Ideas for Outdoor Living

Design your dream patio or porch, check out your favorite pools, or steal an idea for dress up your outdoor space.

15 Idea-Filled Patios & Porches

Life on the coast means spending more time outside than in. Create the perfect hangout with ideas from these gorgeous spaces.

In this tentlike wooden structure, fans and a chandelier hang above the dining room table

Photo by Tria Giovan, Text by Katie A. Gregg

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Allow Space for Easy Entertaining

If you create intimate nooks for friends to relax, your fresh-air space will become the ultimate summer hot spot.

• Dress up elegant gatherings with outdoor-fabric curtains and a rustic candle chandelier. Sisal and kilim rugs and a flea-market-find bamboo daybed complete this cabana.

• Think durable, not delicate. Consider cushion covers made of terry cloth―they’re both soft and washable.

• Build a pergola over a patio or terrace to create an outdoor room. Bamboo or native-wood poles provide enough shade for an all-day retreat.