Page 36 - Indulge April/May 2017

Outdoor What’s in and 2017
living: what’s
By Beth Orenstein
36 | indulge • april 2017 Has the warmer weather inspired you to update or
add to your home’s outdoor living space?
Comfort and sustainability are key for this year, with appliances are as popular outdoors as they are indoors,
reclaimed materials taking more of a focal point. Without
further ado, here’s what’s new and different for spring/
summer 2017.
n Mixed materials. “Matchy-matchy” is no more,
says Maureen Kospiah, outdoor living design consultant
at Kospia Farms in Alburtis. “Mixing multiple materials
is the new game.” The up-to-date look is one that mixes
metals, woods and stone together, she says. Your outdoor
space should offer visual contrasts in color, finish and
texture, too. An example: Pair woven wicker chairs with
picnic benches.
n Sustainability. Manufacturers are reacting to the
increased consumer desire for sustainability with more
outdoor furniture and other products made from recycled
or reclaimed items, plant-based products and responsible
forestry, Kospiah says.
Or go even further: to be “in” outdoors, extend the
sustainability trend from your patio to your garden:
Complement your furnishings made from sustainable
materials with low-maintenance gardens, drought-tolerant
plants and less turf grass, HGTV suggests.
n Outdoor kitchens. Outdoor kitchens, while not
new, are as big as ever, says Frederick Leary, owner
out for
of Garden Design in Lower Macungie. Options have
increased for 2017, he says. Stainless steel kitchen
but now you also can get outdoor kitchen furnishings
in powder-coated finishes that approximate the look of
wood and other materials. There’s also growing interest in
modular or prefab outdoor kitchens, Leary says. “You can
buy an entire kitchen that sits in place,” he says. The
prefab kitchens can include all the appliances you find in
an indoor kitchen including a grill and refrigerator. They
also can have a sink and a large solid surface counter
area where you can prep foods. The advantage to prefab
is that it cuts the cost considerably, Leary says.
n Pavers. Concrete pavers have been popular for
patios, pathways and driveways for sometime now, Leary
says. Pavers have long come in many shapes and sizes
and are made out of many different types of stones.
Choices continue to expand, he says. As a result, Leary
says, people are getting more creative with their paver
designs. He expects that trend to continue this year and
beyond. Some creative ideas: create a pebble path or
a pebble mosaic. Use outdoor paint to create designs
on steppingstones.
n Fireplaces and fire pits. Based on a survey,
the American Society of Landscape Architects identified
fireplaces and fire pits as the No. 1 outdoor design