Patio Pizzazz: Expand Your Living Space Without Shrinking Your Wallet

June 24, 2008 - PRLog -- Creating beautiful patios, backyards and courtyards provides the perfect setting for sharing time with family and friends this summer AND doesn’t require a huge investment of time or money. Areas like these - often overlooked as ‘bonus’ living space - can showcase your own style and dramatically increase your entertaining area without remodeling or spending a lot of money.

“When you utilize interior re-design – the technique of using what’s already there - to your outdoor spaces – the possibilities are endless,” says Sandy Dixon, a certified real estate staging and interior redesign trainer and owner of Evergreen, Colorado-based Interior Arrangements, Inc., one of the country’s leading redesign and real estate staging training companies. Dixon is also Executive Director of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists, an international organization of professional redesigners and real estate stagers, www.weredesignandstage.com

Dixon suggests searching the garage, attic or basement for no cost “finds” such as old buckets, stepladders, fences, watering cans or furniture, either painted or left to weather in the elements. String your holiday lights to accent an arbor, railing, umbrella or trees, or line a walking path with solar powered luminaries, minnow buckets with pillar candles or use an outdoor lamp if an outlet is handy. Place your houseplants outside along railings, in window boxes or in hanging baskets, to create a beautiful ambience. Bring your artwork outside, too: sculptures, statues and weathervanes become focal points and add interest. A water element or wind chimes supplement the sounds of nature, which can be enhanced by adding feeders around the patio that will attract a wide variety of songbirds.

“An added benefit of spicing up your patio with color, interest and comfort in mind is that you bring the outdoors in by creating a view to be enjoyed while working inside. Then you can get out there and exercise, dine, entertain or just relax,” she continues.

Sandy Dixon is globally recognized in the interior re-design, real estate staging and organizing industries as the only redesign and staging instructor, author and professional speaker who specializes in teaching people worldwide how to use ‘authentic’ marketing branding to dramatically increase their sales and profits.

Dixon’s company, Interior Arrangements, Inc. offers 1, 3- and 5-day redesign and staging certification workshops, as well as tele-classes and webinars for those interested in the field of interior redesign and/or real estate staging.

For information or interviews, contact Sandy Dixon at 303-674-8667 or go to interiorarrangements.com. Visit the Interior Redesign (and Staging) Industry Specialists at www.weredesign.com.