I love this magical time of year when it’s not too muggy, the mosquitos are still sleeping and the sun lingers into the early evening. Let’s make the most of it! We’ll help you get started by sharing an outdoor project of ours for inspiration as well as a simple, delicious sangria recipe!

The April issue of Washingtonian Magazine features an outdoor project where we turned a clients’ new deck into the perfect space for al fresco entertaining.

After completing an extensive landscaping project and building a large new deck, our clients wanted to create an outdoor living space. They were looking for a bright, happy setting to enjoy with friends and family, dine outdoors, and make the most of their wooded view.

We first started with a neutral palette inspired by the weathered gray of the deck. Shades of gray work well with contemporary furniture. We chose durable, weather-resistant materials such as wicker and manmade composite-stone for the table tops. To give the design a more collected/curated look, we chose furnishings from multiple manufacturers. Corral and teal accents and accessories were added to bring in a cheerful, warm weather vibe.

Designer tip: Add years to your outdoor furniture by purchasing heavy duty covers. (I recommend Covermates.) Use covers off-season and during the week when you don’t have time to play. Also, for this project we sourced a large outdoor storage container (not shown) to house pillows and covers when not in use.

All-weather furniture has come a long way in terms of style and comfort. We love the sophisticated lines of these outdoor dining chairs, plus they’re really comfortable for lingering after a casual meal.

Make the most of the outdoors while you can! There’s nothing like a little al fresco entertaining.

SANGRIA RECIPE

Sangria is my favorite warm weather, party drink. It's super refreshing, easy to make, and as an extra bonus, you get the tasty treat of eating the wine & brandy-soaked fruit at the bottom of the glass.

Here's a tasty sangria recipe we found on tastyeverafter.com. Enjoy!

Produce:

2-Apples (green apples for added color)
1-Lemon (thinly sliced)
1-Orange (thinly sliced)

Drinks:

1/2 cup Orange juice
1-liter Sparkling water (Sprite works well, too)

Wine & Liquor:

1/2 cup Brandy
1 bottle of moderately priced red wine

Makes 12 cups (that will go down way too quickly).

CELEBRATE THE OUTDOORS

SANGRIA RECIPE