northern colorado home style magazine spring 2009

NORTHERN COLORADO

Issue 22009

Lit Up with StyLePage 6

HomeSTYLEMAGAZINE

DOMESTICODY’D5Follow along as a first-time homeowner stumbles his way through home projects

inside this issue 2009, Issue 2 12

COUNTERTOPS OF STONE9Natural stone countertops bring a rich, personalized look to homes

LIT UP6Get the latest on lighting styles

BLINDING STYLE14Explore the newest trends in blinds

ILLUMINATE YOUR LANDSCAPE 12

Highlight your outdoor focal points with solar lighting

A guide to literature about backyard fun.............................................pg. 4Upgrade your outdoor living area.......................................................pg. 17Set the table for style.............................................................................pg. 20Enjoy an outdoor firepit.........................................................................pg. 22

On the cover: Home with lighting designed by Steve Hayworth of Lighting Designs & More.

Photo courtesy of Lighting Designs & More

ALSO INSIDE:

NORTHERN COLORADO

STYLEMAGAZINE

Northern Colorado Home Style 2009, Issue 2

Northern Colorado Home Style is a quarterly magazine produced by

the Loveland Reporter-Herald.

For advertising information, call 970-669-5050.

For editorial information, e-mail editor Jade Cody at [email protected]

or call 970-635-3656.

Contact reporter Rhema Muncy [email protected]

or 970-635-3684.

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Home Style bookshelf


Get To ItBeing bored isn’t an option when it comes to the backyard

“Turn Me On: 100 Easy Ways to Use Solar Energy” by Michelle Kodis(Gibbs Smith, 2009) $12.99

“The New Outdoor Kitchen: Cooking Up a Kitchen for the Way You Live and Play” by Deborah Krasner (Taunton Press, 2009) $19.95

“The Arm-chair Birder: Discovering the Secret Lives of Fa-miliar Birds” by John Yow (The Univer-sity of North Carolina Press, 2009) $25

“Cooking Club: Great Ideas and Delicious Recipes for Fabulous Get-Togethers” by D. Guillen & M. Lowrey (Sasquatch Books, 2009) $23.95

“Shed Chic: Out-door Buildings for Work, Rest, and Play” by Sally Coulthard (Universe, 2009) $35

“Friends at the Table: The Ultimate Supper Club Cookbook” by Debi Shawcross (Thomas Nelson, 2009) $24.99

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RH photo/Jade CodyThe white and yellow flowers in my bed were called Marguerite daisies (Argyranthemums). The pink ones were called Crested Merlot Argyranthemums.

Jade Cody

Home Style adventures in domestication

By Jade CodySpecial Sections Editor

My front yard is lame. There is grass, there are rocks — and that’s about it. There is a tree, albeit half dead, which anchors the lawn, and a couple bushes sit near the house.

Short of installing a drawbridge and an alligator-infested moat, I need some excitement in my front yard. Pizazz would be great too, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. From what I understand, pizazz is pretty much the most pres-tigious adjective to achieve in home style.

Ring around the daisiesSince I have a tendency to make

home projects more complicated than they need to be, I drove around my neighborhood to get a simple idea for my yard. There’s nothing wrong with stealing ideas, as long as you give some sort of props — such as a thumbs up symbol or, my personal favorite, an A-OK symbol, as you drive away.

I settled on a half-circle daisy bed made of paver stones, filled in with mulch and a couple flowers. I deter-mined to achieve the entire project for less than $50, because money doesn’t just grow on daisies people.

Boy disclaimerI am not a flower person. Pretty much

every flower I’ve cared for has shriv-eled and died. But in the spirit of my Grandma, who prides herself on beau-tiful blooms every spring and summer, I decided to go the petal route.

As I walked wide-eyed through the greenhouse, in search of the perfect combination of frilly little bloomers, I had an epiphany: I might as well be picking out eye shadow.

There are pink ones, little ones, sprawling ones and brittle ones. Curi-

osities cruised through my boy brain. How many should I squeeze in there? Is there a certain color combination I should shoot for? Why exactly do people grow these? Should I scratch my rear and pretend I’m lost and can’t find the evergreen section?

Stage one: Make a Plan So with the project in mind, I mea-

sured a half-circle between some existing lilac bushes in front of my house. For the paving stones, I set out to find some discount cheapies, but I spotted some I liked a bit better, and spent my entire budget getting them. Super.

