Jo Alcorn’s Top Spring Trends

I love spring! It’s a time to switch things up, refresh and renew your home and, more importantly, your backyard! I’ll be at the Backyard Living Expo coming up on April 6 for an on-stage presentation at 1:15pm and would love for you to join me to talk about all things backyard décor and design! As a sneak preview, here are my top 5 tips and trends for this season.

High Performance Outdoor Sound

Jo Alcorn 2018 Spring TrendsI love music! I play it all day long and there’s no exception when I go outside to relax and enjoy the warmer weather. I love the high performance outdoor sound that Paradigm has to offer. Long gone are the days of the boom box or the huge speaker systems. This company offers discrete luxury speakers, faux rocks that can be wall mounted and deck mounted. These systems mix right into your garden and even garden oasis systems, using an underground subwoofer for large areas.

Shading Style

Jo Alcorn Spring TrendsWhile I love the outdoors, shade is of the utmost importance. This year I am obsessed with Pergolas. They have retractable systems that allow the light to shine in when you want a few rays, but you can also crank the roof closed when you need some shade. The great thing about these systems is that they can be built to spec for odd shapes, attached to an existing structure, or they also have great stand-alone units.

Grilling Galore

2018 Spring Trends Jo AlcornThere is nothing Canadians love more than firing up the grill! As a designer, when your grill can match your décor, it’s even better! I love the new Weber Spirit ll series that comes in four bold colours, so you can add the perfect barbecue to match your décor. My choice this year would be the gorgeous ivory colour to add to my small space patio.

Burn Baby Burn

Adding a fire element to an outdoor space helps to elongate the season, creates an atmosphere of cozy and warm (literally warm up next to the fire) and just adds a touch of sophistication. You can choose a stand-alone unit that can be purchased at most big box stores, or, if you are creating your space from scratch, it’s great to incorporate a built-in unit that fits right into your design.

The Final Touches

I love adding accessories to an outdoor space that really tie it all together. Homesense has amazing seasonal accessories that bring your space to life at affordable prices. I love to add trays, lanterns and faux plants (yes, even in an outdoor space!) to my backyard designs. Pillows are also a great way to add colour and comfort to your space. I have an entire line of outdoor pillows that are fully washable and are available on my site in a variety of colours and patterns (www.alcornhome.com).

Use these ideas to create your very own backyard oasis! Discover the secrets behind the perfect barbecue and learn how to make the most of your backyard, no matter the size, or the budget, from industry and celebrity experts at the Backyard Living Expo, the only consumer show in the GTA dedicated exclusively to backyards. The Backyard Living Expo will be running the weekend of April 6,7 and 8 at The International Centre (6900 Airport Rd), for more information, visit www.thebackyardlivingexpo.com

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