Big or small, with or without a view, the deck is the 'pretty boy' of the house. Now is the time to renew it. Take a look at these proposals.
With the arrival of summer, there is no need to escape from home at every opportunity if you have a terrace decorated with originality and charm. These little paradises, urban or country, require special attention to detail (adequate lighting, good shadows, colorful textiles). The evenings are perfect: discover six simple and practical ideas to achieve this.
Shade with reeds. Although esparto grass and reeds are traditionally associated with more rural environments, they can be combined with other styles. For example, it has always been common to use mats as blinds, especially in the southern half of the country: they provide shade and lower the temperature at home by a few degrees. The original idea is to turn them into a roof to shade a terrace. Canes can also be used. This proposal is especially recommended for small spaces: we gain functional space by not having the feet of the umbrellas on the ground.
Install indirect lighting. Dinners on the terrace are a delight when you don't have a spotlight shining in your eyes. An excellent way to avoid this is to illuminate the space indirectly. Take advantage of the planters to place small spotlights oriented towards the plants: the glow and the play of shadows produced by the leaves will create the perfect setting for a pleasant summer evening. You can install spotlights in the same way as on the terrace in the picture, using the lower part of the bench for the table area. This way, you will not dazzle any guests and provide enough light.
Walls, better bare. The original walls of the house can have a lot of charm if they are integrated into the decoration. Instead, we insist on covering and making up irregularities or flaws when, most of the time, it is what gives the sensation of a lived-in house. An example is a patio in this photo, where the wall between houses has been left bare, and an old inscription has been recreated with stencils.
A bar at home. A window opening onto the terrace is a blessing to save you a lot of walking. Whether to communicate from the inside or pass all kinds of objects, this space is, especially in summer, one of the busiest areas of the house. Do you want two simple and practical ideas to make the most of it? First, install a serving hatch -as a shelf or countertop-; or, as we can see in this photo, turn the window directly into a bar counter.
Tip: The ledge should be curved on small terraces to avoid obstructing the passage.
Take advantage of the slope and make a gazebo. Houses built on hills and slopes are real challenges for their owners because they usually have steep areas where it is difficult to project a terrace. A practical and original solution is to create a pavilion to contemplate the landscape. Transform the slope into steps that you can use as benches and dress them with cushions and mats that invite you to rest.
Create a luminary tree. Candlelight, although magical, is not enough to illuminate at night. It is necessary to add some electric light trying, of course, not to break the atmosphere. To achieve this, you have lanterns, decorative both day and night. The only drawback is the installation: sometimes, the wiring gets in the way or breaks the harmony. An alternative is to hang them from a fake tree like the one on the terrace in the image, hiding the installation thanks to the branches.