You're Going to Want to Work Outside This Summer—Here's How to Do It

"Small, outdoor ceramic stools are great pieces of furniture that perform double duty," says designer David Quarles IV. "They can be used as extra seating or when placed close to a chair or sofa, they can serve as an additional surface to place your laptop during work hours or cocktails and small plates of food during an outdoor hangout." Look to this cozy corner of the designer's own backyard, which he furnished using only products from HomeGoods. Multi-purpose furniture is especially helpful if you have a small outdoor space to work with!

"Just like you need a separate office in your indoor space, try to find an 'office' in your outdoor space—even if it's just a corner tucked away in your garden or a swing on your front porch," Kirsten Krason, cofounder of House of Jade Interiors, says. "The tiny bit of privacy will help you get so much more done."

Want even more privacy in your dedicated outdoor workspace? Designer Maggie Griffin suggests using sheers on the porch or a screen on your patio to create division from the rest of your space.

If you plan on working outside for most of the day, you'll need a good work surface and supportive chair, designer Kimberlee Gorsline says. "Typically, an outdoor dining table can work great for this if it lives under an awning or covered patio."

Sunbrella’s executive design director Greg Voorhis recommends using umbrellas with shade fabrics to block out the sun. Try ones “in peaceful blues like Canvas Haze or Canvas Abyss, which feature a flat weave with strong UV protection and block sunlight at all hours of the workday,” he advises.

“For a finished option, auto-tilt umbrellas are nice because they allow you to adjust the canopy throughout the day,” Voorhis says. “At the same time, a retractable awning can give you a more consistently shaded outdoor office.”

An easy way to make your outdoor space feel comfortable is to soften it with “textured, durable and weather-friendly upholstery fabrics like Nurture Pebble, Bliss Aspen or Infused Gem,” Voorhis says. For outdoor sofas and chairs, many people are going with neutral fabrics and giving them pops of color, like in this space designed by Dabito of Old Brand New. When picking out furniture specifically, Voorhis suggests going with a statement-making lounge chair or opting for “a more casual option like an outdoor bean bag to bring a moment of respite from your 9-to-5.”

“Working from home is all about creating a space that fosters creativity, focus, or peace and quiet, and color can do that whether you’re inside or out,” Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams, says. “To help ground a work-from-outdoors oasis, I recommend starting with a beautiful deck or patio stain, like a couple of our most popular ones Riverwood SW 3507 and Charwood SW 3542.”

For paint, dark colors have been trending on exteriors, Wadden says. They can look good no matter the season. “Our 2021 Color of the Year, Urbane Bronze SW 7048, will look just as beautiful on a snowy day in January as it will in our outdoor offices this summer,” she says.

If you’re feeling bold and want help focusing, go for a red. Wadden suggests Sherwin Williams’s top-selling Red Barn or Rustic Red. To bring in an element of fun, you could even “use multiple colors to create a beautiful mural,” she suggests.

This outdoor area of a SoCal home by Madeline Stuart is filled with blooming plants like bougainvillea. Whether you add a few small potted plants, some large ones, or both, they'll easily enhance your work-from-outdoor setup. In this space, Stuart also included an area rug and seating with brown cushions to make it an extra-cozy garden oasis.