Sometimes, the great outdoors is a sprawling green lawn and towering leafy trees. Sometimes, it’s a concrete slab of a balcony. Whatever you’re working with, all it takes is one summer cooped up indoors to never take having an easily accessible, open-air spot for granted again—and if you want to make the most of it, knowing how to style your outdoor space is the best place to start.
Vogue’s Guide to the Best Outdoor Decor:
Crate & Barrel x Jake Arnold The Townsend dining table
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Mango striped raffia placemats (set of 2)
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It helps to begin by zooming out. “Whether it’s a historic brownstone or a more modern home, we always recommend looking to the bones of the space for inspiration,” say Jordan Slocum and Barry Bordelon of Brooklyn-based design firm Brownstone Boys. A foundation of natural stone is an invitation to go rustic, with a smattering of aged planters and a wrought-iron bistro set. A brick exterior, on the other hand, could be your sign to lean into a sleek industrial look with low-profile seating and clean lines. Designer Grace Fuller takes a more macro view: she likes to spend at least one season in a space before making any big changes. “Think about how the colors relate to one another season after season—not just for spring or winter,” she explains.
Once you’ve mapped out the groundwork, it’s time to put together your shopping wish list. From al fresco entertaining essentials to elevated but practical furniture, here’s how designers recommend approaching your outdoor decor—and everything we recommend buying to style it out.
Photographed by François Halard, Vogue, November 2018
Mix and Match
Stone and fabric; metal and wood; rattan and terracotta—the best combinations are layered, eclectic, and a little unexpected. Start with a grouping of furniture at staggered heights (like a low bench placed next to a planter in a stand) and mix in a range of textures to achieve visual interest and depth; according to Jessica Nicastro, this is the secret to bringing dimension and warmth to any outdoor space. “It’s this interplay of materials that created a lived-in feel, giving even the smallest balcony or patio a rich quality,” she explains.
Rafe Churchill and Heide Hendricks, the principals of Hendricks Churchill (and authors of the upcoming design book Distinctly American) agree. Their preferred pairings? “An old teak dining table with metal Bertoia chairs; or, a lichen-aged, rustic Adirondack chair with an upholstered contemporary sofa.”
Photographed by Giulio Ghirardi, Architectural Digest, April 2024
Don’t Limit Yourself to Traditional Furnishings
There are no rules that state your outdoor furniture has to actually look like outdoor furniture. “Vintage-inspired designs that blur the line between indoor and outdoor living help create a more curated, intentional feel, adding personality to the space,” explains Nicastro. If the idea of lugging a set of chairs inside and out every time you decide to host doesn’t appeal to you, the workaround is opting for pieces that can withstand the elements. For instance, a Swedish-inspired sturdy teak dining table, or a martini stand that looks like travertine but is actually made from concrete.