Summer is quickly approaching and, of course, it’s the quintessential season to spend some time outdoors with your favorite people. If you’d like to stray away from your go-to patio dining spots, you might want to consider a picnic. Picnics don’t have to be just gingham and grass — they can have plenty of their own personality and character. In case you haven’t heard, picnic planners on TikTok are focused on taking picnics to the next level.
I talked to two luxury TikTok picnic planners, Jocelyn Chin of Picnic and Chill and Val Villamizar of High End Picnics New York, to learn what they think you need for your picnic this summer. Here are their top tips for a tip-top alfresco spread.
Deciding where to have your picnic is key. Choosing a park, a beach, or a locale where there is people-watching may give you something extra to talk about as you toast with friends or family.
Chin says, “Our favorite type of picnic would definitely have to be somewhere with great views. This elevates your picnic experience because the view definitely sets the tone for the picnic.” Though some clients, she adds, opt for “a picnic spot that is more meaningful.” Although the vista is important, Chin says most importantly, the picnic is about the people.
Use pillows to accentuate the space.
By simply adding a few decorative pillows, a boring picnic set-up suddenly has ambiance. Pillows are aesthetic and functional — you can use them to lie down or rest comfortably.
“Pillows can really set your picnic apart,” Villamizar asserts. You can also try to plan your picnic around different themes. The bohemian theme is currently trending and Villamizar says the color white is the anchor for that kind of look.
Add a coffee-style table.
Using a small folding coffee-style table shows you’re taking your picnic seriously. The table makes it easier for people to enjoy their food and also is a change from just a picnic blanket, Vlilamizar explains.
If you don’t want to invest in a picnic table, you can also use a mini folding table so that noshing on your favorite cheese and crackers doesn’t get messy.
A floral bouquet can instantly bring your picnic setup from ordinary to classy — all the most eye-catching picnic photos have flowers on display.
If live flowers aren’t in your budget, you can also try adding fake plants. Villamizar likes to shop at places like Home Depot and Amazon for “luxury” picnic goods that won’t break the bank.
Get a custom picnic basket.
It seems unnatural to have a picnic without a basket. Chin loves the Picnic and Chill basket that doubles as a charcuterie board for its function and chic look. If a cute photo op is partially motivating your picnic, having a basket in the scene is a must.
Think about small details.
Villamizar says at a picnic, “You want to do something different from what you would do at your home or would do yourself.” She recommends ordering gold silverware for a cutlery option, as well as adding a table runner. And of course, you can’t forget the napkin holders. “You can use different colors,” she says, and try to match it with your pillows and bouquet.
A fun way to capture your picnic moments is to give each of your guests a chance to take a picture with a Polaroid camera. You can have a tangible keepsake of your picnic instead of scrolling past the photo on your phone. Of course, if you don’t want divorce yourself from your digital life, Chin recommends bringing a bluetooth remote selfie stand to get everyone in the picture.
Rudri Bhatt Patel is a former attorney turned writer and editor. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Saveur, Business Insider, Civil Eats and elsewhere. She lives in Phoenix with her family.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Summer’s definitely here, but it’s never too late to start sprucing up your backyard, deck, patio, or even a tiny terrace with outdoor furniture, textiles, lights, and special entertaining touches. Outside decor trends don’t shift quite as quickly as interior ones do, but that doesn’t mean changes aren’t afoot at all in the outdoor market. You can do plenty of things to make your space feel fresh for 2022, and with just a few key tips, hanging out solo or hosting a group can be so much easier and more enjoyable.
Here, we’ve stolen inspiration from some of our favorite house tours and asked a couple of experts for their outdoor decor ideas, too. Pick one or more, and get ready to kick back and relax in your own outdoor oasis all season long.
Set a stylish but sturdy foundation with furnishings in strategic colorways and fabrics.
