Surviving Quarantine: My Backyard Lanai Oasis

Let's be honest, 2020 has been an unrelenting hell-scape of a year. Unable to see your friends and family? Stuck inside your own home with no end in sight? Political nightmares, wildfires...what even IS time anymore? We need our friends now more than ever - and as much as I love a good zoom hang - nothing beats quality time with loved ones in the fresh air. That's why, when I realized we would probably be spending upwards of a year apart, I decided to create a cozy outdoor environment where I could not only enjoy hanging out in nature with my friends, but I'd feel comfortable knowing I could respect all of our needs for safe distancing.

After I landscaped our yards in March, our unused carport suddenly became utilized as spiderweb-laden garden storage. Not anyone's fantasy. I knew I could turn it into something magical though, and without huge cost or renovations. The first issue I needed to prepare for was the rain in the spring months. Since our back yard is on a slope, I needed a way to lift everything off of the ground and allow water to pass underneath during a shower. The Ikea RUNNEN deck tiles do the trick, are super quick to install and cut easily to fit around posts and corners. The whole job took me 2-3 hours to complete with cutting.

I wanted the space to have a really open and relaxed vibe - a little Golden Girls, a little bohemian lounge, a lot breezy spa where you want to curl up with a book, some music and a refreshing cocktail - so I chose plenty of textured natural materials, and a palette featuring warm tones, lots of green and bold pops of color. I picked this large jute rug to anchor the living space and a smaller more colorful woven rug (with a not too busy southwest print to play off of our desert landscaping) to accent. Both came from Wayfair. The other more traditional vinyl outdoor rug was picked up from friends during a move and is serving as our workout/yoga mat.

The sectional and rattan chairs (come on GG!) came from West Elm and the assortment of pillows came from CB2, Crate & Barrel, Jungalow and Target. The coffee table, which doubles as a large serving tray, is also from Target. I'm particularly happy with the couch and chairs - super comfortable and really easy to clean!

Now that we have comfy places to sit and a big empty white wall, another of my favorite quarantine purchases comes into play: The Anker Nebula Capsule Max. It's a pint-sized projector, just slightly larger than a soda can, that throws crisp bright HD picture and runs on Android software with all of your favorite streaming apps.

After some digging, I found plans online for a 3D printable mount, commissioned my lovely brother in-law to print it for me (<3), and got this guy secured on a post for movie nights, or one of my favorites, to project walks through Tokyo on youtube. It may sound insane, but it really feels like I'm taking a stroll through one of my favorite cities in my own backyard. Check out Rambalac on Youtube. He posts hour long walks with no music, commentary or commercial interruptions all around Tokyo and surrounding areas.

Stay tuned as this space evolves - plants! curtains! power! lighting! hot tub??? - and stay safe out there. <3

#lanai #exteriordesign #cozy #outdoorliving #projector