Jun 26

Jun 26 Summer Refresh with Serena & Lily

I think it’s safe to say we’re all using our outdoor living spaces more than normal these days. (Thanks quarantine.) From swimming in the pool (a classy store bought inflatable in our case) to lunches and dinners al fresco, having an outdoor area to lounge and eat has been an essential daily component to our summer sanity.

Fortunately, we had the opportunity to partner with Serena & Lily on a little summer home refresh, and I’m thrilled to share our completed courtyard living and dining spaces with you in this post!

A LITTLE BACKGROUND

As a brief history, our home’s new construction outdoor spaces are unique by Florida standards. We have a front porch (something I always dreamed of) as well as a courtyard. This courtyard serves the purpose of a backyard but is actually in the middle of our lot. It separates the main house from the three-car garage and at first, quite frankly, seemed like an awkward non-space.

We exclusively sat on the front porch and watched the kids play out front with the neighbors at first. But now, as the kids have gotten older and the world itself has changed (again, thanks quarantine), we’ve been using our courtyard more than ever.

THE EVOLUTION OF THIS OUTDOOR SPACE

Once we realized the potential of this space, I got to work conceptualizing two zones. A lounging/entertaining area, as well as a dining area. I wanted

We already had two outdoor sofas, a coffee table, an outdoor umbrella, and an outdoor rug (similar here) so I knew the next additions needed to be a dining table and chairs, as well as lighting for ambiance and functional side tables for drinks (priorities).

The question was, what look did we want?

Enter the gorgeous Pacifica Outdoor Pendant (in the largest size), the Terrace Round Dining Table, six Riviera Armchairs in white (not technically outdoor but they’re not fully exposed to the elements so I’m risking it), and two Cabrillo Side Tables.

These pieces easily worked with the pieces we already had, and made the transition from our indoor family room and kitchen zone to the outdoor lounging and eating zone seamless.