How to Achieve Beautiful Outdoor Living Spaces

Beautiful outdoor living spaces can serve as a personal sanctuary, encouraging you to connect with the natural beauty that surrounds you. When designing and decorating a space, the goal is to create a part of your home you will never want to leave. 

Below is a list of tips as to how you can enjoy the comforts of a well-designed home and the wonderful scenery enveloping your home at The Cliffs. 

1. Match Decor with Outdoor Elements

When decorating your outdoor living spaces, be sure to draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape. Doing so allows for a seamless flow between spaces, resulting in a gorgeous design that seems authentic and natural to your home. Feel free to add some personal touches as a nod to other geographical influences, but be sure they don’t overpower the space and clash with the landscape. 

Choose a color palette and use patterns that reflect what you will find right outside your door. Lakefront homes should tie in elements of the water and the area’s local flora and fauna. Homes on Lake Keowee complement a neutral color palette with muted blues and greens here and there. Whereas mountain homes may use colors that read more rustic, such as burnt oranges, coppers, pine greens, and even dark blues that match the layered peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

2. Bring the Outdoors In, and the Indoors Out

The idea is simple; cozy up your outdoor spaces by adding decor pieces that are normally associated with being used indoors. Think plush rugs, soft accent throws, porcelain lamps on side tables, and mirrors hung against walls and fireplaces. Combining indoor and outdoor decor ensures an elevated outdoor living experience that feels luxurious and comfortable. This styling method works especially well in covered outdoor spaces, like screened porches.

3. Incorporate Water and Fire Elements

Create a memorable outdoor space by incorporating a water and fire element somewhere into the design. You can be as literal or abstract with this as you prefer. 

For a fire element, consider building a fire pit, fireplace or even a pizza oven to elevate your space. A water element may consist of a simple fountain; the delicately trickling sounds of the water make for a soothing outdoor experience. 

4. Florals and Greenery

While the nature around your home lends to the florals and greenery aspect, be sure to add plants to your outdoor living spaces to adorn the space for a finishing touch. Add plants that lend to the overall aesthetic and blend well with the native vegetation. Look for pots in various colors and shades that match with your decor, such as ceramic, clay, and glass. 

Potted lavender can add a sense of calm and tranquility to any outdoor living space. You may also choose a variety of other beautiful herbs like rosemary or mint that also add to the overall design aesthetic. Then, the next time you are cooking or making a cocktail, cut a snip of your favorite herbs for homegrown flavor. 

5. Focus on the Seating Areas

Plush seating mixed throughout will add a level of comfort you will be thankful for on those nice days where you want to be outside. By creating several seating areas you can accommodate different guests and get more usage out of them yourself. 

6. Al Fresco Dining

From early spring to late summer, enjoy your meals by dining al fresco in your outdoor living spaces. A large round table under the stars encourages conversation and is perfect for spending the summer entertaining out in the open. Place a small cafe table on your patio for a quiet spot to enjoy your morning coffee before you get ready for the day. 

7. Mood Lighting

Outdoor lighting can add to the ambiance and provide a charming feel anywhere. String lights and candle lanterns will turn your space into a heavenly escape you can enjoy in the evenings. If you are hosting, it makes for simple decor that looks timeless. 

8. Outdoor Gourmet Cooking

A wood-firing pizza oven is one of the best features you can have built into your outdoor living area. Not only does it allow you to make delicious pizza on whim, it also provides a rustic decor element. Next time you are planning for company, fire up the oven, let its warmth illuminate the night, and let your guests concoct their own pizza creations. 

You can also have an outdoor gourmet kitchen added if you are a home chef with a love for cooking. A grill and stove top are all you need to whip up incredible dishes in the beauty of your outdoor living space. Walk mere steps to serve your guests and spend the rest of the evening chatting under the stars. 

9. Evening Libations

Finish the night with a nightcap mixed from your outdoor bar. With this feature, you have two options — consider a built-in wet bar or an elegant bar cart you can move if needed. Stock up on the essentials like tonics and waters, your favorite liquors, and a variety of mixers or fresh ingredients. 

When hosting, put out drink glasses, an ice bucket, and all the ingredients so your guests can make their favorite cocktails just the way they like!

Outdoor Living at The Cliffs

Residents are often attracted to our communities because of the abundance of beauty within our communities’ gates alone. Combine that with the upscale amenities, and you have an unrivaled living experience such as The Cliffs. 

All homes here are designed with the outdoors in mind, with a focus on letting the surrounding nature do most of the talking. If you are looking for such a home, we have it here at The Cliffs. Click the button below to explore available homes across all seven of our communities at The Cliffs.