Cramped In Your House? Enjoy the Pleasures of an Outdoor Room

Cramped In Your House? Enjoy the Pleasures of an Outdoor RoomExpand your home, open your doors and bring the inside out with projects from Lowe's

MOORESVILLE, N.C., June 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Needing to escape the interior rooms of your home and spread out? Give quality time with the family a breath of fresh air by creating a special place for game nights and dinners with how-to guidance from Lowe's Creative Ideas.

    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080618/CLW040 )
    (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031205/LOWLOGO )

Keep Your Loved Ones Tight

Take any porch or patio and turn it into one of your family's favorite rooms. Let everyone get involved in the planning and decorating process by giving each person a task. For instance, let one family member choose the colors while another explores complementary furniture options.

The designers from Lowe's Creative Ideas suggest using a fresh, classic palette to complement your home's exterior color scheme. A neutral-toned floor lets the furniture and accessories you choose stand out. A red cedar-shade stain will glow warmly in the sun and maintain vibrancy in the evening. Light blue is a traditional color for a porch ceiling because it is reminiscent of the sky and helps keep pesky bugs away. (Fun fact: in the South Carolina Lowcountry, haint blue is said to keep evil spirits away.)

Make It Personal

Want a departure from the ordinary? Install a custom-built daybed hung securely from chains and hooks to create a cool place to lounge. For detailed instructions on how to build and hang the bed, visit LowesCreativeIdeas.com/Woodworkers . Create cozy conversation spots around the porch by situating cushioned all-weather wicker chairs and love seats along side swivel rockers and sling-style dining chairs to accommodate a variety of family activities planned for your new outdoor space.

To complete the look, choose accessories like plush pillows, an outdoor area rug, a coffee table and a weather-resistant outdoor fan to bring all the comforts of the home outside. Create more ambience by adding outdoor torches, colorful planters, bubbling fountains and an over-scaled outdoor clock.

Keep Safe on the Front End

Before you start the party, first take precautionary steps to keep everyone safe from falls. Install lights over all porches, walkways and handrails on both sides of stairs and fix broken steps and walkways as soon as you notice something wrong. Always keep a stocked first aid kit handy to make sure scrapes and bruises don't become serious injuries.

For other fun project ideas to do with your whole family, visit Lowes.com, LowesCreativeIdeas.com or your local Lowe's store.

About Lowe's

With fiscal year 2007 sales of $48.3 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE(R) 50 company that serves approximately 14 million customers a week at more than 1,550 home improvement stores in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com .

SOURCE Lowe's