With summer winding down and the evenings beginning to cool down just a bit, it’s the perfect time to retreat to the screen porch after a long day.  Use your screen porch for a comfortable living area, a casual dining room, or a delightful sleeping porch.  Add a ceiling fan, accent lighting (ditch the bright overhead, it’ll just attract the bugs that manage to slip through the screen!), outdoor fabrics, and an indoor/outdoor rug to make the place homey.

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Apartment Therapy

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: Traditional Home

Photo: Apartment Therapy

Photo: My Home Ideas

To add a pop of color and a bit of joy to your day, paint your front door an unexpected color.  Every time you come home, you’ll find that the jolt of bright color makes your day just a bit better.  An added bonus: just tell guests that your house is the one with the bright yellow door, they’ll never miss it.

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: HookedonHouses.net

Photo: Living, etc.

Photo: Google Images

Photo: Apartment Therapy

Photo: Apartment Therapy

Photo: Apartment Therapy

If you live in an area of the country that has pleasant weather  during a large portion of the year, then an outdoor kitchen is a wonderful option to have.  With your guests gathering outside, it is nice to be able to join them as you prepare food rather than getting stuck indoors on a beautiful evening.

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Cooking Light

Photo: My Home Ideas

Photo: Cooking Light

Your interior could be straight out of home decor magazine, but if the exterior of your home is not up to par, then the inside will not get the entrance it deserves.  Take advantage of the spring weather and get outside to make some essential improvements to your home’s curb appeal.

• If your budget allows, consider the position of your driveway.  Though a side drive allows for more yard space, a circular drive allows a more welcoming flow of traffic towards the front door as well as a symmetrical look.

• Get your front door in prime shape.  Splurge for a beautiful antique door or an intricately detailed new one.  If that’s not in your budget, than at least make sure your door has been refinished or painted and the hardware is in mint condition.  If you’re feeling bold, go for a bright, unexpected color!

• Keep shrubbery out front pruned and short enough to that it does not distract from the doorway.  Simple shrubbery surrounded by a tidy, weed free bed of colorful flowers or ground cover is perfect.

• Make sure that your street address is adequately highlighted.  Whether it is next to your front door or on your mail box, there is plenty of room to get creative.  Go traditional or artistic, just make them easily visible.

• Frame the door in plants.  A beautiful vine or wisteria growing around the door evokes images of a cottage  hidden in the woods.

• A potted plant with an interesting arrangement is the perfect complement to your newly refinished front door.  Use colors that serve as an accent to your home’s color scheme.  If you have a green front door, try a pot featuring reds and oranges; if you have a blue front door, go for yellows and pinks.

A few simple improvements can make a huge impact on the curb appeal of your home.  Your exterior will be a beautiful entryway into the inside beauty of your home.

For those spring nights when there is still a slight chill in the air, an outdoor fireplace can be a delightful way to use your outdoor space for entertaining and relaxing without freezing.  Whether you place it by your pool, on your porch, or on the patio, an outdoor fireplaces extends the season during which you can use your outdoor living spaces.

Below are some beautiful examples of stone and brick outdoor fireplaces.

With the autumn officially upon us, it’s time to turn to the outdoors for enjoying everything from a lazy Sunday afternoon with a book to a Friday evening dinner party.  We’ve collected some of our favorite outdoor rooms that all keep a rustic, earthy vibe in mind.  These rooms feature stone hearths, beautiful neutral color combinations with pops of color, and deep woods that will keep the rooms in constant use from the first nice day of spring through those first cold days of fall when you’re bundled up and gathered around the fireplace.

From: House Beautiful

A great geometric rug provides an interesting contrast against the organic look of wood and stone.

Photo: Southern Accents

A large chandelier is completely unexpected in an outdoor room.

Photo: Southern Accents

Photo: House Beautiful

Classic outdoor pieces like wicker chairs are made modern in dark, dark brown finishes, and ceiling fans both keep us cool on those hot July days and prevent insects from bugging us too much.  Wood beam ceilings are another rustic touch.