It’s springtime — the perfect time of year to open the windows and patio doors and let the island breeze refresh your home. Many of the island homes Lagnappe Custom Interiors designs have outdoor living spaces so homeowners can enjoy the beautiful landscape all year ‘round. We always stock these spaces with beautiful and functional indoor-outdoor pieces — furniture, finishes and décor that can withstand outside conditions like rain and sun. We also look for items that are easy to live with, clean well and require little maintenance because we’d rather spend the weekend at the beach than refinishing patio furniture! Many of these originated in the yachting world but are just as common on land. In our work, the indoor living room and the outdoor living room should be equally lovely and comfortable!
Life on a Caribbean island means we are accustomed to enjoying our time outside and staging our spaces to support an indoor-outdoor lifestyle compared to those in more land-locked locations. If your permanent home is in an urban area, you can still take advantage of the outdoor spaces you do have. There are many ways to bring the outside in or properly furnish your outdoor areas with materials that can withstand the elements. Take a skim through the list below for some of our favorite indoor-outdoor items that can be seen across yacht and island designs.
8 Home Pieces and Materials Great Indoors and Out
- Rugs – Indoor-outdoor rugs are a great design choice because they’re made of synthetic fibers that hold their shape and color particularly well. It’s so easy to clean the sandy footprints off these rugs! Lagnappe will often purchase the same synthetic rug in different sizes and use one inside and one outside to flow the design past a home’s four walls.
- Melamine — Melamine is a nitrogen-rich compound that is virtually unbreakable, making it an incredibly durable product. We love using melamine dishware and glasses in our designs, especially for outdoor kitchens where plates and serveware may be stored outside. No more worrying about broken glass by the pool.
- Wood — No matter the style of home or its location, wood is one of the most-used materials in interior design. On yachts, you’ll see floors, cabinetry and furniture made of solid woods like mahogany and teak. Lagnappe always ensures any woods we use outdoors are high quality and of a species that will either weather in an attractive way (think old teak steamer chairs that gray over time) or is finished in a way that will hold up to the elements.
- Stainless steel — Stainless steel is a timeless metal finish choice. We love this rust and corrosion resistant metal and use it on appliances indoors and out.
- Antiqued brass — Antiqued brass is another favorite metal. Inside, we like to use it for accents and fixtures. Outside, we’ll select tables and chairs, or stools made from this warm, corrosion-resistant metal. It’s important to remember that solid brass is a “living” finish and will patina over time. If you don’t like the patina, simply polish the brass and it’ll look new again.
- Solution-dyed acrylics — Acrylic fabrics are a chic and long-lasting choice whether used on indoor or outdoor sofas and loungers. Sunbrella is one of our favorite brands because of its bright colors and nautical style. The material can withstand heat and moisture, and resists fading in the sun. Best of all, it’s easy to clean and mildew resistant. We regularly make pop-over covers for pool and yacht cushions in these materials.
- Natural stone — One way we create a seamless design is carrying through natural stones from the inside to the outdoors. We may use the same countertops for both the indoor and outdoor kitchens or may construct an outdoor fire pit using the same stone on the indoor fireplace surround.
- Synthetic woven rattan — This fiber has grown in popularity in recent years and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Rattan is a regular texture used in Lagnappe designs, including on patio furniture, accents and wall art. The new synthetics are long lasting and attractive enough to use inside and out.
