Your Terrace, The Extra Summer Room

The terrace or backyard has a new dimension today, as an "extra" room in the summer. Even the smallest, dullest outdoor space can be transformed, becoming an extension of your home.

It's easy to create a colorful patio, and with imagination and ingenuity it doesn't have to cost much. The basic ingredients are a collection of plants and shrubs, and a fence if you need to screen off the area for privacy. Brick walls look best when painted white or pale pink; and if your fence is made of wood, leave it in its natural state, or simply paint with varnish. Remember also that too much white will create a blinding glare in the sunny months; especially when used in one large area.



Once the shell of the terrace is created, you can add garden furniture and other accessories as you can afford them. If your patio is small, don't clutter it up with too much furniture. Your basic needs are a few chairs, a table and a barbecue, if you intend to have cookouts.

An umbrella adds color and a "furnished" look, without taking up too much floor space, add a mobile cart or tea-cart for drinks, ice and glasses. If space is at a premium, find a cart that can be used indoors and simply wheel it out when you need it.

If you are not hindered either by lack of space or money, you can really give your patio a glamorous look. Garden furniture is more decorative and luxurious than it has ever been. All of it is lightweight, hard wearing and comfortable, particularly metal furniture which comes in rainbow colors, with comfortable cushions and back pads.

You can have anything from the utilitarian table and straight chairs, to a sofa, a chaise, or a lazy-back swing. A canopy and electric lights are other handsome additions to any patio or terrace. But if these are too costly, there are many other accessories now available.

For lighting at night you can use candles in heatproof glass containers, and the old fashioned spirit or oil lamp is romantic as well as practical. Many of the oriental novelty stores carry a line of large, multicolored paper umbrellas, which cost little. They add bright flashes of color to an outdoor setting, and are easy to handle and store away.

When it comes to cooking outdoors, there is a wide range of barbecues now on sale. They run the gamut of prices, from the do-it-yourself type which you assemble yourself, to the more elaborate electric spits. Any hardware store will supply you with price lists and recommend the kind of most practical for your purposes, and it's worthwhile investigating all types before buying.

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