I also needed a bag of heavy mulch. It needs to be heavy material because I live in Johnstown, where the wind only stops blowing to change directions and blow harder in the opposite direction. That’s also why I have a St. Bernard — so there’s something to hold my yard down.

The price of pizazzSo here is the tally for all of my ex-

penses:Pavers: $50Flowers: $36Mulch: $4Compost: $4Grand total: $94.

Stage two: ExecutionNow for the part where I usually fall

short — actually doing the job. I wasn’t sure about how to correctly build the flower garden, so I winged it. That’s what guys do.

What I did know, though, is that I didn’t want to spend a lot of time planning and researching, either on the installation or the plant selection. That just takes all the suspense out of it.

I did level the stones while installing, and I gave the flowers a nice growing environment with the compost and the mulch.

The entire process took about four hours, from the time I stepped into the greenhouse to the time I snapped photos of the final project. The best part, though, is that I can proudly say that the whole thing was accomplished without the help of any grandmas, moms or other female types. For what it’s worth, this is a 100 percent male produced flower garden.

OK I lied on that last part. Truth is, when I was picking out flowers I spot-ted a grandma type shopping, and I asked her for a little help choosing my blooms. She guided me toward a multi-colored selection instead of the all-white theme I had in my cart.

Thanks grandma-type lady. Two A-OK symbols just shot your way.

Jade Cody can be reached at [email protected].

The Quest for Discount PizazzTime to spice up

the front yard

StyleH


aves of layered glass swayed from chords attached to the

ceiling, scattering levels of light across the floor. The popular sales of this light fixture at the Light Center in Fort Collins, speaks to current Northern Colorado style.

“We are known in the northern Colora-do area as more traditional people, but I am seeing modern choices more and more,” The Light Center designer Kacey Parker said. “I do see the trend going the way of cleaner lines, not so Victorian or French Country. People want to do something a little different.”

Different could be chandeliers in the bathroom, a trend to make a living space from a utility room. A blending of uses for a room can be anchored with different layers of lighting, according to lighting consultant Steven Hayworth of Lighting Designs & More.

“By using different layers of lighting, you can really transform the look of a room,” Hayworth said. “When people are trying to come up with a lighting solution, we interview them in terms of how the space will be used. Then we can use different kinds of light in the same room.”

Hayworth explained the power of lay-ered lighting in the living room.

“In a standard dining room, you just

Rhema MuncySpecial SectionS RepoRteR

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have a central lighting system. If I get it really bright so that you have a bright dining table, the chandelier is almost too bright to enjoy. But when I add light for the table from above, I can actually dim the lights a little bit and put task lighting on the table for an overall better effect. Then I can add wall lighting to a room with sconces — now the room seems a little wider and brighter. You can really transform a space by just the types of lighting you use.”

Another popular trend in lighting design brings the outdoors to the living room. Natural vogue has reached a zenith with current products blending outdoor with modern like the sand or grass infused sconces by Forecast or renewable resource fair trade lamp shades by Eangee.

“The organic look is popular here, like things that resemble stone, hand blown glass, bronze finish, iron with aspen leaves and things with a more

natural look,” Hayworth said. The Tuscany look is still popular in

Colorado, as well as the use of bronze. “It seems to work really well with the

Colorado rustic contemporary feel,” Hayworth said. “Part of the advantage of that is it is easy to blend. You can use bronze in different rooms.”

Parker still sells a lot of Colorado lodge-styled pieces as well as the con-temporary style of art glass. Their store also offers customized mix and match shades with lamp bases.

One of Hayworth’s best sellers is track lighting to update the kitchen.

“They can take that old florescent out and replace it with a rail system with pendants and track heads to give the affect like recessed cans except it does not require re-wiring,” he said. “That gives it a contemporary look.”

And when staying home is the name of the game, people will gravitate to fix-ing up their spaces.

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“As demands for energy and prices increase, people aren’t just going to want to make their homes bigger and bigger,” Hayworth said. “They are going to increase the technology so that they are comfort-able living there, looking for easy living.”

Saving money on lighting can be done by still using halogen lights at half strength for mood lighting. Parker also works with many of the improved florescent products out now.

The Light Center works closely with area cities to develop light energy sav-ing plans for businesses. She said the Platte River Power Authority is getting ready to start an incen-tive program to help people get energy ef-ficient materials into their homes. Watch their Web site in the next couple of months to see when the program launches and who qualifies.

