truly) and a casual, conversational feel. It’s kind of fabulous to say the least.

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Outdoor Decorating Ideas for Your Covered Porch or Patio

Posted by: on May 9th, 2012 | 8 Comments

Colorful covered patio, design by Kelly of Fabulous K

In our Style Challenge series, we challenge some of our favorite bloggers from around the web to surprise us with their ideas for creating a stylish and functional space using a single Home Depot product as a starting point. Kelly, who blogs and designs under the name Fabulous K.

She chose the Hampton Bay Clifton Patio Chat Set as her starting point for a cozy covered porch. She came up some excellent outdoor decorating ideas, and the results, true to her name, are fabulous.

Lounging outdoors on the patio has long been a spring and summer tradition in my family. By March, we start looking forward to the time we’ll spend outdoors. From coffee in the morning, to cocktails at night, the covered patio is definitely a favorite place to relax.

Morning breakfast spot on a covered patio

 

I most often use this space in the morning, while having coffee and catching up on my favorite blogs. When I started thinking about decorating the space, I knew I wanted to create a stylish, comfortable, and functional area where my family and friends could gather.

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More Spring Per Dollar For Mother’s Day

Posted by: on May 8th, 2012 | One Comment

Mother's Day Gift Card on a plant stake

 

Here’s a clever Mother’s Day idea: give her a Home Depot gift card on a plant stake.

Include one with a plant from your local Home Depot store. A living plant can symbolize the nurturing and care that a mother provides, so it makes a particularly apt gift for Mother’s Day. Choose a flowering plant that blooms in your mother’s favorite color to make a big impact.

And add the Home Depot gift card to make your Mother’s Day gift do double duty. The plant serves as a personal expression of your gratitude, and because it lets her choose a gift for herself, the gift card ensures that your mother will find something specific to her interests.

 

Mother's Day Gift Card on a plant stake

 

No matter if your mother loves gardening, home improvement, interior design or landscaping, she will find something to love The Home Depot. The Home Depot Gift Card has no monthly fees and never expires, so Mom can take her time to find exactly the right piece for her project.

This Mother’s Day, give the mother in your life a gift you know she’ll not only appreciate, but also use.

Looking for a plant to hold up a gift card stake? Check out the Plants, Bulbs & Trees at the Garden Center. For more great Mother’s Day gift ideas, take a look at our helpful guide at the Home Depot Gift Center.

YouTube Tuesdays: Deck Improvements

Posted by: on May 8th, 2012 | Make A Comment

We recently told you all about how to properly clean and maintain your deck, but let’s take your outdoor space to the next level. Give your deck a complete face lift without building a new one from scratch.

This video is chocked full of ideas on how to improve the appearance of your deck. Learn how to maintain your underlying structure while replacing certain features for dramatic effect. Add deck tiles and boards in a variety of colors and recessed LED deck lighting to post caps, deck rails and risers. This will can make all the difference in the world.

Balusters available in tons of shapes, styles and materials, as well as a variety of post caps, are all quick and inexpensive ways to make your deck look better than new! Visit our huge decking selection for everything you need to build or maintain your deck. Our expert associates on the How-To Community Forums will also answer any deck-related, or other DIY, questions you may have.

Want more videos? Catch up with YouTube Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Set the Mood for Outdoor Entertaining with Wireless Speakers

Posted by: on May 2nd, 2012 | One Comment

Wireless Outdoor Speakers for outdoor entertaining

 

As summer marches towards us with its long days and warm evenings, it’s finally time to take the party outdoors. Whether you’re a budding chef who likes to dine alfresco or a seasoned hostess planning your next soirée, take your outdoor living or dining room to the next level by adding a set of wireless outdoor speakers to your entertaining repertoire.

The Mission Style Wireless Speaker System from Acoustic Research is the perfect solution for someone looking to add some background music to the patio or deck. Powered by AA batteries or an AC adapter, and with a wireless reach of 150 feet, these  speakers can liven up your next party while hiding in plain view.

