Perched on the patio

The coordinated design approach applied to interiors has moved outside.

By David Bradley * The Associated Press

Picture this: You settle into your most comfortable chair after a long day, and as you chat with family or friends while sipping a cool beverage, listening to soothing tunes and smelling the aroma of freshly cooked food filling the air.

Could this be a fancy den? Or an upscale family room with adjoining kitchen?

How about your patio?

Patios are in. Forget cheesy tubular, flimsy nylon strap furniture and hibachis on a concrete slab. Today's patio serves as a de facto outdoor family room and entertainment center where homeowners under time constraints and stress from work can unwind amid tiered decks, fountains, music and mood lighting, fine furniture and fully equipped kitchens.

"Everyone is talking about these new outdoor rooms," says Marybeth Cornwell, vice president for Lowes Home Improvement Warehouse. "That's how hot patio living is. Consumers tell us they want a place where they can turn off the cell phones and pagers and relax," says Cornwell. "And they want the same comforts found inside their home."

Patios continue a cocooning trend among homeowners who view $500 solid aluminum cast furniture sets as a good alternative to $3,000 vacations.

Today's patio is no longer a "hodgepodge of items thrown together," says Cornwell. The same coordinated design approach applied to interiors has simply moved outside.

It starts with furniture, including a new line by Coleman. Solid cast aluminum tables and chairs are the norm but are joined by sofas, oversized chairs and ottomans in conversational arrangements. Of course, no stylish design would be without matching UV-resistant fabrics on fluffy cushions and coordinated side elements including torches and occasional tables.

Seven-to-10-year furniture warranties are common in furniture ensembles from $399 to more than $1,000.

And no patio is complete without refrigerators and coolers, fountains for tranquility, chimenea heaters for cool nights, a first-class sound system and accent lighting.

Even the old standby grill has seen a facelift. Stainless models with upward of 50,000 BTU heat outputs are favored by outdoor chefs. Warmers for sauces and side dishes are standard fare.

"Theres no doubt furniture is an investment," says Cornwell, "but we see people ready to make the most of their outdoor dollars. The outdoors is where they want to be." She says retailers have stepped up consumer information efforts to help buyers understand good-better-best options in outdoor furniture, appliances, and fabrics.

And in a new twist, patios have become the latest selling point for home buyers. "A $500 furniture set makes a patio look great, it adds curb appeal and buyers respond to that," says Cornwell. "People think a home is their largest investment, and buyers no longer see the patio as just that place out there. They want to live outdoors, too."