Decorate adventurously outdoors with a punch of color

Outdoor spaces offer the chance to be more adventurous than we are inclined to be indoors.

“Vibrant color has dominated the home furnishings arena since last fall, and after an unusually cold winter, the time’s ripe for bright color to become a focus for our outdoor spaces. Color is a great energizer,” says Jackie Hirchhault, marketing vice president for the American Home Furnishings Alliance, based in High Point, N.C.

Aimee Beatty, in-house stylist at Pier 1, suggests adding a colorful bench to the patio to coordinate with a more traditional or neutral dining set. “One new piece is a simple, budget-friendly way to make a big impact,” she said.

“Brightly colored furniture is also a quick way to punch up a small space,” she said. A bistro table and chairs in playful hues sets the stage, and you don’t need much more than a few additional pieces to create an inviting space, even if it’s a tiny terrace.

Pier 1’s Paris-inspired Neely Bistro Set comes in red or peacock blue rust-resistant cast aluminum. Frontgate’s powder-coated aluminum side and bar chairs in fresh colors like aqua and melon come in whimsical designs like curlicues and floral motifs.

The Rock Point acacia wood bench comes in red, marine blue or dandelion yellow, and has the added benefit of being foldable for off-season storage. Synthetic rattan chairs are weather-resistant and come in an array of clean, crisp brights like ocean, purple, orange and yellow. (www.pier1.com)

A patio umbrella is a quick and inexpensive style-changer. Start the party by setting up Hayneedle’s shaggy acrylic Palapa umbrella, a 6-foot-wide hula skirt on a pole with thatched strips of acrylic in lime, whiskey, raspberry pink or lemon yellow. (www.hayneedle.com)

Walmart’s got a well-priced basic market umbrella that comes in a fresh sunny orange, deep green or canary yellow. (www.walmart.com)

Consider adding a few glowing orbs to the garden, pool, pathway or anywhere you’d fancy ambient light. A remote control lets you run through a variety of colors or switch to just white. They’ll last eight hours on one battery charge. (www.frontgate.com)

Outdoor polypropylene rugs add color and give outdoor spaces a more finished, roomlike look. Horchow’s Geometric Twist collection puts a crisp white graphic on a tangerine, lime or navy background for preppy punch, while Dash &Albert’s indoor/outdoor rugs feature East Asian graphic motifs, chevrons and sailing stripes. (www.horchow.com)