Life Alfresco: The Indoor/Outdoor Guide

Indoor/outdoor living has become a way of life. With guidance from the experts, here’s how to spruce up your life alfresco.

Interior designer Ali Winkler names the Drezden collection from Jaipur Living among her favorite indoor/outdoor rugs. “The neutral palette across these rugs is incredibly versatile and inviting. They would add texture and layered warmth to any space.”

Open Door Policy

Outdoor spaces are the new frontier of entertaining. Update your decor with refreshed outdoor-friendly rugs, pillows, blankets, and tableware. It’s all in the details. “Maximizing outdoor space for entertaining guests in 2022 is a must! Making simple updates with outdoor rugs, pillows, throw blankets, tableware, and glassware can make a huge impact and reinvigorate the space,” says Ali Winkler of Brooklyn-based interior design firm Ali Reeve Design.

Add a much-needed dose of color to outdoor spaces with accessories and rugs, like the Polaris collection.

Color Theory

“Color is theme of 2022,” says Kaytee Knudson, founder and creative director of Salt Lake City’s Kaytee Design Co. “Let’s ditch the all-white and neutrals and express ourselves through color and patterns.”

See also: 5 Must-Know Outdoor Rug Facts

Set against a backdrop of neutral furnishings, a splash of bold thanks to colorful rugs and accessories makes a lasting impact. “I love keeping bigger items like sofas and chairs more neutral and adding color in with accessories,” adds Knudson. “That way you can easily change up the accessories every so often. This also allows the accessories to be the center of attention by adding more style and character to the space.”

In this Libertyville, Ill., sunroom, Julia Lewis layered Jaipur Living‘s Fresno and Monteclair collections. Photographed by Dustin Halleck

Smooth Translation

Blur the lines between indoors and out with rugs that marry durability and style. Performance rugs can hold up to high traffic, weather, sunlight, and wear and tear from kids and pets—without skimping on design.

“Indoor outdoor living has truly transformed. I believe that successful interior design creates a coherent transition between indoor and outdoor spaces,” says Julia Lewis, principal designer of Chicago firm Julia Lewis Interiors. “I love being able to offer my clients products for their indoor/outdoor spaces that can withstand vigorous weather, sunlight, and stains from kids and pets. Performance rugs allow for both indoor and outdoor luxury living without sacrificing comfort, style, and quality.”

See also: 4 Design Resolutions To Take On The New Year

The Fresno collection is flat-woven and features a fern frond motif plucked from nature.

Parting Wisdom

“Want to double your sunroom as a yoga studio or workout space? Add an outdoor rug and pillows with bold prints to transform the space,” Lewis recommends.

Knudson, meanwhile, puts her unique spin on the indoor/outdoor directive: “Outdoor materials flowing through to the inside. For instance, a stone kitchen backsplash that continues outside—green walls!”