Inside out

For years, interior designers schooled their clients about the importance of bringing the outdoors in. But for the past decade or so, the new instructions are to move the indoors out, furnishing patios, decks and balconies as comfortably and artfully as interior spaces. — Janet Bennett Kelly

5 Seconds

00:00

Room & Board’s eco-friendly fireplace constructed from brushed stainless steel, features a thick glass surround, making it feasible (and safe) to bring an open flame to any space. The ventless fireplace uses bioethanol, a renewable fuel that burns efficiently, keeping you warm without smoke or ashes. Mini T outdoor fireplace, $1,395 at Room & Board, 1840 14th St. NW. 202-729-8300. www.roomandboard.com.

Courtesy of Room & Board /

Pops of color in saturated hues such as tangerine and yellow are popular for garden accessories this year, says says Crate & Barrel spokeswoman Vicki Lang. Take this lemon-colored table in an unexpected-for-the-outdoors baroque design. $675 at www.horchow.com. “Items that can live outside or in, such as wall art, rugs, pillows, upholstered furniture and accessories, are extremely popular,” Lang says.

Courtesy of Matthew Savins

Frances Brayshaw, owner of Pear Tree Cottage in Vienna, says hanging a mirror on an ivy-covered wall creates texture and depth in the garden and adds a dressy element to the mix. This hand-painted, distressed-finish mirror with tole metal flowers serves that purpose admirably. Keep in a covered area. Outdoor Spanish floral mirror, $495 at www.horchow.com.

Courtesy of Matthew Savins

With all the graciousness of inside, Frontgate’s solar lamp with six LED bulbs provides up to six hours of soft light on a full charge; AC adapter recharges bulbs on a sunless day. The Sunbrella fabric shade is impervious to inclement weather. Wisteria Outdoor solar table lamp, $249 at www.frontgate.com.

Courtesy of Frontgate

It’s easy to get hooked on these polypropylene rugs from Dash & Albert. Scrubbable, bleachable and UV-treated for outdoor use, they just need to be hosed off to clean. Three-by-five-foot Lakehouse navy and white rug, $88; marina stripe and diamond sprout runners, $115. Red Barn Mercantile, 113 S. Columbus St., Alexandria, 703-838-0355, www.redbarnmercantile.com; and Pear Tree Cottage, 130 Maple Ave. E., Vienna, 703-938-1331.

Deb Lindsey / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

Mia Worrell of Timothy Paul Bedding + Home says gray is the hot new neutral and works well with yellow this time of year, as seen here in a set of pillows from Trina Turk’s indoor/outdoor fabric collection. 14-by-18-inch pillows, $155 each; 12-by-16- inch, $150. Timothy Paul Bedding + Home, 1529A 14th St. NW, 202-234-2020. www.timothypaulbedding.com.

Deb Lindsey / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

Nowadays, outdoor tables are often set with formal diningware, as in Brayshaw’s back yard. Once the weather warms, she moves an antique wooden dining table out to her garden, unfazed that it chips and grows mossy. “I like the patina it develops from being out in the elements.” She appoints the table with vintage silver and decorative ceramic plates, and creates mood lighting with candles and lanterns.

Nikki Kahn / THE WASHINGTON POST

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 18: Jockey Gary Stevens rides Oxbow out to the front of the pack on the first straight away during the 138th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Oxbow wins and infield fun at Preakness Stakes in Baltimore

Oxbow put D. Wayne Lukas in the record books again with an upset of Orb in the Preakness, giving the Hall of Fame trainer his 14th win in a Triple...

New York Yankees' Travis Hafner bats during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, May 12, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MLB power rankings

Barry Svrluga assesses the best teams in Major League Baseball through Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Many seminary graduates are choosing not to become pastors. Rebecca J. Cole received her Master of Divinity and is becoming a community organizer on Capitol Hill. She hugs another graduate after the ceremony. The 2013 Commencement ceremony for Wesley Theological Seminary was held on May 13 at the Washington National Cathedral. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Eager to minister, but not from the pulpit

An increasing number of divinity students who don’t plan to become pastors envision using their degrees to “minister” in a...

epa03704474 A Muslim woman at the ThetKalPyin temporary relief camp near Sittwe in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar, 17 May 2013. A total of 13 people were confirmed dead in neighboring Bangladesh as people began to return home from shelters, a day after Cyclone Mahasen hit the coast, officials said 17 May. EPA/NYEIN CHAN NAING

Photos of the day

Cyclone Mahasen, Texas tornadoes, puffin census, melting Swiss glacier and more.

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 16: American Idol Season 12 Winner Candice Glover (C) is seen onstage during Fox's 'American Idol 2013' Finale Results Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 16, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Candice Glover wins 12th season of ‘American Idol’

The 23-year-old vocal powerhouse from St. Helena Island, S.C., tops competition in her third try.

US actress Claire Julien smiles on May 16, 2013 while posing during a photocall for the film 'The Bling Ring' at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Claire Julien, David Hasselhoff, Freida Pinto, Candice Glover, Martin Short and more.

**LOC IMAGE** Geo. Hamilton, Assistant Superintendent, Cambria Iron Mills house, Johnstown Flood, May 31st, 1889. (Photo by Ernest Walter Histed / Library of Congress)

The Johnstown Flood of 1889

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam that held Lake Conemaugh failed, and 20 million tons of water descended upon Johnstown, Pa. The flood claimed the lives of 2,209 people and spurred...

HACIPASA, TURKEY - MAY 5: Syrian refugee Hala ponders her life on the run on Sunday, May 5, 2013, in Hacipasa, Turkey. Three times this morning, the sounds of aircrafts were followed by explosions that shook the ground. Hacipasa, which sits just across the river border from Syria, is home of several hundred Syrian refugees who have been displaced by their home country's conflict. For a year, Hala and her family have been displaced from their home village in Syria because of violent conflict. After bouncing from village to village, fleeing bombings that seemed to follow them, the family crossed into Turkey six weeks ago. Initially, the family was deported back into Syria, where they lived in camps for internally displaced Syrians. But when the camps were bombed, the family was allowed to cross into Turkey. Hala said, 'The blood of the people who died in Syria, the martyrs, is our sad song, but nobody is listening.' (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Turkey faces a refugee crisis

More than 400,000 Syrians have crossed into Turkey seeking refuge from the conflict at home. Finding its resources stretched, Turkey is urgently appealing for international aid and...

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.