Guest Blogger Kate Arends of Wit & Delight: Outdoor Deck Design
PORCELANOSA has partnered with Kate Arends, creator of the lifestyle site Wit & Delight to bring readers a blog series dedicated to interior design and home décor ideas, bringing you everything you need to know to live a life well designed.
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If you haven’t already turned your dream of days lounging by the beach or pool with cocktail in hand into a reality, now would be the time to do so. The summer season is just about half over, which means it’s time to bask in the sunshine and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts. Warm days are a luxury here in Minnesota; they are few and far between!
During the colder months, I dream of these last days of summer, spent most often at the lake, relaxing in a cabin, soaking up as much of the season as I can. It could be my cabin-by-the-lake days that drew me to PORCELANOSA’s ParKer collection. The wood of this collection evokes summer mornings spent on the cabin porch sipping coffee, listening to the birds chirp around the lake, and feeling the warm breeze roll in.
I love that this collection features tile that looks and feels like real wood; all the benefits of a wood deck sans splinters. I can appreciate a rustic vibe, but what I like about this tile is that it feels sophisticated, appropriate for both rustic cabin and penthouse patio. With the tile you can create an outdoor living space; blurring the line between indoors and outdoors. I haven’t taken the plunge quite yet, but on my list of coveted items is an outdoor sofa. I can imagine long, lazy afternoons outside reading a book and sipping iced tea. The first image, which shows the Hampton Grey tile above currently has my wheels turning.
When looking for products to incorporate in my own home, I look at quality and how much time needs to be devoted to care. Another great benefit to the wood tile? It is so much more low maintenance than wood as far as upkeep and cleaning. Once a design has been established and the tiles installed, you get to sit back and relax. No re-staining or concerns about rotting or mold.
The Ston-Ker collection also shows a variety of tiles that keep a “cabin” feeling all year long while at home. Use it on the floor, or to create a “wood” wall in your home. I love how the bathroom image above, which uses the Estocolmo Natural tile, incorporates different sizes and textures of wood tile from floor to ceiling. Both the tile and the modern furnishings ground the room and avoid having it come across as a gimmick.
If you’re interested in giving your home a wood feel, make sure that you check out some of Porcelanosa’s samples so that you can see, feel and compare the tiles before you figure out what you want. Here’s to hoping you are enjoying your summer to the fullest and relaxing on a breezy beach or pool deck. Cocktails are optional, but encouraged.
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Kate Arends wears many hats: blogger, product developer, branding consultant, designer. In 2009, she founded Wit & Delight, a lifestyle blog that has garnered a tight-knit following with an edited yet approachable point of view on decor, fashion, and entertaining. The website has since broadened its focus to include mental health and wellness topics. In 2014, she introduced a limited-edition line of products with Target Corporation. Kate is a proud resident of St. Paul, where she resides with her husband, Joe Peters, and their sweet English Labrador, Winnie.