Outdoor Living... Italian Style

Being cooped up for the winter is tough. As I said, I love connecting with the outside... it keeps me sane. We try to spend time outside everyday but when I can't, daydreaming will have to do...

Ahhh, the family trip to Italy last June. It warms me up just thinking about the expansive vistas filled with terracotta roofs, the piazzas basked in sunlight, and those yummy cappuccinos! I can't begin to describe how breath taking an experience it was. But this photo might give you a hint...



What I love most about Italy is the outdoor living. Yes, who wouldn't want to lie in this idyllic pool surrounded by beautiful architectural history. But the time spent outdoors is more subtle than that. It's sitting in the piazza people watching, or strolling down the narrow streets with shop doors wide open, or the quick espresso at the outdoor cafe.


The line between inside and outside is blurred. I would love to ditch my insect screens, swing open my windows, and people watch from the privacy of my own home. This lady and many others get to do it every day.



So I got to thinking how could I make our outdoor living a little better? Getting rid of the mosquitoes in our pit of a backyard would be a start! But second would be incorporating lush, fragrant foliage into our outdoor spaces. I do not have a green thumb but this wall of jasmine inspired me to investigate what might grow well in our area. It's on my spring to do list.



This photo can't capture how amazing this jasmine was in reality. Unbelievably fragrant and so lush... you'd swear it was fake. We had a lot of opportunities to enjoy it, as we sat out on the covered terrace for every meal.



Some day I'd love to put a terrace like this one on my dream house... even though the view will never compare.



Popular Posts