Dark sky ordinances are another energy and money saving lighting trend. Cities like Estes Park and Boulder en-courage residents to install outdoor lighting that focuses light on the bottom, not the sides, according to Hayworth. Small collective dark sky changes could give even city people access to starlight.

Outdoor lightingMany people don’t

even consider their outdoors as a living space. Erika Sattler, the co-owner of Luminary Designs, works with water and light to create aesthetically pleasing

and functional lighting systems.

“People buy a home and there is already a fixture outside on their patio that doesn’t really do anything,” she said.

She consults with peo-ple whose desires range from creating an environ-ment for a gazebo to bet-ter yard access for the disabled to just wanting to see the steak on the grill at night.

“Lighting principles in general apply both inside and outside your home,” Sattler said. “There are four main types of lighting - envi-ronment or architectural, traverse that goes from point A to point B, con-verse lighting for sitting across the table and task lighting.”

In Northern Colorado, people tend to install ar-chitectural enhancement lighting, she said.

“People have gorgeous homes in northern Colo-rado with really beautiful natural products such as cedar beams and river stones,” Sattler said. “That type of architecture leads to lighting that can create drama at entry ways. Because a lot of our landscapes are new landscapes with out mature trees, we get to be really creative with up lights and architecture that is dramatic without exposing the source of the light.”

They also work with water and lighting pieces.

Evenly spread outdoor lighting is also safer than motion sensor lighting and can create elements of privacy, as eyes travel to the brightest light, Sat-tler said.

Photos special to the RHAbove, outdoor lighting designs by Luminary Designs. StyleH


Jade Counter-

StoneNotions

Bring stunning stone countertops into your home

Photo courtesy of Estes Park Realty


By Jade CodySpecial Sections Editor

When choosing countertop materials, there are countless ways to go. Economical laminates are available in hundreds of styles. Many prefer the look and feel of wood. Some go with syn-thetic material such as concrete, tile or solid surface. And some, like Don Darling of Estes Park, fall in love with the look of natural stone.

Popular stone materials, such as granite, limestone and marble, add personality and richness to any home’s decor. Besides adding to a home’s value, stone coun-tertops bring durability without compromising aesthetics.

Steve Hood, owner of Paragon Granite & Marble in Longmont, re-veres the natural beauty of stone.

“It’s not just a commodity,” he said. “It’s artwork. It’s something people pick out because they love it.”

Hood said granite counter-tops can run anywhere from $60-to-$150 per square foot in-stalled, depending on the variety and availability of the stone. An average kitchen has about 50-70 square feet of counter space.

“It doesn’t have to be expen-sive,” Hood said.

Stone countertops have a lot of the same custom capabilities as other materials, with options such as hand chiseled edges.

Paragon Granite supplied and installed a variety of stone in Darling’s Estes Park home. In the kitchen, countertops were made of engineered stone consisting of 93 percent quartz crystals. The countertops have a deep red and black look with hand chiseled edges.

One major difference between engineered stone and natural stone is consistency. For home-owners looking for a more uniform look, but retaining the beauty and durability of stone, engineered stone is a good choice. For those

Increase home appeal by adding stone countertops

Photos courtesy Estes Park RealtyCountertops and stone from Don Darling’s house in Estes Park.


24-295147

who enjoy the distinctness and originality of natural stone, granite is a better fit.

Darling’s kitchen countertop is “basi-cally ground quartz, but you get some of the depth you get with granite,” Hood said. “It’s impermeable and doesn’t stain.”

“Our kitchen’s phenomenal,” Darling said. Darling worked with his architect to coordinate the color scheme and choose materials.

Granite countertops were installed in Darling’s bathrooms and also a bar area.

Elias Montoya, owner of Rock Solid Marble & Granite in Loveland, said people choose stone because of its durability and the value it adds to a home. He did recommend having it sealed once a year, however.

Most any kitchen can have stone coun-tertops, he said. Custom shops are able to cut the stone to fit just about anywhere.

Montoya said he is seeing a trend in the area for homeowners wanting to remodel their existing homes as opposed to buying elsewhere — remodels that often include stone countertops.

Hood said he’s currently doing more exotic stones for upper-end clientele.

