Artwork on a porch or patio can grab attention when folks visit for summertime festivities such as a barbecue or pool party, or when people simply drive past your home.
Images of vacation settings, flowers, cityscapes, and other subjects and places can add another dimension to your outdoor decor. Some companies make and sell artwork that is waterproof and fade-resistant. Options range from prints on canvas to pieces made out of metal, fiberglass, resin or wood, with some large enough to be the focal point on a porch or patio wall.
A giclee printing process is used to reproduce vibrant images on canvas by West of the Wind, an Oklahoma-based company. Photos of places, from Key West to Italy, and subjects, such as beaches, gardens, trees, boats and buildings, start off as high-resolution images from an artist. The artwork is UV protected – to prevent fading – and 100 percent waterproof, according to the company, which has been producing outdoor art since 2008. No frames are needed, and the print on canvas comes with mounting hardware that the company says will prevent the prints from blowing away in winds up to 60 miles per hour. Prices average $199 for a 30-by-40 image and $99 for a 24-by-24 image; area retailers include Atlanta Water Gardens, Bowman White Interiors in Cumming, Family Tree Garden Center in Snellville and Scottsdale Farms in Alpharetta.
Ballard Designs' outdoor prints also are designed to resist fading and rust. The giclee reproductions, digitally printed on stretched canvas, include a shoreline painting by artist Timothy O'Toole and a lake landscape by Randy Hibberd. Prices range from $259-$449 at ballarddesigns.com.
If you're feeling patriotic, after the United States' run in the World Cup and the Fourth of July holiday, American flags can become part of the outdoor decor. Flag wall sculptures can be made out of metal or wood. One piece, made by Uttermost, weights 11 pounds and is 36-by-26, finished in red, white and blue with an aged affect. Priced for $151.80 on Hayneedle.com.
Gardens often are a spot for quirky art, and options includes whimsical garden poles ranging from 3 to 6 feet that bear artists' drawings and inspirational phrases. The painted "peace poles" are reproductions of hand-painted poles by artists such as Stephanie Burgess, with a "May Peace Prevail on Earth" message. Hardware is included, and no digging is needed to install the poles, according to Magnet Works. Other artists have contributed their designs. Suggested retail price is $199.95 for the 6-foot pole with Burgess' design; visit magnetworks.com for other art poles and area stores.