The bulk of the upholstered outdoor furniture is white, cream, or tan, which can be beautiful but isn’t always the most practical option. Some companies are starting to offer darker colors and more technical fabrics, though, both of which can keep your pieces looking fresher longer and with less maintenance. “Extending the comforts and design of your home into the outdoors has been an ongoing trend and led us to create modern outdoor pieces and lean into non-traditional upholstery colors such as black,” said Sebastian Brauer, senior vice president for product design, development and metaverse at Crate & Barrel.
“Our urban-style outdoor Dune collection was designed to resist the elements, like heat and moisture, and create an outdoor gathering space that is cool, comfortable, and welcoming.” The biggest upside of darker upholstery? It’ll camouflage dirt better in between deep cleans while delivering a bit of stylish edge to your outdoor setup.
Bring some of your favorite indoor decor pieces outside.
“We’re leaning into a happy profile in our outdoor spaces,” says designer Breegan Jane, who recently made over her outdoor space in partnership with Marshalls and T.J. Maxx. “I’m seeing the indoors coming outside, which is opposite of what you usually think of — it’s usually bringing the outdoors in, but this year we’re really wanting our outdoors to be an extension of the indoors.”
Think strategically with your indoor touches. Why not mount a mirror on an exterior wall to make a smaller patio feel palatial, as Jane has done in her space above, or add a piece of art for a touch of personality? Don’t forget textiles, either: Roll out an indoor-outdoor area rug to define your space, and invest in all-weather pillows and a throw or two as well. Hang gauzy outdoor curtains for another pop of color and pattern. All of these pieces will add texture and dimension to the space.
Mix fake plants with real ones.
It may sound counterintuitive, but Jane says you can make watering a little easier on yourself with some realistic-looking but faux container plant babies — even outdoors. This is a great strategy on a small patio or tiny terrace, where space is at a premium, and you might not get great light throughout the day. Stores like Marshalls and T.J. Maxx have styles in an assortment of sizes and fun pots, including planters on legs and stands, which can help you create levels. Don’t forget hanging planters, too, to work your vertical space. Group fakes with your real plants that have the same sun and watering requirements. This trick makes them blend in better and can fool your company.
Bold paint can jazz up your outdoor spaces, too. Choose an exterior formula that will stand up to the elements, and consider using it on a trellis, planters, a patio floor, retaining walls, fences, or even exterior trim. If you love the painted mural or arch trend, you can also bring these ideas outside, too, just as homeowner Liz Klafeta did on her Chicago rooftop with these bold, bright graffiti murals.
Set up a serving station in your space.
Have a freestanding bar area, as seen in the house tour of Kate Richards of Drinking with Chickens here, or a fancy outdoor kitchen? Lucky you! That said, you don’t need either to build out a convenient entertaining spot. Instead, try repurposing a potting table as a serving station. Fill the basin with ice to use it as a cooler for drinks, and set out apps on the tabletop. Be sure to stock up on glasses, straws, and drink koozies for this spot, too. You can also do this with an outdoor bar cart or a tray table, like the one Jane used above, if you’re extra short on space.
If you have room for it, consider a water feature.
A water feature might consist of a little tabletop fountain for soothing background noise for a small space, or an outdoor bathtub or shower for a larger one. Couple Franz and Patsy Knapp designed and built out both in the backyard of their Australian home.
For something with extra character, look for vintage pieces at a salvage yard or ReStore. If you have a garden hose and get a shower kit, an outdoor shower is doable without plumbing! You can also try turning a stock tank into a small above-ground pool.
Warm up your space with lots of lighting.
The key to keeping the outdoor parties going all night long is layered lighting from multiple sources. Your mind might go to hard-wired barn lights and gas powered in-ground fire pits, but smaller-scale budget solutions are all you really need. Hang bistro lights between trees, and bring in candles or oversized lanterns for a warm glow. Just keep lantern designs minimal (glass and a metal frame, for example) so they don’t take up lots of visual space.
For task or reading light, try a portable LED table lamp that you can power up with a USB cord. Jane likes to work smarter — not harder — with solar lights that use the sun to charge up during the day; you can see them hanging in her space above, right over the sofa. She also suggests smaller, freestanding fire pits for extra ambiance, too.