“I’m in this business because I love the beauty of stone,” Hood said. “I’m a stone guy from way back,” Hood said. “I just love stone. I’m weird that way I guess.” StyleH

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By Patricia RiveraCTW Features

Solar-powered landscape lighting was once viewed as an energy drain. They required a lot of work - and some-times money, depending on the option - and offered little return. But now as society’s global consciousness contin-ues to grow, and consumer’s pocket-books shrink, more manufacturers are developing solar-lighting options that yield greater results.

“Solar-powered lighting has really come into itself in the past year,” says Geoffrey MacMurdo, owner of Sun So-lar Products of Medford, N.Y., who has been in the solar lighting and energy business since 1976.

He says that lighting has gone full circle from the “light, cheap things that you could buy all over the place in the 1980s” to the expensive panels that few could afford. Today’s consumers are benefiting from the availability of func-tion and form.

Technology has evolved to the point that solar lighting is an option for all

landscaping needs, from illuminat-ing walking paths to lighting the pool to placing a motion detector over the garage. Solar lights are also available as lamps for patio tables and bases for uplighting.

Without a doubt, energy that runs on the sun’s rays is better used. Though some critics argue that it’s still lim-ited in some regards, Jason Jayne, a landscape consultant with Tumber & Associates in Ontario, says his com-pany believes in delivering drama and emotional appeal to projects.

“We have not seen a [solar light] product that accomplishes the value of installing it in the design,” he says. He says that the current offerings still don’t meet some aesthetic goals. They also pose a safety risk if they’re not fully recharged at night when you need light around a walkway. In areas that receive little sun, they’re simply not a good option.

“You can’t cut corners by using something like that,” he said.

Walking on Sunshine

Solar lighting illuminates outdoor spaces

CTW photo

Regardless, many consum-ers have determined that

solar-powered lighting is worth trying. Now

that LED bulbs are more ef-ficient, it takes

less energy to power them. Lights also stay on for longer.

Green advo-cates such as Charlie

Szoradi, founder of GREENand-SAVE.com, says that the savings over time wins over a lot of people. He has es-timated that you can save 50 cents a day with a set of eight solar lights. Over the year, that adds up to around $170 of sav-ings. That’s just for a set of eight lights.

Szorardi adds that he uses premium level fixtures worth at least $40 since the less expensive ones do not give off as high quality light. The calculation also factors in additional wire, additional batteries after five years, and a consider-ation to replace two of them if damaged by pets or branches. Most exterior solar lights have a solar photovoltaic panel, a battery system, a controller and the light itself.

“The greatest benefits of solar lights is you do not need to run wire to each light, you are utilizing renewable energy and requires little set-up time,” says landscape architect Troy Mears with the consulting firm SR Design, LLC in Bea-verton, Ore.

Mears says that if you’re turning to solar for the first time, you should think about what you hope to accomplish. Then decide how long you would like the lights to illuminate. Some solar lights do not have large enough rechargeable bat-teries to provide for long periods of time

every night. Also think about how much light you would like to see.

Here comes the golden rule when it comes to solar lighting: “In order to use solar lights you have to place them in di-rect sunlight areas so they can recharge during the sunlight hours,” Mears added.

Sandra Williams, a green energy con-sultant known as The Queen of Green and who lives in DeLand, Fla., says she’s used all sorts of solar lights for various projects. For instance, tiny lights with a single LED work well to illuminate a flow-erbed or part of a walkway.

“They’re simple to use. Just take them out of the box, stick them where you hope they’ll get some sun, and there you go,” she says. A bigger fixture, such as a multiple LED bulbs, is strong enough to light up a sign, or a shed. These can be ideal for outdoor locations that need lots of light, but do not have a source of electricity nearby.

“Think shed, backyard, barn or dock. These are also handy because you can either install them (panel and light.) Or just use them as a movable, super-bright light,” she adds.

Some larger fixtures are also portable. Charge with the panel during the day, and you have a big powerful light ready to go at night — wherever you want it. Vincent D’Onofrio, owner of Gutter Lights Inc. in Selbyville, Del., came up with his product out of sheer frustration.

One night he arrived at his rural home and tripped over a light fixture that had not been turned on. He came up with the idea for a solar light that attached to gut-ters, fences and signs. Because they’re small, his Gutter Lights can also be taken on a camping trip or used as flashlights.

D’Onofrio asks,”How can we not take advantage of the sun’s ray to light up at nighttime?”


