OUTDOOR
T H ESTA R P H O E N I X .CO M / B R I D G ES
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MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BACK YARD!
Your back yard is entertainment BY HILARY KLASSEN
In case you haven’t heard, the entertainment industry has relocated. Goodbye Hollywood –hello back yard! After long months of hibernation, we’re ready to take the party outdoors. With the boom of the outdoor living trend, we’ve witnessed many homeowners embrace designs that facilitate the seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living. Now we’re ready to take that transition to its natural next step: effortless entertaining, a big trend in 2017. “Families small and large demand well-designed landscapes with casual and warm gathering places for family and friends, to extend a nod to pure socialization,” says Neil Robinson, Co-Creative Director along with Delores Wionzek at Garden Architecture & Design (GAD) in Saskatoon. The duo has been inspiring people with luxurious options for interior and exterior spaces since 2004, from their central Riversdale location. “After long work days, meetings, and chauffeuring our kids, our back yards have
become our sacred meeting place to reconnect and relax,” Robinson says. Garden Architecture & Design sets the scene with beautiful softseating arrangements, fire tables, touches of greenery, accessories and subtle lighting, all of which allow us to sink comfortably into summer. This season’s top trends are inspired by the elements – earth, air, fire and water. The elements form the ideal background for eclectic selections, fun pieces to enliven outdoor spaces. “You can put together your outdoor room exactly how you see it, by mixing metals with wickers, concrete and outdoor graded porcelain, allowing your individual personality to shine through.” Colours holding sway this year reflect island life, with coastal colours and bright hues of the rain forest balanced by creams, whites and soft greys resulting in harmonious shades that reflect our lives. Cushions and toss pillows facilitate the blend of contemporary and traditional styles and the bohemian and global cultures of the earth,
This season’s top trends in outdoor furnishings are inspired by the elements: earth, air, fire and water. (PHOTO: GARDEN ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN)
with their patterns and prints. Fountains and other water features bring additional vibrancy to outdoor spaces. Robinson says poufs have become the ‘it’ accessory to enhance furnishings in the selected space, with their ability to double as tables, stools, and seating, bringing more into the circle. But the ultimate ambience comes from the element of fire. “Now that the groups have gathered, and the seat-
ing has been taken up, there is still no better way of extending the season than a warm inviting fire to add to the ambience of a welldesigned living space,” says Robinson. Styles are so vast, if you can imagine it, it has been created. From sleek concrete composites, traditional porcelains, or low coffee table-styled powder coated aluminums, to stunning hammered copper tops, firechat tables serve a dual-pur-
central
pose. They are functional tables for al fresco dining as well as sources of heat for extending beautiful evenings. In fact, outdoor spaces themselves serve a dual purpose. They provide that sacrosanct sense of escape and retreat, which preserves intimacy and privacy for one or two or the family circle, and they can be tweaked to enhance the larger gathering of souls inclined to be social, to laugh and linger. Privacy screens and seating components can be rearranged to either pull the circle in or expand it. A visit to Garden Architecture & Design is a sensory experience that will lead you into an exceptional assortment of curated furnishings for outdoor living. You’ll encounter outdoor courtyards and conservatories that create the sense of a European garden. And you’ll feel like you’re in a glossy magazine, with page after page unfolding with new discoveries. It’s why Robinson and Wionzek say the in-store shopping experience is essential. At GAD it’s the experience that draws you in,
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and makes you ponder how to create a similar experience for yourself. Most of us don’t have the design sense to know how to pull together an exceptional outdoor space. It’s not just about grabbing a few pieces of furniture. It’s about creating an inviting outdoor room that communicates peace and tranquility. It’s also about choosing lasting items that will stand the test of time. “More people are looking at outdoor living as an investment, an important priority that becomes a standard when choosing pieces to fit the needs of the family,” says Robinson. That standard is reflected in the quality, durability and attentive customer service on offer at GAD. “As spring approaches and consumers begin the search for all the right pieces, there is no better feeling than knowing we are right around the corner, and we are more than ready to serve you,” says Robinson. Visit the store at 315 Avenue A South for GAD’s design expertise and explore gardenarchitecture.ca at your leisure for more inspiration.