1. Choose Truly Comfortable Seating
As the mother of one-year-old Hazel, Roth said finding comfortable—and safe—seating was her first priority. “This feels like a no-brainer,” she said via a Zoom call. “But it’s easy to sit in your living room with your kid, because it’s soft cozy and safe for them. But sometimes when you go outside it doesn’t feel as comfortable so people maybe shy away from going outside. “But that doesn’t need to be the case,” she said. She suggested finding seating that works for all your needs, “whether it’s for Hazel and all the moms and kids hanging out with us, or for after the kids go to bed.” Roth found a seating option she loved so much that she got three of them. “The lounge chair is low to the ground [making it easy for Hazel to climb], folds up really easily, is great quality, and is faux rattan so it’s really durable, and I can just hose it off [to clean],” she said. Plus, each chair was only $99.
2. Accessorize With Outdoor Rugs
Another accessory we sometimes forget is the outdoor rug, she said. “It adds just that layer of softness especially for little ones, she said, adding “it’s a great way to add a pop of color and make it soft and cozy.”
3. Add Some Greenery
One of the main features in her yard is a gorgeous pergola that she accessorized with plants. And like her one of her lawn areas, a lot of her plants throughout the space are artificial, too. “Marshalls has great faux plant options and planters, and I incorporated both,” she said. “Everything is a season… and right now my season is faux plants,” she quipped. “I don’t have time to keep anything else alive. They make some really good faux plants now to the point where my husband has watered them” she added. Roth said she’s “partial to a good fern,” her go-to.
4. Add Sufficient Lighting
“Once the seating and rug are in place, the most important thing that people forget about is lighting,” she said. “Most outdoor spaces can be really nice once the sun sets. I hung some string lights in my pergola [along with the faux vines], and mine are solar powered so you don’t need an outlet,” she said. Brilliant. But the lighting shouldn’t be just for aesthetics, she said. “Add enough lighting so that you can read a piece of paper, even once the sun has set,” Roth recommended.
5. Buy Outdoor Dinnerware
If you’ve ever shattered a favorite long-stem wine glass or dropped a ceramic plate on the patio, then you know how upsetting that can be, especially when they’re part of a pricier set. Roth says the answer to this is melamine dishes. “They are made for outdoors,” she said. “I’ve started using mine inside as well. Marshalls has a ton of these, and it’s a game changer. “You can’t break them, plus they’re eco-friendly, and they look really cute,” she said. You can get plates, pitchers, wine glasses, and more.
Bonus Tip: Use Bright Colors
Roth said the colors she expects to see most in summer 2021 outdoor decor are yellow, tangerine, and sage green. “And one I wasn’t really expecting is pink. Anything that is bright and cheerful,” she said.