StyleH

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Thompson Valley Art League

429 N. Lincoln Ave.Loveland970.663.2407

www.lincolngallery.comHours: Mon-Fri 11-5 • Sat 11-4

Open until 9pm on the second Friday of each month

Lincoln Gallery

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Come into Merle Norman to see what’s new and receive a complimentary Makeup Lesson today!

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LovelandOrchards Shopping Center

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24-2

9827

3


he modern window decorator is faced with a wide variety

of challenges. Many homes feature vaulted ceilings and odd window shapes and sizes. On top of con-struction issues, many Colorado home owners possess an insatiable need to guard their precious view of the mountains. Local shops are well equipped to take on all of these issues and create custom coverings for window needs. Two experienced Loveland window designers firmly stand by the power of drapes and blinds to transform a room without sacrificing fashion for efficiency.

Drape designer Kim Gagnon of the family-owned business Broth-ers’ Drapery has watched blind trends evolve over the years.

Blinds unraveled

Rhema MuncySpecial SectionS RepoRteR

Fine elegance, natural enhancements and modern light fixtures can be eco-friendly and affordable

T “Forty years ago, blinds didn’t even exist because houses did ceiling to floor, wall to wall, sheers, drapes and valanc-es,” Gagnon said.

Blinds originally were only for com-mercial use. Now, they are common in homes and Gagnon often works with their wide abilities. Then adding fabric to the blinds can have surprising effects.

“Everything is getting so big, so warm-ing up a room is difficult,” Gagnon said. “That’s where fabric comes in. It always absorbs sound and helps keep out cold. Fabric always feels like you have taken the time to make a home.”

According to Judy Magara, owner and interior designer of Colorado Discount Blinds, draperies have the power to change a room.

“So many people can’t believe what it adds,” Magara said. “If people have tall ceilings and hard wood floors and nothing soft in the room, art on the wall doesn’t do it.”

Drapes often add a much needed color lift, bringing the room to life.

“The earthy jewel tones are always popular in Colorado,” Magara said. “The golds, reds and greens never go away. Browns and blues are very popu-lar today, especially in bedrooms. People find that to be very soothing.”

To some rooms, Magara adds a bold splash of dark, but most of the time she sticks with neutrals and a coordinating fabric to bring out color.

“A lot of times clients will want some-thing versatile enough that they can just

Photos special to the RHAbove and left, blinds designed by Judy Magara of Colorado Discount Blinds in different Loveland houses.


change the fabric on top. We try to be conservative. People don’t want to be too extravagant. We try to make it a long term investment.”

Gagnon finds her clients wanting jewel tones and a large amount of green.

“Green became popular in the 90s and it has really held its place, but it has changed tones,” Gagnon said. “We went from sea foam green to a true jewel tone green to yellow and

sage tones.”Moving beyond aesthetics, blinds

and draperies can offer solid money and energy saving advantages.

“Putting energy efficient coverings in your home can make a huge differ-ence,” Magara said.

There are several energy saving products eligible for tax credits that can boost R-Values in the home, Maga-ra said. According to www.Energystar.gov, an R-Value is a measure of the

insulation ability of a product to resist heat traveling through it. The higher the R-Value, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.

“A double paned window with noth-ing on it is only a 1.0 [R-Value] rating,” Magara said. “When you start adding honey combs and other shades, you can get up to a 7.2 [R-Value], which is huge. A wall has a 20 [R-Value].”

Many blinds can stop the heat through their design. For example, a honey comb texture blocks more UV rays because of the dead air space that locks in the heat or cold by creat-ing a barrier, she said.

Sorting though all of the products available can be a daunting task.

Gagnon starts consultations by re-viewing problems.

“Then we deal with aesthetics and try to find the product that is workable and has the right look,” she said.

With prices hikes and outrageous shipping costs to deal with from tradi-tional fabric companies, Gagnon gives

RH Photos/ Rhema MuncyAbove left, bathroom window blinds designed by Judy Magara of Colo-rado Discount Blinds. Above right, multiple window coverings for an odd-shaped window wall in the home of Kim Gagnon. Right, drapery design by Kim Gagnon of Brothers’ Drapery.


clients the option to shop at area fab-ric stores to save money.

Brother’s Drapery works with the two schools of thought — efficiency and people who want to keep their views.

“The sturdiest type of blind will be a faux wood. You don’t have to treat them like wood - they look like wood, but you can take them down and hose them off,” Gagnon said. “Cellular shades will take a lot of abuse.”

