Pure Style Outdoors

A guide by a former editor of House and Garden offers suggestions for making the most of any outdoor space, from city balcony to country garden, with ideas for living and dining outside and a comprehensive directory of resources.

Using principles outlined in her previous book on interior home design, Pure Style, Jane Cumberbatch now moves the party outside to the patio and garden, a space that is often underutilized in today's over-air-conditioned, remote-controlled world. Her concepts are simple: lots of supersaturated color, interesting textures, plenty of plants, comfortable sturdy furniture, and tough fabrics make the porch and yard a fun place to be. Heck, why not eat out there too? Cumberbatch suggests morning espresso, lunch alfresco, afternoon tea, and casual birthday parties. It's not earth-shatteringly original, but Cumberbatch has a true flair for the simple and attractive, and the pictures are lovely. It would be nice to see someone sitting in those pretty, sunny chairs eating the summery food, but perhaps their very emptiness makes them seem that much more available. --Barrie Trinkle