Would you take it outside please. ‘Al Fresco’ the Art of Outdoor Living
When summer’s in full swing, there is nothing Europeans like to do more than get outside, soak up some sunshine and enjoy some al fresco dining.
No matter how small their home might be (and European homes often are quite small) you will always find Europeans trying to carve out a piece of outdoor space wherever they can.
Whether for a croissant and coffee on a quiet morning or a summer barbecue with a glass of chilled rosé in the evening, outdoor patios are perfect places for unwinding.
You can claim any outdoor nook or corner as your patio. Pull together some outdoor seating, set out some planters with pretty flowers and find an umbrella to offer a little shade.
Voilà: You have the makings of a great outdoor space.
Whether high up on a rooftop, tucked away in a courtyard or overlooking lush fields or a beautiful sea view, these European-style outdoor patios are sure to inspire your summer space.
French farmhouse settings have a very relaxed, informal rural Mediterranean feel that within 10 years of it global exposure the entire southern california has started to look a lot like Sothern Italy.
Can you imagine sitting down to a lunch of crusty French rolls and a fresh salad under a shady tree?
Create your own French farmhouse–style patio by adding natural wooden furniture with neutral linens and simple white plates.
Add finishing touches to your table with a simple vase of wildflowers and a large bowl of oranges or deep purple figs.
Grow pots of lavender for a heavenly scent, and add complementary aubergine (deep purple) throw pillows to your seating.
Italian patio feels chic and sophisticated, sometimes with a simple black and white dining set and a beautiful earthy mountain or seaside view.
If you want an Italian-style patio of your own, grow tall shrubs — such as yew or privet — near a fence or a garden trellis to create some privacy from your neighbors.
Use black iron furniture, and if you can, splurge on a white marble table, Limestone benches and better yet Antique Biblical stone floors.
Accessorize with plain white seat cushions and a white umbrella to keep the look simple and classic. Splurge, if you may, on reclaimed or made to look old stone troughs and planters filled with succulents and lavender.
Add some warm terra-cotta jars as a finishing touch and grow within them bright flowers like geraniums or small lemon trees for the brigh sunny colors.
Use a single color such as pink, red or white so they don’t overwhelm the space.
If you want to add table linens, use crisp whites. Bellissimo!
Spanish-style villa. This classic Spanish-style villa has lean whitewashed walls, warm terra-cotta tones and a cool, shady inner courtyard.
If you have the luxury of a wall you can paint, whitewash it to give the space a clean, cool backdrop.
If you can’t add warm terra-cotta tiles to the floor, try using oversize terra-cotta planters and fill them with vibrant-color flowers, like red geraniums or bright bougainvillea.
Select furniture in dark brown or black and create contrast with bold red cushions.
Add black iron light fixtures or accessorize with black metal candle lanterns to add to that Mediterranean feel.
Spanish finca. Tucked through an archway, this rustic warm stone farmhouse feels every inch the Spanish finca. The large stone animal trough makes a great water feature.
To create your own little patch of Spain, grow pots (or a trough) of desertworthy succulents.
If you don’t have lovely sand-colored stone walls, paint a surrounding wall in a rich mustard yellow or a warm terra-cotta red. Use iron or wood garden furniture with olive green cushions.
If you have space, add an additional comfortable chair or two with an ottoman so you can put your feet up and relax.
Keep a wicker basket nearby with a handy supply of magazines to read and, of course, a side table with a nice jug of chilled sangria.
Mediterranean-style palazzo. For a Mediterranean feel, even in Texas, add fresh blue and white textiles to your outdoor furniture and a bowl of citrus fruit as a colorful table centerpiece.
Potted Italian herbs — such as rosemary, oregano and thyme — will create wafts of fresh Mediterranean scents.
Make sure you use an umbrella to get some shade and add glass storm lanterns for romantic evening lighting.
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