Feel at home outside

I believe outdoor spaces have the power to transform daily life — they invite us to slow down, connect with loved ones, and enjoy the beauty of nature.

 

Many of my fondest memories as a child were the times I spent outside. Playing yard games, bonfires, picnics, parties and family gatherings were all so much more special when we had the opportunity to enjoy them outside.

One of my favorite places to enjoy the outdoors was a screened porch off the front of our house which was as close to outdoor living as you could get on a farm in Minnesota. That spring day when we could open the porch to be cleaned up for summer shared a similar excitement to Christmas! For the next 4 months — 5 if we were lucky — we would use the screened porch to enjoy summer mornings and evenings as well as frequent thunderstorms. Neighbors would even come by to sit on the porch with us and “enjoy the show” as we watched the lightning bolts and felt the rumbles of thunder.

Today, I’m fortunate enough to live in Northern CA where our outdoor space is an extension of our home all year long. I do, however, still get that same giddy feeling as spring approaches and I can spread out our outdoor living space beyond the covered area.

I believe I’m not alone feeling the nostalgia of the outdoors and associating so many great memories with being outside. It was this that drives me to create beautiful outdoor spaces for my clients and their families. I’ve had clients tell me they never even went into their backyards before and now they never want to leave.

My mission is simple: to help more people experience the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of being outdoors, without the overwhelm of endless product searching. That’s why I’ve curated my favorite outdoor living finds from trusted retailers I design with and believe in.

So often, people will say to me, “Outdoor furniture is SO expensive! When I can afford it, I’ll fix up my backyard to enjoy it.” My answer to that is, where there’s a will, there’s a way to make it work. I work with clients who have a $500 budget as well as those who have a $25,000 budget.

I help guide clients into spending what they can to just get outside and use their space. Once you can use it and see how it functions, you can always upgrade pieces in the future or plan for larger expenses. I always recommend trying to spend a little more on at least one item, typically a sofa or chair set that will be used most often. Outdoor furniture is just like indoor furniture or anything else for that matter: you get what you pay for.

There are many ways to protect your investments and extend the longevity of use.

Create a plan. Put down on paper all the ideas and elements you’d like to include, how you plan to use your space. Maybe you want room for a garden, fruit trees or grass to lay on. Get it all down. I  take a different approach to traditional decorating and designing. Rather than telling you what I think you should do, I spend time listening to you about your ideas and goals for your space.

I use a variety of visuals to guide you along the way and ensure you’ll be pleased with the end product. My goal is to be very transparent with the services I provide and to exceed your expectations.