cityLIVING - The living is easy

The living is easy

MAY 2007 — VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5

Living outside in the summertime doesn’t have to mean pitching a tent in the middle of nowhere—these days it’s about spending time on a shaded deck or sunny patio at home.

Creating outdoor living spaces as soon as the mercury rises is popular with homeowners everywhere—a trend that, like perennials lovingly planted, is blossoming more and more each year. And this spring the Kamloops Art Gallery (KAG), along with a number of city-based home and garden retailers, is presenting an insight into the art of outdoor living. Architectural Spaces: The Home Tour May 5 is a chance to gaze unabashedly at the stunning interiors and striking exteriors of four outstanding Kamloops abodes.

“The focus is on the home being art,” explains Judy Basso, special events coordinator for KAG, about the exhibit which involves an eclectic mix of properties.

“It’s getting people to think of art in different ways. The architectural details of these homes were thought up in somebody’s mind and created—homes are definitely a prominent piece of art and people don’t usually think of houses as art.”

Each of the residences, located in Valleyview, Batchelor Heights, Westsyde and Tobiano, will receive backyard patio and deck makeovers, displaying popular plants, fashionable furniture and must-have accessories supplied by local businesses. Container gardening and water features will be high on the agenda.

They’re at the cutting-edge of patio living this season, and will adorn decks and patios for the one-day public display, says Janice Arden of Art Knapp Plantland, one of the companies involved in the event.

“Container gardening is becoming really popular,” confirms Arden. “This is a low-maintenance type of gardening. It’s good because you’re not hooking up sprinkler systems and water consumption is lower. Lots of people are building a deck off their dining room or kitchen area and growing container herb gardens so they can just walk out and cut fresh herbs.”

Deckscaping in all its forms will be a pivotal part of the exhibition Basso says, because the idea of building potted plants into a little garden in a small patio space is not only fun and beautiful, but also attainable for people living in apartments.

Architectural Spaces: The Home Tour, which Basso expects will become an annual occurrence, is an idea she feels appeals to people for whom busy schedules and hectic lives have made the home a focal point.

“Our home is our cocoon—it’s where we go to rest and relax, and it’s better if it’s appealing. It’s a very integral part of our lives so why not make it something that’s absolutely joyful to be around?”

The combination of interesting homes and decked-out patios will showcase the notion that living in the comfort of your own home in the great outdoors can be achieved with beauty all summer long.

“I think it will inspire people to enjoy their decks and to move from the inside outside—and have their own little oasis,” says Arden.

For more information call 250-377-2409.

Site designed and maintained by: PeaksMedia.com