Home for the summer holiday – Having a great staycation
This year is unprecedented. As I write this from my home office, I have, as well as most of us, been home since March. We closed our stores March 15 and just reopened on May 15th. What a crazy time it is for all of us….
It goes without saying how important our homes have become to us during the time of Coronavirus, and this year there will not be much travel in the works for most Americans. No summer camp for the kids, no Britt, no Shakespeare in Ashland. In lieu of these changing times, I thought it would be nice to focus on Outdoor Living. We all need nature, and if you must stay home, you might as well make the best of it!
We have thoroughly outfitted our backyard this year; we have a big, long dining table (social distance approved) and lots of lounge-y spaces in the shade and in the sun. Outdoor furniture has come a long way, and it is easy to achieve a resort feel with so many options available. We have even designed a fun rooftop deck for a space in Jacksonville that is perfect for sunset cocktails.
Here is my top design advice for creating the best in Outdoor spaces: Walk your outdoor space and take some quick photos, if you do not have much shade, consider getting a few umbrellas to move around and create interesting spaces. Consider your point of view for your outdoor design and stick with it. Get your umbrellas all in one color, keep things uniform and you will achieve your resort style more easily! Same with pots and planters. Buy multiples of the same style and color to continue with your theme. Sometimes I see homes that have a multitude of different planters and styles, and it looks a bit jumbled and chaotic, which is the last feeling we need at the moment.
Add outdoor rugs to define a space. Not only do they feel nice when you are barefoot, the layer of interest is nice as well. Grow herbs or scented flowers that are reminiscent of places you love to visit. Sprigs of fresh rosemary or lavender are a lovely way to add scent that can take you back to your travels.
Use big trays to transport meals from your kitchen to outdoor dining, have baskets with cotton napkins and silverware nested and ready to go outside. Make sure you have music too and take some time to find playlists that have an international flair. Spotify is amazing in that regard, and you can instantly create a tropical summer vibe with some steel drum music from Trinidad, Bossa Nova from Brazil, or, how about some festive music from Mexico for a refreshing change? Music is an amazing mood-booster and sometimes you can get stuck with your same vibe every day, so take a chance on something out of the box and enjoy the mood.
Outdoor lighting is equally important to your Staycation atmosphere. Lanterns, string lights, and tiki torches can once again create a lovely ambiance when you put it all together.
Although Southern Oregon this summer may never translate to your dream getaway, you can create a vacation environment that is delightful, restful, and fun. Think about what it is you love when you travel; things like crisp sheets, comfy chaise lounges and pillows, shady hammocks to swing gently and read a novel, or refreshing drinks made with fresh-squeezed juices. It is all possible right here in our own backyard, and we might as well jump in and enjoy it. There is still plenty of time to design your outdoor living space since we may be home a bit more than we imagined for the moment. Be well and stay safe.
