Home decorating seems to be a whole lot easier when it is done indoors rather than outdoors. After having several failed outdoor decorating projects due to rain, heat and sun exposure, I put my thinking cap on and tried to come up with a viable solution for my deck. Last year, I purchased a terra cotta firepit that had a wire-like screened cover to use for small outdoor cooking activities. Fortunately, there was a nice selection of decorative firepits at my local hardware store. I used the firepit several times to roast marshmallows, and then I just left it sitting in the grass. The firepit wasn't very eye-appealing in this location, and it began to weather and show some rust stains from the soggy grass.

I love the firepit, but it didn't serve much of a purpose during the warmer months. In addition, it was not very attractive just sitting off to the side of the yard. The process for setting up the pit for outdoor use was rather time consuming, so it wasn't worth the effort to light the firepit just for outdoor decorating and asthetic purposes. The clean-up was tedious and usually took about 30 minutes because I had to wait for the ashes to cool, and dispose of them. In addition, I had to clean all of the soot out of the firepit. This did not make for simple or elegant outdoor decorating. Thankfully, I came up with a wonderful plan for outdoor living to enhance the beauty of my porch.

1. The firepit could actually be used as a decorative piece for my patio / deck area. I placed the firepit at an angle in the corner of the porch, so I could decorate with adjacent flower pots and summer garden accents. Since the firepit is made out of terra cotta, it blended right in...very pretty. I left the screened cover on because it gave a completed look to the outdoor decoration. I also added a stone bench and a small cafe style table and chairs in the other corners of the patio. The firepit could also be placed off to the side of a patio table or wicker furniture. The new layout was perfect for outdoor decorating.

2. The firepit could be decorated with candles, rather than a wood-burning fire, during the warmer months. Due to the fact that I will not be making smores on hot summer days, I decided to place candles on the inside of the firepit to help with the outdoor decorating. Can I tell you...I have received so many compliments! I purchased aromatic candles at my local dollar store and placed them on the firepit rack. It made sense to purchase candles that come in a small glass container, so if the wax melted slightly from the heat, it would not get on the firepit. When I lit the candles, it gave off a similar lighting as a true fire. However, much less heat was produced , and there was no messy cleanup. My husband commented on how wonderful the patio smelled, and the atmosphere was truly amazing.

I hope this idea for outdoor decorating will help you create a romantic patio or deck for your living space.