Magara also starts her clients with a consultation to determine what is needed.

“We talk about what the room is used for and what the family lifestyle is like to determine what is the best prod-uct, and also what price range they want to be in,” she said. “Then I bring in samples and we look at colors. Probably 90 percent of people pick neutrals - it is really good to know what they are trying to accomplish with the coverings.”

There are several cool products available that might not offer a lot of privacy.

“People really like the new solar shades. They are like a screen where you can see out but during the night you can’t see out and people can see in.”

Magara also works with shutters, an add-on she sees as adding furniture to the windows and value to the home.

“They are good for people who like to open their windows and don’t want to deal with blinds banging around,” she said. “When you go to sell your house, people realize you’ve made an investment in the windows.”

Because people are choosing to stay in their current homes, Magara has seen an increase in current home owner business as opposed to new home design.

“Because people are staying where they are, they are looking at things differently and are open for ideas on what they can do with their homes,” Magara said. “They are willing to make the investment because even if they sell in a couple of years it will pay off.”

“Because people are staying where they

are, they are looking at things differently

and are open for ideas on what they can do with their homes.”

– Judy Magara, designer for and owner of Colorado Discount Blinds

RH Photos/ Rhema MuncyTop, drapes designed by Kim Ga-gnon of Brothers’ Drapery. Above, blinds designed by Judy Magara of Colorado Discount Blinds. Left, de-tail design by Gagnon of Brothers’ Drapery. Adding colorful fabrics to neutral sheer curtains is an afford-able way to add class to a room.

StyleH


ach year when spring and summer arrive, they bring with them the ex-

citement of days spent outdoors, relaxing in the back yard with a great book, watch-ing the kids as they paddle around the pool, or chatting with family and friends over a sun-soaked afternoon meal. But if your outdoor space is still stuck in that sad stage of shabby plastic chairs around a wobbly table, it may be time to consider a backyard upgrade.

“In days past, the outdoors was always about dining - people just wanted a table and four or six chairs,” says Rory Reh-mert, vice president of sales and market-ing for Ft. Lauderdale-based Pride Family Brands.

“But now it’s become more and more about casual relaxation, with more seating pieces and comfort pieces,” he explains. “So don’t always look at your backyard for dining, look at it more as an extension of your family room - that you’re going to sit out and relax and have a cup of coffee or a drink.”

Bring the inside outRehmert says the line between indoor

and outdoor pieces is becoming increas-ingly blurred, maybe even nonexistent.

“Use outdoor furniture to continue the indoor home,” he says. “You take indoor styling and you simulate it in the outdoor medium. We even say that our furniture is beautiful enough to live indoors, because a lot of it does look really indoor, but it’s

Outdoor Update

From outdoor TVs to tables for a dozen, here’s how cool your backyard can be

E

Jessica AbelsctW FeatuReS


perfectly fine for outside use.”

Turn on the gameAccording to Mike Voyles, owner

of Galesburg, Ill.-based Home Infatuation, even the enter-tainment center is heading outside.

“A lot of people say, ‘Oh no, not a TV on the patio,’ but we say, ‘yes,’ and we sell a lot of outdoor televisions,” Boyle says. “They’re completely weatherproof, and it’s a great way for people to go outside to watch their sports. Instead of yelling at the TV in the house they can yell outside.”

Turn on the gameAimee Beatty, in-house stylist for

Pier 1 Imports, says bright and happy colors are best for your outdoor space. “That applies to outdoor furniture as well as accessories,” she says. “We have bright color showing up in cush-ions, wickers, even pieces for outdoor entertaining. We have yellows and bright greens and blues, just a lot of vi-brant pops of color.” She adds that you shouldn’t be afraid to get creative.

“Have fun with different florals and striped patterns. There are no rules, it’s what you like and what appeals to you, and the ability to mix and match and make it your own style.”

Pull up the arm chair“There’s kind of a big movement for

consumers to be able to seat more,” Rehmert says.

“We’ve got tables that seat up to 12, because again, it’s no different than the interior. You may have eight to 10 people at the Thanksgiving table for a meal, the same can be said for outside. The days of just you and your family sitting down for a Saturday evening

meal are pretty much over. It seems like no matter what’s going on, you end up with two or four or six more people than normal.”

