17 Brilliant Outdoor Decorating Ideas That'll Make You Never Want to Go Inside

There's a reason the best you've ever been to was probably outside. Open air makes people loosen up, stay longer, and perhaps pour another glass. But while we've all gotten pretty good at decorating our interiors, outdoor spaces can sometimes get the leftovers—some mismatched chairs pulled out from the garage, an that's seen better days, or maybe a string of lights if we’re feeling ambitious. But it doesn't have to be that way. The same instincts that make a feel great—layered textiles, unexpected color, a mix of old and new—work just as well (if not better) when there's nothing but sky overhead.

We dug through our archives and pulled the outdoor decorating ideas we'll be thinking about all season.

Layer Linens

photographerfrank frances, agencyart department, digital techolivia demetros, studio db, stylistmieke ten have

Frank Frances Studio

At a , design firm Studio DB draped striped tablecloths in contrasting blues and teals with an effortless abandon. They paired the linens with rush-seated chairs and wrought-iron trelliswork. The whole scene looks magical against the stunning lake views.

Swap the Standard Umbrella

Lounge chairs with umbrellas by a swimming pool.

Martin Morrell

At designed by Linda Boronkay, a pair of fringed Balinese-style parasols from East London turns a row of simple loungers into a scene worthy of a boutique hotel.

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Add a Sculptural Accent

Terrace with a potted tree and seating area, surrounded by white walls.

Miguel Flores-Vianna

On the sun-bleached terrace of a ceramic animal head by artist Babis Goumas peeks out from behind an oversized clay pot. The detail injects playful personality into an otherwise pared-back scene.

Treat Outdoor Seating Like Indoor Furniture

Billal Taright

At a , designer Todd Hellmuth dressed custom-modified iron settees from Recuperando in crisp white cushions. He arranged the scene against the stone façade as deliberately as any living room.

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Build Seating Around Nature

Photograph of a breezy, plant filled courtyard.

Photograph by Simon Upton

In the entry courtyard of this a custom circular bench wraps around a lush specimen tree. The piece turns what could be a simple pass-through into a destination (and gives the beautiful tree the throne it deserves).

Set Up a Full Bar Outside—Even in Winter

An outdoor bar area situated in a snowy environment, adjacent to a wooden structure.

Douglas Friedman

At a plaid-clad outdoor bar stocked with a 1950s Italian bar and vintage stools proves that alfresco entertaining isn't just for summer. The Ralph Lauren fabric-covered doors swing open to reveal a fully outfitted cocktail setup surrounded by snowdrifts.

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Make Room for a Plunge Pool

Kelly Marshall

On the roof deck of ELLE Decor A-List designer a sleek circular plunge pool proves you don't need a sprawling backyard to take a dip.

Match Your Cushions to the Landscape

Haris Kenjar

On a terrace at , ELLE DECOR design firm dressed custom iron sofas with a latticed weave in a tonal range of sage and olive fabrics from Old World Weavers, Holly Hunt, and Pindler. The team added blush check pillows for contrast. When the greenery is this good, lean into it.

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Plant a Cottage Garden That Does the Decorating for You

the exterior of a cedar shingled two story cottage with window boxes with red flowers, a red screen door, and brick steps, a white picket fence with roses surrounds tall orange flowers, yellow day lilies, pink foxglove

Stephen Kent Johnson

At , landscape designer Samuel Spiegel packed the front garden with foxgloves, red hot pokers, and climbing roses in a riot of color that makes the shingled cottage feel twice as charming. Paired with overflowing window boxes and a white picket fence, it's all the curb appeal you need.

Layer Pillows Like You Mean It

Cozy outdoor seating area with decorative elements

Christopher Stark

Designer Holly Kopman turned a simple into a Moroccan-inspired retreat. Shed dressed a heaping daybed with textiles sourced on a trip to Peru and scattered oversized floor cushions below. Pierced-metal lanterns from Tazi Designs and a hand-painted half-wall by Caroline Lizarraga complete the mood.

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Flank Your Door with Statement Planters

a building with chairs and tables outside

Pernille Loof

Designer Antony Todd painted a dreamy pink and let a pair of lush hydrangea standards in oversized barrel planters do the rest.

Create a Garden Vignette

Douglas Friedman

At by Lake | Flato, a ceramic kamado grill shares a sleek console with a potted prickly pear and terracotta vessels. They’re framed by climbing vines and a sculptural agave. The lesson: even a barbecue corner deserves a little styling.

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Mix Eras on the Loggia

a loggia with arched brick windows, worn terra cotta floor with chairs and tables, rattan sofa, chairs, and cocktail table, a round table with cloth with curved back metal chairs, hanging metal candleholder, view of hills

Francesco Dolfo

At , a 1930s metal bistro set, 1970s rattan seating, and a circa-1700 iron chandelier share one covered terrace without conflict.

Coordinate Your Furniture with Your Flowers

a red chair in front of a house with a tree in the back

Bjorn Wallander

A lacquered red wicker bench echoes the cascading bougainvillea beside it perfectly at . Against bamboo fencing and a simple reed-covered overhang, the monochromatic punch lands hard.

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Embrace the Beauty of Weathered Wood

two men and their two children sit on striped sofas on a patio outside a brick home, rustic wood cocktail and end tables, stone patio, shrubs and a tree, glass paned doors lead inside a room with a lit lamp

Noe DeWitt

ELLE Decor A-Lister Alfredo Paredes keeps the patio of deliberately unfussy. His silvered teak furniture features striped cushions and sits on irregular flagstone, letting the home's stunning brickwork and steel-framed windows be the star.

Anchor Your Patio with an Outdoor Fireplace

Ryann Ford

At by Paul Lamb Architects, a built-in plaster fireplace with a neatly stacked woodpile turns a covered patio into a year-round living room.

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Let Colorful Chairs Do All the Work

Alanna Hale

At a , a set of chartreuse slatted chairs from Petite Friture instantly electrifies an otherwise neutral weathered-wood table from RH.

Social Media & News Editor

Julia Cancilla is the social media & news editor at ELLE Decor, where she oversees the brand's socials and covers design, pop culture, and emerging trends. She also authors the monthly ELLE Decoroscope column. Her work has appeared in Inked magazine, House Beautiful, Marie Claire, and more.

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