“I believe outdoor living is all the rage for one reason — it is the only place you can seamlessly live with nature.”

By Laura Jackson
Photos courtesy of Hamilton Park Interiors

In our overscheduled, demanding daily lives, fi ding any extra time to relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of the great outdoors, especially right outside our own home’s doors, is precious. “I believe outdoor living is all the rage for one reason — it is the only place you can seamlessly live with nature,” explains Shayne Hemsley, President of Hamilton Park Interiors. Leading a design company that focuses on creating spaces that impact relationships and build memories with family and friends, he explains how creating your ideal outdoor area begins with a few basic considerations.

“Authenticity is not only highly regarded in our relationships, but also in our living spaces as they become authentic with nature and the outdoors.”

153Keep It Clean
The clean lines of contemporary style in outdoor furniture continue to grow in popularity for 2016. “Th e trend is clean, however it must connect, ” said Hemsley. Today’s use of a great variety of metals, woods, stone and metallic finishes are inspiring many looks that feature outdoor rooms as a beautiful extension of interior living and furniture styles. Outdoor rugs, tables and accessories can oft en draw the entire design together.

Keeping it clean can also mean finding the best low maintenance materials available, so your leisure time is spent truly relaxing, not maintaining. Designed to survive the elements in style, some of the top quality outdoor brands featured at Hamilton Park include Brown Jordan, Summer Classics, Homecrest, Tommy Bahama, and Janus et Cie.

Keep It Real
According to Hemsley, “Authenticity is not only highly regarded in our relationships, but also in our living spaces as they become authentic with nature and the outdoors.” It’s important to understand how you spend your time outdoors to determine what you need most. Are you looking to create an intimate space for two lounging under starlit nights, host large meals and parties for your friends and family, or a little of both?

The flexibility of conversational seating is a trend that continues to expand. Also popular is modular furniture that can adapt its arrangement as a group size grows or reduces. Th is year you can also find swivel and motion chairs popular in many outdoor furniture lines.

Keep It Comfortable
Matching your needs to modern style is always a key consideration, but if you’re not actually comfortable sitting in your outdoor seats, it’s unlikely you’ll spend much time there. So take a seat in a showroom and test out some of the latest cushions and fabrics available today. Consider such factors as seat heights, armrest comfort and the slant of a chair’s back. You’ll be amazed at the variety of options.

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