Home Entertaining, Lifestyle
Tips and Hints for your Outdoor Winter Décor
Because your home should look as good on the outside as it does on the inside.
Yards look so sad this time of year, especially the backyard. The grass goes brown and the trees are mostly bare. Add to this, the persistent gloom of cloudy grey skies.
But – that doesn’t mean you can’t fight the gloom with a little strategic outdoor décor. I’m not talking about a massive makeover. I’m just thinking about simple things that can make your front door more inviting. And everything I’m going to suggest would work great whether you live in an apartment, condo, or a single-family home – simply adjust the size and number of items for the space you have!
When thinking about the ‘curb appeal’ of your home, what do you want people to see? If you want the front door to be more inviting, get yourself an evergreen wreath. The Greeks and Romans used wreaths to celebrate just about anything worthwhile. And guests like the welcoming symbol of an evergreen wreath. Take a look at the different wreath designs on Etsy or something simple like this preserved laurel wreath I found on Wayfair.com
Maybe you have a big planter near your front door that you fill with floral annuals in the summertime. But it’s cold out now and it’s empty. Fill it with Birch branches or even wood logs. You don’t have to actually have a fireplace inside for the look to be inviting outside! A friend of mine went to a flea market and picked up an old tin bucket that she placed outside. She used it to place some branches and twigs to give her front door a nice rustic look.
For the backyard patio, friends of mine just added some small potted evergreen trees for color. That gave another friend a great idea. She added a few pine cones to the patio table along with some large hurricane lamps – like an airy large glass lantern or a more contemporary lantern style – both from Pottery Barn. You can also place these hurricanes by the front door for extra warmth in the evening.
Now, the question – what to put into the lanterns? Real candles or electronic ones? I like the electronic “flameless” candles from Pottery Barn. Yes, nothing beats real candles; real flame is beautiful, but real candles require some maintenance (messy melted wax anyone?) and they’re not always safe. “Flameless” candles are battery powered and – for the most part – just need to be switched on. The technology that produces the random flickering – in my opinion – is very realistic.
Either way, candles in your lamps add a nice cozy feel to any patio or entry. They add nice intimate low light when you have a cluster of them in the corners of your patio, or even inside the house. And the newer ones also last a lot longer – some will go for 100 hours or more. Pick multiple sizes of lanterns and candles and place them in clusters – never an even number. And, look for different styles of hurricanes for visual interest. Everything doesn’t always need to match!
I just wrote a blog post about outdoor dining during the winter months – you know: firepits, outdoor fireplaces, pillows, baskets of blankets, and s’mores. Read it for more outdoor décor ideas.
All you need now for your outdoor dinner party is to serve your guests a lovely evening aperitif to get the night started. Stay cozy, warm, and most of all, enjoy!
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