The ability to enjoy the outdoors all year long is one of the main reasons homebuyers want to put down roots in California. Warm, dry summers and mild winters mean you can enjoy your backyard all day, every day. California rooms expand life beyond the home, inviting residents to dine, lounge, and gather just steps from the great room or dining area. It’s connected, seamless, and home.

Melrose at Boulevard offers a contemporary collection of single-family detached homes for people who want to love where they live. The floor plans have been designed to maximize every inch of the home, including the outdoor space. The optional California rooms perfectly blend outdoor serenity with indoor comforts and are the perfect place to entertain or simply relax and enjoy the pleasant weather.

Unlike a standard backyard patio slab, California rooms usually have a ceiling that ties the covered space to the house creating a true extension of your living area offering shelter from the sun and the occasional rain that comes through. This protection also means you aren’t limited to outdoor furniture but can choose décor and pieces to match the interior of your home.

You’ve taken the time to design the perfect home interior, now it’s time to tackle your outdoor space. Follow along for our tips on how to style a California room.

1. Get a lay of the land

As tempting as it is to jump in and start shopping for furniture and décor for your outdoor space, it’s important to take a minute to assess not only the size of your California room, but how you want it to function. It may not be realistic to fit both a dining table and lounge area so consider what would best fit your lifestyle. If you’d rather sit back with a glass of wine instead of cook and serve up an outdoor dinner, you may be better off with a lounge area.

Be sure to measure your California room. Pinterest may have you drooling over sprawling sectionals and lounge chairs, but your space may not accommodate large furniture. Find pieces that are appropriately sized for the area and allow for flow. Your guests won’t feel welcomed outdoors if they have to squeeze between bulky furniture pieces to get there.

2. Choose a theme and color scheme

There’s an endless variety of design choices you can make for your California room, so how do you know what will look best? Luckily, there’s no wrong answer – whatever you will enjoy the most is right choice. Some homeowners prefer to feel like they’re stepping into their own backyard vacation and others prefer the space to perfectly match the interior to be a true extension of the indoors.

For a more cohesive look, choose two or three colors to be prominent. If you want to feel like you’re on a getaway to Greece, try a bright blue, crisp white, and pops of silver or gold. If you’re looking for island vibes, use turquoise, coral, and yellow to bring in some vibrancy. Black and white is a classic combination suitable to almost any style. Whatever feeling you’re trying to create, take some time to review colors and make choices that will best reflect your chosen style.

3. Ground the space with a rug

Whether you create a dining space or conversation area (or both!), a rug is a great way to ground and define each zone. They mimic the coziness you find inside and quickly warm up your outdoor space.

Not only are outdoors rugs durable, but they’re an easy way to bring in your favorite colors. Added bonus? Patterned rugs work well to hide dirt and dust. When you’re ready for a refresh, simply changing out your outdoor rug is an easy way to create a whole new ambiance in your California room.

4. Let there be light!

California rooms are meant to be used all year round so you don’t want the party to end when the sun goes down. Lighting is not only functional, but a great way to choose what ambiance you want your space to have. Go big with a dramatic statement fixture over your dining table or weave in some classic string lights.

Make it romantic or moody with candles. Double down and plan for uninvited guests like mosquitos by using citronella candles to keep them away and place your candles in hurricane lanterns so they stay lit even if it becomes breezy. Keep it visually interesting by adding lanterns in a variety of heights throughout the space.

5. Accessorize smartly

Much like the interior of your home, you need to bring in décor elements to your California room to give it personality and not feel sparse. Throw pillows in the same color palette but in various patterns add a punch of personality. A durable throw blanket draped across your outdoor couch brings in an element of coziness and gives you something to wrap up in when the temperature starts to cool.

You’re already outdoors, but bringing in natural elements and greenery always finishes off a space. A succulent bowl is a great topper for your dining table. Monstera and palms can add tall greenery while a peace lily or some smaller succulents can be interwoven in the small pockets of your outdoor space.