Create Your Perfect Outdoor Room with Antique and Vintage Furnishings

A classic American patio with vintage metal furniture.

The "outdoor room" craze arguably started about 10 years ago and shows no signs of letting up. And why should it? We all love to live outdoors as much as possible, so why devote less time planning and executing a beautiful outdoor living space than you do for your interior design?

Happily, you can take your passion for antique and vintage furnishings outdoors with you. Well, I'm not suggesting you let your fine French antique buffet sit outside in the rain, but you definitely can incorporate antique and vintage furniture and accessories into your sunroom, patio, or garden design. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Vintage rattan furniture creates an inviting space in this cozy sunroom.

This sunroom uses vintage rattan furniture to great effect. In a cozy, sunny corner, this rattan dining set looks appealing and inviting. If you can't find antique rattan furniture, you can shop our selection of high-quality reproduction furniture to give your own sunroom a tropical feel. It's not exactly an outdoor room, but it's a room that certainly brings the outdoors in.

Metal is the obvious choice to weather the elements year-round.

A defined patio space makes a great outdoor room. If your living space is exposed to the elements, vintage metal furniture works very well to furnish it. These old gliders and chairs retain their shabby appeal despite the weather. Wrought iron table bases topped with potted plants make for a creative display. I also love the way this homeowner uses an old metal basket atop a metal rolling cart to show off a collection of succulents. While this patio uses vintage American garden furniture, you can hunt down great old antique French iron garden benches and seats if you sleuth hard enough.

Take your shabby or cottage design scheme outside by using an old wrought iron garden gate to set the tone for your outdoor space.

For your shabby or cottage style outdoor room, an old wrought iron gate can set the tone. You can use a vintage gate or door as a functional item or for simple decorative purposes. An old farm door propped against a fence makes a lovely backdrop for flowers. And don't forget how great weathered galvanized tubs work as planters! Hot pink geraniums look particularly spectacular against the gray-and-rust tones of galvanized metal.

Just like indoors, every outdoor room should include a "wow" piece. This sensational vintage birdbath does the trick!

When creating your outdoor room, don't forget to add a spectacular centerpiece. Antique or vintage bird baths or fountains make a great statement in any garden. You can design your seating around the water feature or allow guests to meander down a path to discover it -- along with your beautiful flower borders.

If you've created a great outdoor room that incorporates antique or vintage furnishings, we'd love to feature it on this blog! Send us your photos.