Flip the switchAccording to Voyles, there are far

more lighting options available than those weather-worn tiki torches. “There’s a lot more upscale lighting,” he says. “There are table lamps or floor lamps and they get quite elabo-rate in the shades and the materials used. They’re just like anything you would have inside your home, it’s just that they’re made to be used outside your home.”

Rediscover rugsVoyles says the same rule applies for

outdoor flooring. “Simple things like area rugs, there’s a lot more selection

with patterns, colors, styles and de-signs - just about everything you would want, but with a lot more interesting designs than just plain colors like it used to be for years.”

Store your stuff“People are living more outside and

they want places to put stuff, it’s no dif-ferent than inside your home,” Rehmert said. “We’ve got storage trunks for cushions like large coffee table storage trunks and end table storage trunks, we make a trash receptacle or hamper storage trunk, and a large buffet server that has storage. You don’t want pool toys lying all over the place.”

Quality livable spacesVoyles said as home owners

look to create more livable outdoor spaces, they are willing to put more capital behind those

CTW PhotosAbove, this Pier 1 Imports chair mixes the comfort of the family room with the colors of summer for perfect backyard furnishings. Left, a Smith & Hawken pull up chair for turning a casual dinner party into a Thanksgiving-sized gathering outdoors. Creating livable outdoor spaces is one of the newest trends in home design.

“Have fun with different florals and

striped patterns. There are

no rules.”– Aimee Beatty, Pier 1

Imports in-house stylist


renovations. “People want to make a nice outdoor

room, and they’re investing so much in the infrastructure with the patio and the pool and maybe an outdoor kitchen to go along with it, that if you spend a little more money on the upscale outdoor furniture, they’re al-most like lifetime pieces because the quality is so good. Certainly after a few seasons you’ll have to re-upholster the cushions, but they’re all made with the intention that you can re-upholster them, so you can change fabrics whenever you want.

Recognize space potential“It’s more time for family and friends,

and you can have a lot of different events throughout the summer by entertaining in your outdoor room. Instead of taking a big trip, you can have a lot of different mini events where you invite family and friends over throughout the summer. It’s a nice way to have fun and not have to travel and try to pack everything into one or two weeks.”

Solar Panel Power

e-designing an outdoor living space can include some environmentally friendly fashion. Going solar is within

your reach more than you may realize – here are seven backyard spots perfect for a solar light update :

1. Line your walkways.

2. Brighten your swim area.

3. Light up patio tables or outdoor seat-

ing.

4. Accent a flowerbed with tiny lights.

5. Use hefty solar lights to light up a shed,

barn or larger area.

6. Highlight address numbers, doorbells

or signs.

7. Call attention to gutters or fences with

a fine line of small solar lights.

R

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StyleH


here’s something about eating outdoors that magically seems to make the food taste better.

Maybe it’s the sunshine, the stars or just the company, but it’s an experience you can make even better by increas-ing your tabletop’s style. From dishes and place mats to centerpieces, there’s always an easy way to step things up.

Catch the wavesThink bright colors, nature-inspired

patterns, vintage style and green de-sign. Mick Santiago, owner of Chicago-

based Mick Santiago Design Limited, is a fan of the recycled glass dishes from Riverside Design Group. The company’s wares come in bright blues and greens and frosted glass to please your eyes and your social conscience. Read on for more design ideas to take your tabletop from brunch to a night-cap.

Brighter BreakfastsLook for dinnerware and linens in

today’s trendy colors: aquas, greens, oranges, and blue and white.

“They’re all feel-good colors,” said

Kathy Peterson, a Palm Beach County, Florida-based design expert. And they’ll likely put smiles on your guests’ faces.

“Think lifts and layers,” Peterson says. “It’s adding eye candy. It’s going to be much more appealing and invit-ing.” Break out a cake stand to display the bagels or use a multi-tiered dessert stand to hold fresh fruit. A runner over your table cloth adds even more visual interest.

Right now, Aimee Beatty, stylist for Pier 1 Imports, is seeing a lot of floral patterns, butterfly motifs, stripes

Charmingmeal time CTW Photos

Above, a cozy outdoor dining room from Pier 1.

T

From eco-casual to inexpensive elegance, dining outside never looked so hot

Jessica AbelsctW


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and patchwork. Try incorporating these trends with fun, colorful place mats, such as the store’s pink or green butterfly-shaped ones, to make your white dishes pop.

