How to decorate a terrace in summer? 20+ ideas for creating a stunning outdoor space!

An outdoor room, but room nonetheless, the terrace (or the balcony) quickly becomes a focal point of our house as soon as the summer season arrives. Furnished and decorated with taste, it allows you to enjoy it better. In addition, it can quickly turn into a lounge area, an outdoor dining room, or even a summer kitchen. However, it is an outdoor space that is very often overlooked by minimal layout and decor without real thought. However, this is one of the most serious mistakes when you want to embellish it. How to cure it? Here are 20+ ideas and as many tips for designing and decorating a summer terrace!

Ideas to decorate your terrace in summer and (finally) enjoy a stunning outdoor corner.

The beautiful days are finally here, and with them, the desire to create a beautiful and perfect outdoor space for you to escape all summer. Mini or maxi, the terrace lends itself to many decorative interpretations. To give you a hand with the transformation of this full-fledged piece, Deavita.fr gives you a little update on everything you need to know on the subject! Zen terrace, luxury terrace, bohemian-style terrace, inexpensive terrace, limited terrace… to your notebooks!

How to arrange and decorate a terrace in summer?

As a general rule, the layout and decoration of a terrace depend heavily on its size. In other words, the larger it is, the more possibilities of transforming it into a full-fledged room multiply. The keywords? Comfort and decoration! Being an extension of the interior, the XL terrace can easily be transformed into a living room or a dining area where you can have lunch, get away from it all, or simply enjoy an aperitif with friends. For this purpose, we arrange and decorate it with care, we delimit the different areas (living room, kitchen, dining room) by choosing chic and practical furniture, and we opt for a style that resembles us. Zen, pop, bohemian, hippie chic, Scandinavian, industrial… the options are endless!

As for the XS terrace, it is a real air bubble. The ideal opportunity to treat yourself to a moment of pleasure while nesting in a cozy and charming corner. Its limited surface requires a little ingenuity to be as pretty and practical as its big sister. Fortunately, the Web is full of ideas and tips to optimize and make the most of these few precious square meters. The golden rule! However, one avoids cluttering it up so that it can move around easily. To enlarge it, we delimit its areas by different floor coverings or color effects. On the ground, we focus on raw and noble materials such as wood, concrete, and stone—ditto for the furniture (wooden bench, concrete base table, rattan armchair, etc.). For the green touch, the ideal is to opt for artificial grass. A few resistant plants are also a good option to consider.

Once the zones are in place, all that remains is to furnish and decorate the space. For limited terraces, we prefer space-saving and modular furniture, we put on the height by adopting a suspended chair, and we use the railing to install a bench or a mini table base. As for large spaces, we can opt for furniture using the codes of living room furniture, but with the appropriate coating. The great classics of interior design are now available in a version suitable for the exterior. The ideal opportunity to erase the boundaries between outdoor and indoor! Fancy a bohemian, zen, or perhaps bohemian chic summer terrace? We play on the accessories! Accumulated cushions, outdoor carpet, living room in pallets, light garland… there is no shortage of ideas for decorating a spectacular terrace.

Finally, we do not neglect the right lighting. An essential element for enjoying your terrace at night is also essential for creating a chic and cozy atmosphere. But which outdoor lighting idea to choose? String lights for a “garden party ” style atmosphere, pendant lights for a magical atmosphere, or a designer table lamp to brighten up a romantic dinner. The portable lamps and the wall lights are also very suitable to illuminate and take care of the decoration of the terrace.

Good decorating ideas

To decorate a terrace in summer as it should be, comfort and conviviality are key words! So no more plastic furniture that hurts your back. Make way for the designer and ergonomic furniture. The solar protection and the insulation of the neighborhood are not to be neglected either. Wooden screens, shade sails, deported parasol, canisse, fencing, or climbing plants … there are many ideas for staying sheltered from UV rays and curious neighbors. For a friendly and cozy terrace, opt for several indirect lighting sources: garlands, lamps, wall lights, etc. Candles and lanterns are also great for lighting up your outdoor space at night.

There is nothing like a living room in black and gray for a sober and chic terrace, accessorized by cushions, blankets, and a carpet with ethnic motifs. To avoid bringing them inside every night, choose them water-repellent. For your information, vinyl rugs are more and more popular with lovers of modern decor. They represent a stylish way to punctuate contemporary terraces and balconies. In addition, they are perfect for visually delimiting the areas of your outdoor space, not to mention that some owners use them to hide imperfections on the floor.

Nesting base tables, currently very popular, are another good way to bring dynamism to your terrace or balcony. Their greatest asset? Once the sunny days are over, they easily find their place inside. Is designer furniture not your thing? Do you prefer DIY and recycled furniture? So opt for wooden pallets stacked and covered with mattresses and matching floor cushions. Modular and light, they are easy to move according to the sun and your desires. To make them more decorative, there are practical covers that transform them into stylish furniture.

Outdoor summer terrace decoration: mistakes to avoid

After having tackled the good decor and layout ideas, it’s time to shed light on the most common mistakes made by patio owners. Often seduced by the desire to do well, you embark on complex work without knowing your outdoor space. While we arrange and decorate the interior with care, we ignore the look of its terrace or balcony. We start to arrange the left corner without worrying about what will happen to the right for lack of time or money. Without deep thought, some owners or tenants opt for installing a pergola or a shelter and forget to consult the condominium and the legislation of their city.

Convinced of having more space than we had imagined, we often tend to invest in too large furniture. Once installed on the terrace, it becomes difficult to move there. The same goes for plants that are a little too large that can embellish and overload the space. In this context, choosing unsuitable greenery, such as invasive or chilly plants, is also to be avoided. With a terrace already more or less crowded, it isn’t easy to decide on the colors and decorative objects. Another idea that is not always very welcome? Choose furniture and patio coverings according to their aesthetic desires and their appearance. Before opting for a wooden floor, you must realize the orientation of the terrace. The choice of suitable and weatherproof materials is a must!

Thanks to color, the summer terrace gets a new lease of life!

Mix design furniture and DIY furniture

Install lounge chairs or a bohemian hammock

Multiply the cushions and opt for a rug

Marine style pallet lounge

Do not neglect small decorative objects.

How to decorate a summer terrace with a swimming pool?

Produce an indoor living room outside

Paint your fence in beige or white

I prefer sobriety and think of cement tiles on the floor

Multiple lighting sources

Give pride of place to greenery.

Make way for designer lighting.

Succumb to woven furniture

Swap chairs for rough wooden stools

Focus on the total woody look