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Gorgeous Gardens

May 04, 2020 | Posted in Inspirations | Share

It’s spring again! Today I’m sharing ideas to envy and inspire your patio, courtyard, front garden or city back yard.

Garden Pathways

A cobalt-blue bordered pathway of multicolored and patterned tiles stretches through flowers and greenery to a cottage-style shed at the back of a garden.
Image courtesy user Homimu via Pinterest

Wouldn’t it be a lovely way to start each day, walking along a colorful garden pathway like this one? Pick a theme or mix-n-match geometric shapes and patterns.

A pathway created of round log slices is dotted between tall grasses and pink and purple flowers, extending towards a fence at the back of this country garden.
Image courtesy user Homimu via Pinterest

A log pathway works well with Craftsman-style homes, or any garden space that emphasizes natural materials like wood.

Outdoor Living Rooms

Comfortable outdoor patio furniture in woven wood-tone with lime-green pillows, a lime-green umbrella with a built-in light, and blue and pink LED lighted square tables make this a fun place to socialize with friends.
Kimball Starr Interior Design / Photo by Eric Rorer

In my client’s Palo Alto condo, I created an outdoor room against a living wall. Sheltered by a modern umbrella with a built-in light, comfortable outdoor loveseats and chairs with pillows in colorful, sun-safe fabrics pair easily with a striped ottoman. The two color-changing cubes act as cocktail tables, providing additional light and a techy taste of fun.

Grey slatted fencing form a corner of a yard with greenery above and behind. In front of the fending sits an outdoor living room, with grey woven chairs and footstools plus a grey bench seat with striped throw pillows surround a small table. Triangles form geometric patterns on the tiling underneath, forming a visual rug on a slab of concrete underfoot.
Image courtesy Trendedecor.com

The tiling on this outdoor patio acts as an area rug, defining the living space. A pair of chairs, footstools and a table complement bench seating, nestled into a sunny garden corner.

Outdoor Lighting

Warm reddish brown slatted wood fencing forms a corner behind a tree. Lights wash ivy tendrils hanging down the wall created by the fence, pooling in the green plants below. To the right is a modern, white rectangular table and two white chairs. A wooden bench seat is at the front, with more plantings in the center front. To the bottom right of the image is a grey outdoor sofa with throw pillows. Large grey slate tiles are both flooring and path underfoot.
Image courtesy user digsdigs via Pinterest

Add lighting to your outdoor spaces, both for safety and beautiful effect. Wall-washing outdoor fencing with uplights and downlights creates a cool effect against wooden slatted fencing and greenery.

A pathway is created by mid-calf-height lights in a row either side to a pergola. A canopy effect is created with string lights from the pergola's roof interior. Tall stake-lights provide area lighting just behind the seating, while table candles give that perfect intimate touch. Trees and plants are uplit dramatically all around.
Image courtesy BeautyHarmonyLife.com

Here’s someone who really went all-out on their lighting design, creating a pathway to the pergola, and a canopy effect with string lights. Tall stake-lights provide area lighting just behind the seating, while table candles give that perfect intimate touch.

Courtyards and Patios

= A private interior courtyard in this Folsom Street San Francisco home looks like you’re actually somewhere in the Mediterranean or Morocco, with an intricately tiled water feature in front of a high wooden privacy fence, hung with multiple planters. The ground is covered in a coppery oversized tile, and a round table and blue chairs sits next to a plain grey wall, topped with a vase of flowers. In the foreground, an orange seat peaks through, while to the left we can just see a lime green, turquoise blue and brown geometric patterned indoor-outdoor rug.
Kimball Starr Interior Design / Photo by Eric Rorer

In another design for one of my clients, a private interior courtyard in this Folsom Street San Francisco home looks like you’re actually somewhere in the Mediterranean or Morocco, with an intricately tiled water feature in front of a high wooden privacy fence, hung with multiple planters, and plenty of seating options. Truly a city oasis!

Kimball Starr Interior Design nurtures gorgeous indoor-outdoor spaces in San Francisco bay area and Lake Tahoe homes. Contact her for a consultation!

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