Laid-Back lunchesFor a greener alternative to plastic,

serve up a few sandwiches on Gibson’s Earthkind dinnerware. It looks and feels like plastic, but it’s actually made from bamboo. Choose from bright col-ors and nature-inspired patterns.

“I would say the biggest thing right now is mixing and matching,” Beatty says. Try combining patterned dishes with solid ones or even putting a differ-ent colored glass at each place set-ting. You might add a garden touch by layering colorful, flower-shaped dishes over regular plates.

Vintage is popular, Beatty says, and it can give your table that great found-object look. Choose accessories from your own house, or buy vintage or vintage-inspired pieces. Pier 1 has vin-tage trays, for instance, that you could line up down the middle of a table to act as a table runner.

Designer DinnersIt is entirely possible to save money

and be savvy. Dress things up by laying a small mirror or two in the middle of your table.

“You can put anything you want on top of it,” Peterson said. “Just think of it as a tray.” One of her favorite ideas: Place candles on top for a reflec-tive glow.

Take inspiration from mother nature.

“Whenever I do something outdoors, I always like to work from the natural, earthy palette,” Santiago said. He often chooses more vibrant versions of Earth tones: citrus and lime greens, gold, orange and persimmon. This creates an instant connection to the garden.

Get creative with dinner accessories

Santiago recommends looking around the yard for something you can clip and put in a vase - anything from a few cherry blossom branches to bloom-ing flowers. Or fill inexpensive votive candle holders with water, float single flower heads for each setting.

CTW PhotosDinnerware made by Gibson from bamboo and nature-inspired designs have your outdoor tabletop covered this summer.

StyleH


By Genevieve KnappCTW Features

Since man discovered it, fire has been a vital source of warmth and comfort. So if the best it does in your backyard is scorch hot dogs on the grill, it might be time to return to the romance of flame.

“Fire has always been something we gathered around as a community,” says Michael Zimber, the president of the functional sculpture company Stone Forest. “It is a real focal point for gathering, and [watching fire] is some-thing like watching waves — it has

an almost trance-like or calming effect on people.” If you can’t quite reach nirvana, you can at least fulfill a long-ing to brown some marshmallows with a backyard fire vessel.

1. Plan ahead“The best thing is when you are

remodeling your patio or outdoor envi-ronment is to plan the whole thing from the get-go,” Zimber says. That way you won’t run into problems with septic or other underground systems if you de-cide to run a gas line. And before you strike any matches, be sure to check fire department and neighborhood codes.

2. Know your optionsThe Santa Fe, N.M.-based Stone

Forest creates architectural sculp-tures, and their fire vessels are sculpted by hand from a single block of granite. Stainless steel, cast iron or copper bowls are available at local retailers of all sizes. You can choose between a gas and wood-burning ves-sels.

3. Take controlIf you want something quick, easy

and permanent, you can take the do-it-yourself approach. Head over to a hardware store to get landscaping blocks and a steel ring.

“I had seen different types of fire pits at the store, but I didn’t really like them. I wanted something that was more permanent in the landscape,” says 46-year-old Debbie Graney. She fig-ured building her own would be “easy enough” and decided to do it with the same type of stones she’d used earlier to build a retaining wall. Graney and her boyfriend took photos of their con-

Fire StarterRekindle your love for toasty evenings spent in front of a fire

CTW Photos

struction project and eventually made a slide show over 50,000 people have watched on YouTube.com.

4. Keep it simpleGraney’s project, which doesn’t

use mortar or expensive bricks, might be the simplest fire pit how-to. She simply dug the trench, placed the brick circle, filled the inside with pea stone and put some flat stones on top. She couldn’t be more pleased with the result.

“It adds a character and

warmth, and it is just attractive,” Graney says. “It’s something people like to look at ... when you are having a party people love to gather around a fire pit.”

5. Think safety firstGraney says she didn’t want to build

the pit too close to her house or too close to the flower garden, so she chose a spot away from these high traffic areas. And since most of her yard is wooded, she was sure to build where sparks couldn’t blow into the

trees. Scott Cohen, of the Yucaipa, Calif.-based Concrete Network, sug-gests building at the edge of your property if you have a gorgeous lot for people to see.

6. Consider the inside view

Think about how things will look from indoors; it is possible to enjoy the fire from a living room window. Zimber says a fire pit can really go anywhere, as long as it is integrated with its surroundings. StyleH

northern colorado home style magazine spring 2009

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