Wireless Outdoor Speakers for outdoor entertaining

 

Unlike most outdoor speaker systems which take professionals and hardwiring to install, these wireless speakers go from the box to blasting the tunes in under three minutes, so if you’re looking to add some music to your party, but you aren’t interested in costly speaker systems, this would be a great option. They’re completely weather resistant and also expandable, so you can add more units effortlessly. At just $79.99, you won’t find a better deal for outdoor wireless speakers systems!

Find more patio ideas and entertaining inspiration, by checking out our Style Challenge. Or learn how to update your outdoor living room with accessories.

Places: Outdoor Play Sets

Posted by: on April 26th, 2012 | Make A Comment
Image of crochet playset

Image via Kids Web Japen

 

Play lets children exercise their creativity and imagination. It also teaches them to share, to negotiate and to compromise, all skills that will prove invaluable once they leave the playground.  Play sets of some kind have been around for a long time, perhaps as long as there have been kids to play on them.

The colorful, phantasmagorical playscape installation at the Hakone Open Air Museum in Japan pictured above from Kids Web Japan is an example of how far the idea of play sets has come. It’s probably not an option for most backyards, but you won’t need anything nearly this radical to provide a rich play experience for your kids.

 

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YouTube Tuesdays: 10 Home Improvement Tips

Posted by: on April 24th, 2012 | Make A Comment

Sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest impact. This is especially true around the house where minor tweaks can drastically improve the quality of your home life. So do yourself a favor and watch these 10 home improvement Quick Tips for simple ways to spruce up your home, all featuring the velvety smooth and reassuring voice of Ed Harris:

  • Natural ways to rid your backyard of pesky flies
  • Fill cracks in your driveway or garage
  • Free up space in your garage and basement (and get extra seating at the same time!)
  • Reduce your home’s energy consumption
  • Detect crack or worn seal on refrigerator door
  • Get a healthier lawn by sharpening mower blade
  • Protect plant roots from drying and overheating
  • Clean up dingy patio chairs
  • Select healthiest plants for your garden
  • Save time and money doing laundry

Don’t forget to check out homedepot.com for all of your home improvement needs including, garden supplies, energy-saving and storage solutions. Also, our expert associates on The Home Depot How-To Community Forum can offer lots more home improvement tips and tricks.

Want more videos? Catch up with YouTube Tuesdays and Thursdays.

5 Essentials for a Cozy Outdoor Cabana

Posted by: on April 23rd, 2012 | 4 Comments

Cozy Outdoor Cabana Area from Centsational Girl

In celebration of all things patio, Kate Riley from the DIY and home improvement blog Centsational Girl shares her tips for building an outdoor space that feels comfortable and inviting for you and your guests. 

We live in Northern California’s Wine Country and grow our own grapes in the backyard. When we spied the Home Depot cabana we knew it was the perfect structure to provide shade on the hot summer days, but still take in the view of the landscaping all around.

Here are my five essentials for creating a cozy yet stylish cabana.

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YouTube Thursdays: How To Make An Outdoor Chandelier

Posted by: on April 19th, 2012 | 2 Comments

Adding a chandelier to an outdoor space is a quick way to infuse your deck or patio with visual interest by day and shimmer and sparkle by night. There are plenty of chandelier options out there to choose from, but it’s possible to make your own with just a few simple, everyday materials.

Watch this how-to video tutorial on how to easily create a DIY outdoor chandelier. Build this totally customized outdoor light fixture with just a coco basket planter, scissors, twine, a few jelly jars, tea lights or candles, and something to weigh it down like sand. Step-by-step instructions on everything from how to hang the chandelier from a tree to how to hang the jelly jars from the basket planter itself, will have you enjoying this beautiful addition to your outdoor retreat in no time!

Visit homedepot.com to complete all of your outdoor lighting plans. Want more home For more DIY ideas, our expert associates on The Home Depot How-To Community Forum have got you covered.

Want more videos? Catch up with YouTube Tuesdays and Thursdays.