Danielle Blundell is AT’s Home Director and covers decorating and design. She loves homes, heels, the history of art, and hockey—but not necessarily always in that order.
Cornhole, a game that’s been around for centuries, is a popular pastime for tailgate entertainment or backyard fun. You just need a cornhole board and some bags — and a free afternoon with family or friends!
As the story goes, Matthias Kuepermann found a group of boys throwing stones into groundhog holes for fun. Worried for their safety, he crafted the cornhole board, replacing groundhog holes with wooden boxes with round holes and stones with bags filled with dried corn.
Because of its simplicity, the game hasn’t evolved much. These days, the corn-filled bags are sometimes replaced with plastic and resin beads. But some die-hard cornhole enthusiasts insist on using real corn kernels.
Players in the United States even compete at state and national levels. And now, there are efforts to make the cornhole game an Olympic sport.
You can build a cornhole board for your backyard. The process is simple, but it might require a few specialty tools if you don’t already have them on hand!
Whether you’re passing time in the backyard or competing for bragging rights, the cornhole game is a fun activity for all ages.
Use a carpenter square to get accurate angles for your cornhole game’s leg pieces.
Cut the Cornhole Board’s Wood Pieces
Using a carpenter or speed square, mark 25 degrees and cut along that angle. Then mark a straight line 12-and-1/4 inches from the angle’s long side. Repeat this three more times to create your boards’ legs.
For the frames, you’ll need four straight cuts at 21 inches and four straight cuts at 48 inches.
The 45-degree cuts on the leg pieces will make them easier to fold
Now back to your leg pieces. You need to cut them on the square side to make them easier to fold and unfold. Mark 1 inch in from each side and 1 inch down on each side. Connect those marks with a straight edge to draw a 45-degree angle on each corner. Cut the two triangles on each leg.
Lay your cornhole game frame on a waist-high table for easy drilling.
Assemble the Frame
To mark the hole for the legs to attach to your frame, measure 1 and 3/4 inches from one side and 1 and 3/4 inches from the short end. Drill all the way through with a 3/8-inch drill bit. Then set aside.
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue will keep your frame in place and add some waterproofing to your cornhole game.
To lay out your frames, lay two 48-inch pieces parallel to one another and set the 21-inch pieces at the ends, between them. Apply a bead of wood glue rated for exterior use, like Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue, and attach the pieces together with 3-inch screws.
Apply more wood glue around the top of your new frame, and set the 2-by-4 sheet of plywood in place. Attach it with 1-and-1/2-inch screws through the plywood into the frame below.
To create the hole for the bean bags, mark 9 inches from one end, then measure and mark the center of the board near that 9-inch mark.
Using a 6-inch hole saw, cut a hole with your mark at the center. A hole saw this large can be a little tricky, so take your time!
Flip the board over to attach the legs.
Folding legs will save storage space.
Attach the Legs
On the end of your board with the hole, set your legs in either corner with the longer part of the angle on top. Clamp the leg half an inch from the end and use the existing hole in the leg to drill a 3/8-inch hole through the frame. Then sand the ends of the legs to round the cut angles.
Next, slide a carriage bolt through the hole from the outside, then one washer, a wood leg, another washer and finally the nut. Hand tighten.
Repeat as necessary until both of your cornhole boards are assembled!
Stain your cornhole game for a finished look or customize it by painting it with your team colors.
Start with 150- or 180-grit sandpaper. Once you’ve sanded all of the surfaces, step it up to a 220- or 300-grit sandpaper to create that smooth, slick surface that’s synonymous with cornhole boards!
Staining: In long, even strokes rub your wood stain with the grain of the wood. Follow with a clean rag to wipe up the excess stain. Once it has dried for a few hours, start applying a clear topcoat, like spar varnish, that is safe for outdoor use.
Let the coat completely dry before sanding with 220-grit sandpaper, wiping clean and applying another clear coat. Repeat for a third time.
