FAIRGROUNDS ANTIQUES

A favorite haunt for dealers and retail shoppers for more than 40 years, Fairgrounds Antiques is a group shop with more than 60 dealers. We’re never the same twice, so make it your destination. It’s worth the trip!

Highway

Sarah Sim

Not only can well-designed outdoor spaces extend the overall square footage of your home, giving you and your family more living and entertaining space during the summer months, but they can also be sanctuaries that align with your lifestyle and your authentic inner self and serve your overall well-being.

Whether you have a small patio or an expansive backyard, as you begin to think about transforming the outdoors of your house, I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions:

• How will you use your outdoor space the most? (Focus on that!)

• What is the purpose of each nook and corner of your lawn, patio, sitting area etc?

• How do you want to feel? How would you like your visitors to feel?

The following ideas can help you create your intentional outdoor oasis.

FOCUS ON LANDSCAPING: If you have a lot of land and the budget allows, getting professional landscaping services would be a great start. Consider at least one wildflower meadow. They add charm and beauty and attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

If you live in a town, evergreen bushes or shrubs block out noise and add privacy. Adding latticework or fencing is wonderful for extending your patio space and making it feel like a little escape, especially paired with trailing vines.

If you are hoping to invite more serenity, consider adding a “zen garden” ... envision beautiful decorative grasses, meandering walkways, a pond with colorful water lilies; add a meditation space with either a small bench or yoga mat, a place where you can start your morning or come back to during the day to ground yourself and re-center.

Consider a fountain; the water sound can help you feel more peaceful and calm. The gentle rocking motion of a hammock can have a relaxing effect on you as well. Large crystals will add a magical touch.

BUILD A FOCAL POINT: Since the outdoors is naturally open, give your garden some structure. A permanent partial shelter such as a gazebo or arch is an excellent way of achieving that. Use outdoor rugs to define a specific area, like the outdoor living room or kids’ play area.

A permanent fire pit is the perfect centerpiece for any garden and gives you a wonderful place to roast s’mores

Shingle Slate

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and invite friends over. Consider a gas fire pit on your patio or deck that will turn into a coffee table during the day.

If you’re hoping to extend your outdoor spaces into colder months, consider an outdoor fireplace or heat lamp.

BRING

The Indoors

OUT: To create a cohesive design that flows and connects your outdoors with the inside of your house, pull specific design elements or items from inside your home that can be supported within the outdoor space: the type of furniture, specific patterns, an indoor-outdoor fabric, specific colors, or materials.

For example, use the countertop material (or color) from your kitchen as your patio flooring. Alternatively, use the same wood species and color of your cabinets indoors as the flooring of your wooden deck.

Spruce up your entrance doorway, especially if your outdoor space is limited: Scatter lovely planters around your steps, bring your indoor plants out for the season, and focus on symmetry, which, in Feng Shui, helps to invite more balance into your home and life. As always, colors make all the difference and tie things together.

Create a color palette that will flow with your indoors and also support your vision of how you want to feel. Consider a bold, colorful pair of wicker chairs. Think about adding an accent wall or painting your doors. If you’d rather introduce accents through pops of color, the options are endless: ceramic stools, throw pillows, flowers, planters, lanterns or artwork.

Create lots of ambient lighting: First, go with warmer temperature light bulbs and ideally, every light fixture should be dimmable. Solar string lights are a great environmentally friendly option that is easy to DIY. Outdoor sconces, or torches, help the space feel more cozy and laid back. If you want to increase that vibe even more, consider candles. Moroccan or Asian-inspired lanterns will add a boho element to the space and are perfect for nighttime gatherings with friends.

If the main goal for your outdoor space is entertainment, consider an outdoor kitchen, which has been increasing in popularity and makes it much more comfortable to cook a big meal in the heat of August. If budget allows, build an outdoor pizza oven ... who does not enjoy pizza fresh out of the (brick) oven?! Even if you have a small balcony to work with, add that grill and an herb garden that allows you to pick fresh herbs while cooking.

If dining al fresco is your thing, spend time creating a second dining room outside that allows you to comfortably sit outside all night and enjoy your company or simply watch the stars.

The FIRST Wednesday every month

July 5 | Aug. 2 | Sept. 6 | 1-3pm

Family Resource Center at HCS

312 Marlboro Street, Keene

The THIRD Wednesday every month

July 19 | Aug. 16 | Sept. 20 | 1-3pm

HCS Charlestown, 33 Arborway