Spring in Flagstaff is Here

Happy Spring! The winds are howling, the temps are hovering in the 50s and the last thing anyone wants to do is go outside. However, I’ve been stuck inside for so long I’m willing to brave the 60 MPH winds and get back to life in the yard.
While writing this blog, I thought it might be fun to kick off the outdoor entertaining season. There is no place I’d rather entertain guests than in my backyard in the summer. The beautiful flowers, the green grass and all the trees seem to form the perfect outdoor room and I only have to add a few perks at the beginning of the summer and it’s ready at a moment’s notice.
Here I am talking about summer entertaining and it’s only April. In Flagstaff, we’ve had over 140 inches of snow and my backyard isn’t up to snuff, and so April is the month I spend getting it all put back together. I stepped out on the back deck this morning and began the making a list of what I need to do to get everything ready for May.
First up…. The decks need to be power washed and if needed stained. Now my lower deck will be fine with a good scrub, but my upper deck needs to be stained. It’s been a hard winter and last year’s stain didn’t hold up as well as I’d have liked. Once the decks are cleaned and polished, I can start pulling out the furniture. I always like to take hot soapy water and a sponge and wipe down all the tables and chairs – that way if a guest shows up and wants to sit down, a family of spider webs along the bottom of your chairs won’t be a worry. I also do a good scrub to the fabric cushions. They should all be outdoor fabrics and they can handle and usually need to be cleaned.
Once your deck and furniture is cleaned – it’s time to decorate! I like to start with lighting. I’ve done everything from tiki torches to outside twinkle lights to paper lanterns to candles. Try and look at your yard as a room and throw in some up lighting by the trees, hang lights from the tree branches and then treat your actual entertaining spaces as a living room. I’ve added overhead lighting, candlelight and mood lighting where appropriate. If you’ve got outdoor outlets plug in a lamp or two.
Now that the furniture and lighting is dialed in, it’s time for the accessories. I’m a huge fan of fabric. I’ve taken something as simple as a canvas drop cloth, painted it and then used it as swags on my upper deck, then gone in the opposite direction and swaged fabric from my pergola. The effect is dramatic and also defining. When people step outside, I like to set it up as an outdoor living space – I’ve got a dining space, a conversational area and then off the master bedroom, I usually place a chaise, complete with eyelet pillows and a throw for warmth. I like to move my indoor plants outside for the muted sunlight and suddenly the upper deck goes from blah to a warm and inviting place, ready for my girlfriends to come over for an afternoon of wine and relaxation.
Get your backyard in shape and then you can entertain at the drop of a dime. Always keep a nice bottle of wine on hand a few entertaining staples and if Mother’s day finds the celebration at your house, you can smile and welcome the celebration.