Summer 2013 Preview: Living in the Great Outdoors

Summer means spending as much time as possible outdoors, and that includes the time you spend in your home. Creating an outdoor room or living space has become one of the East End’s top design trends, and determining what outdoor furnishings and other accessories to work with has become as important a process as designing a bedroom, kitchen or living room.

Do you go with teak or cast iron? A Hatteras Hammock or an Adirondack chair…or both? Yes, it can be challenging to find the best products, but getting advice on how to arrange them to fit your needs and tastes can be equally daunting. We asked Dotti Simon, President of Retail Sales at Dodds & Eder—landscape design and outdoor furniture experts—for some advice on how to get the best experience while planning your outdoor living area, so you can then get the most out of enjoying it.

Since everyone has individual tastes and spaces to work with, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. “The best way to find out what makes sense for your home is to get one-on-one help,” Simon says. “When we have a client that comes in, we always ask them to define how they want to use their outdoor space.

“People don’t look at their outdoors like they used to,” Simon continues. “Years ago it was all about dining, but today people are looking to relax and really enjoy and entertain outside. We’re seeing people using their outdoor spaces as lounging and living-room type areas.”

If you want to make your outdoor space truly special this summer, Simon reveals that fire pits are hot, hot, hot. “Fire has become a big category. Outdoor fire pits and patio heaters are becoming very popular, so that people can extend the time they spend outdoors as much as possible.” Which, we all know, is what the season is all about.

Dodds & Eder, 11 Bridge Street, Sag Harbor, 631.725.1175, doddsandeder.com.