Great design meets the great outdoors. We’re creating amazing spaces, affordable ideas for
spectacular outdoor rooms.

Hi everybody, Angelo here and welcome to urban living. What do you do with a condo or
apartment space with a perfectly well contained balcony but it has absolutely no lounge or hang
out vibe? You transform it into a hip dining and hang out destination and here’s how I’m going
to do it. The apartment and deck have a sleek modern look. I’m playing off of that with a
contemporary focal point that centers the room. Next a simple rug defines the space and a table
and chairs with clean lines and stick around to see how bold colors and my surprise addition
round out this room.

Having a natural element even on a contemporary setting is key and this fountain is amazing.
It’s a focal point, it’s a piece of sculpture, art and at the same time you get this amazing soothing
water feature. The fountain’s contemporary shape fits well within our urban style. But where
does it fit in this room? I placed it smack dab in the center of the far railing because here, you
can see it from all locations and it’s framed by the city view. Adding an outdoor sizable rug
does so much for us. Great texture, great color, plus it’s weather resistant. Here’s the key, if
you are thinking about a rug for your outdoor living or dining area, go big. Seriously, big,
because if you go small like a postage stamp, it takes that patio and makes it feel really cramped
and tight but if you go big, it expands your space.

The existing dining table and chairs work well because of their simple design. They aren’t too
fussy or detailed but I need color and here, I go bold. Orange placemats, pillows, flowers, they
all accent this room and break up all the great steel and concrete. Orange is a color that you
cannot ignore. It’s bright, it’s modern and it’s just the look I’m going for. Finally, here’s my
cool surprise, a lounge area on the side of the room. In an urban setting, find ways to create an
oasis, a hang out area that enhances city living. A sleek steel bench with big orange pillows
offer additional seating and plants placed at different heights soften up the hard edges of the
deck. By layering the plantings, I mimic the look of the city skyline but with greenery to give a
sense of calm. A nondescript city balcony is turned into the perfect urban oasis.

Check this out, you have got an artful centerpiece in this water feature, a great urban garden
and pops of color. It’s city light, it’s urban but it doesn’t feel cold. From a bare balcony to a
dining and lounging destination, this is urban living at its finest.