outdoor entertaining

6 Items Every Pergola Needs

~ Naomi Pederson

This warm weather is so enticing, and I love being outside.  In the summer I like to spend as much time as possible breathing fresh air and getting sunshine.  If you live in Calgary, breathing fresh air and sunshine have been a bit scarce due to massive forest fires all throughout BC.  I am going to hope that all these fires are quickly put out, and plan my perfect pergola to be enjoyed when the sun actually can show it’s face again.

A pergola is just another room to decorate and should be tackled in the same way you would decorate any room in your home.  Look at the space, add your big items, add the items that you want to showcase and then pull it all together with some great accessories.  Here are some great things to add to your pergola to make it truly another room to spend time in.

Curtains are such a fun thing to add to your pergola.  Pergola’s by design are lightweight and have no wall.  Curtains will make your pergola feel intimate and soften the hard wood or metal lines most pergola’s are made from.  Make sure your curtains are made with outdoor fabric for the longest lasting effect, but even sheer inexpensive curtains that last one season are worth spending money on.

At Showhome furniture we know that adding high-quality outdoor furniture is a must.  How can you enjoy a space without comfortable furniture to relax on.  Getting well-built outdoor furniture makes all the difference to your living space and will last for many, many years.

A great way to bring color into your pergola space is using outdoor beautiful cushions!!  Most stores will carry a variety of outdoor pillows to choose from, but if you can’t find what you are looking for, making your own cushion covers is very simple!

Proper lighting in a pergola is so important and can make it so you enjoy your space day and night.  You can string a few large strings of lights around your pergola, or a bunch of outdoor twinkle lights look gorgeous.  If you want to be fancy you can wire up a chandelier or hang a candle chandelier in the middle of your pergola.  Even battery operated candles will add romance, beauty and ambiance to your space.

Live plants are an awesome way of making your pergola feel enticing and delightful.  You can hang them in baskets, put them on the pole of your pergola, or have them in containers.

Plants, even fake plants, really can bring a whole space together in ways that nothing else can.

Now, the last tip Showhome furniture has for you, to help make your pergola one of the most ‘go to’ places in your yard is to add something to the floor!  You can add an outdoor rug, or interesting gravel if your pergola is not on a deck.  Real or fake grass is great or painting the floor is another way to liven up your space!

A Dream Window Bar On To Your Deck

~ Naomi Pederson

I love the large outdoor entertaining places that some people create.  I love seeing the outdoor kitchen area’s, the outdoor fireplaces and luxurious dining area’s.  Unfortunately, an outside kitchen of that magnitude is not really within the reach of most of our budgets.

If you are like me and love to eat outside, and you have a window that opens into your backyard, a window bar may be the perfect way to cook and entertain outside while spending a fraction of the cost a full outdoor kitchen would.

First, the window needs to be a comfortable serving height.  Usually, this is around the 42″ mark.  If your window is a little higher than that you can either work around it, put in a new window or raise your deck to accommodate this height range.

Next, pick a window.  The folding windows are awesome but for some climates or high wind places, these will not work.  Talk to your local contractor to see what he suggests.

Once you have a window at the right height it is time to add a bar.  Your bar can be any material that is weatherproof.  Looking in local buy and sells is a great way to find a used high-end countertop.  Because your bar is small and a simple design, you will likely find many options that will work for you.

Now for the fun part, it is time to accessorize.  Treat your eating bar area similar to a kitchen dining area within your home, just make sure the accessories are weatherproof.

Plants also add a finished together look and feel to your outdoor eating area.

Once you have everything perfect, this is the time to have fun and invite people over to enjoy your new affordable entertaining area!!!