Painting: If you’re choosing to paint your boards, select an exterior semi-gloss paint and make sure your design covers all the wood on the top so the surface will be appropriately slick. Several coats might be required.
Once your topcoat or paint is dry, you’re ready to start keeping score!
To get your backyard ready for more summer fun, add some hanging string lights. Use planters or shepherd’s hooks to keep the good times going past sundown.
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Outdoor entertaining season is upon us, and I for one have been dreaming about a dinner party under the stars for the better part of a year. I’m talking a glowing-bistro-lights, family-style-eats, Nancy Meyers type of dinner party. The only problem? I will have absolutely zero places to seat my guests.
You see, durable (and stylish) outdoor dining sets are kind of hard to come by. I live in New York, so I need something that’s easy to store for the winter season or a design that can hold its own against the elements (or both, honestly). I’ve long been a fan of Outer’s attention to detail and quality, and when they launched their aluminum seating collection earlier this year, I thought to myself, “Hmm, if only that came as a dining table.” Well, here we are — I’m pretty sure they read my mind.
For those not in the know, Outer is an AAPI-founded brand that focuses on creating durable, sustainable, and design-forward pieces that elevate even the most average backyard space into something that’s truly resort-worthy. Many of their collections launch to rabid fanfare, often selling out within 48 hours, and I’m positive their latest (and first!) dining collection will be no different. The best part? It’s designed in collaboration with one of our favorite pros, designer Bobby Berk from “Queer Eye.”
Bobby worked with Outer to design a versatile dining collection that is just as beautiful as anything made for indoors, but the pieces are able to hold their own against rain, sun, and more, all with Outer’s signature stylish flair, of course. The collab is centered on two of the most durable materials out there — teak and aluminum — and boasts super-smart features that add to its durability and flexibility. Let’s dive into the details, shall we?
The collection touts two nearly identical teak and aluminum dining tables: one sized for six people and the other with hidden leaves that allows it to fit up to twelve dinners. The black metal framing is made from 100 percent recyclable powder-coated aluminum that is temperature controlled to deflect sunlight and stay cool under even the hottest conditions. The teak is sourced from FSC certified fields in Central Java, where three the company plants three trees for each one harvested. Each table comes with the brand’s waterproof OuterShell cover that spreads easily overtop and saves you from one of the most annoying aspects of outdoor dining: dirty elbows and hands from grody tables (thank you, Outer!).
And because what good is a table without chairs, Outer’s new director-style dining chairs are the perfect complement. Each one is made from teak and metal and covered with durable all-weather fabric that repels water, resists mildew, and stands up to the sun, heat, and rain without fading. You can buy the chairs as a duo or as a set of six alongside a dining table for a $750 discount (nice!). One thing’s for sure: You’re going to want to move fast on this stylish collection, because if Outer’s previous launches are any indication, this outdoor dining set won’t be in stock for long.
Apartment Therapy received compensation for this post, which was written and edited independently by our editorial team.
With the warm weather fast approaching, you’re probably on the hunt for all sorts of backyard goodies to transform whatever fresh air space you have into a veritable outdoor oasis. Whether you have a few acres or a few square balcony feet to decorate, the sentiment is still the same: The right outdoor gear can make all the difference in how you enjoy your space.
When it comes to choosing the right products for your outdoor zone, focus your attention on size-appropriate finds that will improve the function of your square footage — and look good doing it. You should also key into how you want the space to feel. Is a spa-like sanctuary complete with the sounds of flowing water on your wishlist? Shop for lounge furniture that is as comfortable as it is streamlined. Love to entertain? Deck out your deck with all manner of hosting necessities, from sun coverage to grilling gear.
To help get you going on the outdoor space of your dreams, we’re rounding up a few of our favorite products from Songmics, one of our go-to spots for decor and furniture that is functional, aesthetically pleasing, and doesn’t break the bank. In fact, all of these pieces are under $200. Plus, for a limited time, you can score 10 percent off sitewide by entering the code SPRING10 at checkout. So what are you waiting for? Summer won’t last forever.
