1. Above - Light grey is a great colour for the exterior of a house. If you have other out buildings in view, keep the same colour palette.
Since my little art studio was finished, it has meant an entire shake up of my rather tired deck and "lawn-less" back garden. In fact, I now realise more than ever how the patio/deck and garden definitely need to be an extension of your indoor living. This means a great flow from indoors to outdoors, the style of outdoor furniture, landscaping and those all important finishing touches as seen in the patio and pool area of this Californian home.

Today's feature home has an overall plan, each section flows seamlessly into the next. The design is by Talianko Design Group. I love the colour chosen for the exterior of the house, it is very similar to my own home, maybe this was why I was initially drawn to it. I find soft, muted greys restful, especially if they have the slightest hint of green to them. I am not a fan of blue or mauve based greys but until you start looking for the right grey you don't realise how difficult it is to pick one for an exterior. If you live in NZ or Australia, Resene Foggy Grey is a wonderful soft grey with a slight hint of green and Half Friar grey, used at my beach house is another lovely grey that works well for exteriors, especially coastal locations.
2. Above: Shade is important for outdoor entertaining, I love the idea of a shade cloth draped over the pergola, however, remember that...