Dining al fresco has always been my favorite way to enjoy a meal, and in light of the pandemic, the outdoors have become especially “in.” It doesn’t have to take much to create Instagram-worthy ambiance in your own backyard, no matter your style.
RUSTIC
* Base layer: Just because you prefer a natural aesthetic doesn’t mean you can’t zone your outdoor area. Arranging some flagstone pavers on a flat section of yard and leaving a grassy “mortar” will help define the area while offering a storybook touch.
* Shade structure: Create a living pergola using ground-contact treated lumber and training passionflower to grow over it. In part because it is native to the area, it won’t take long for it to take over, and its exotic flowers will add a stunning focal point. While wisteria and clematis are popular trellis trailers for their showy blooms, they are invasive and toxic, even to humans.
* Dining table: You could build and distress a farm table, but you could also simply cut and arrange some stumps into a unique centerpiece. Carry the theme through with shorter stumps for stools.