Outdoor room {decor}

So, I have this stoep that I've been neglecting in the three-odd years I've been living in my house and decided that, besides my kitchen update that I'm currently tackling {when will it ever end?}, I am also going to convert this nelgected stoep into an outdoor room, an all-round entertainment area I can be proud of!  Am I a bit too optimistic to be thinking of Spring already? With the beautiful weather we've been experiencing over weekends this winter, I think I'm allowed to already be thinking of how I am going to optimally use my outside space.

Before you start decorating your outdoor space, decide on the style you would like to implement. Do you like French Country, or super modern? Do you opt for the more rustic, vintage items or does retro or Scandinavian inspire you? For me, I like a bit of everything mixed together, and in design speak, it's called eclectic - hoorah, a label for us indecisive folk. Also, make sure to choose a colour scheme that works outside. White may be crisp and a nice colour, but remember that by dust, weather and pets it is not going to stay white for long. If you have a lot of greenery going on around your outdoor room, go for a more subtle colour, like grey, to contrast against it.

I love yellow! It's such a fresh, inspiring and fun colour and it is the perfect hue to use as a contrast colour or to draw attention to a specific spot. I combined it with more neutral colours, such as the throw pillows, the porch carpet and the wooden deerhead, which are all currently on sale at Spree.

The idea of an outdoor 'living' room has become more popular over the years and living in the beaufitul country we do, I can understand why this trend has caught fire. You can use anythign from steel furniture, to wood, to rattan, but keep in mind that when you choose wood funiture it will need to be treated agains the elements quite often.

Use this space as an extra area to show off your style and hang some vintage finds around. Currently, I have a couple of crosses, a ceramic dear head and oversized steel keys against an empty wall, which immediately gave my stoep a bit of oomph. It also creates a talking point if you have guests over.

It's easy to lay an outdoor room out if you have chosen the function of the room. If you are concentrating on a seating area, ensure you have a coffee table for magazines, snakcs and drinks. I quite the idea of an outdoor lounge, and have had my eye on this daybed from MRP Home for months now!

If you have the space, create a seperate dining area, either with a small round wire table and two chairs where you and your loved one can enjoy coffee and rusks in the morning or have dinner on a late summer's eve, or go for the family option and get a big wood table with a couple of seats. Make it interesting by adding a bench on the one side of the table and a mix between wooden and wire chairs in different colours.

I can't wait to start my makeover! Now, I only need to find a solution to keep the dogs out of my outdoor room.