House Beautiful

Amber Interior Design Los Angeles, California amberinteriordesign.com @amberinteriors Amber Lewis always knew she would have a creative career. But it wasn’t until she started working in home stores that she realized her path was leading her to interior design. Since starting Amber Interior Design, Lewis has opened multiple home stores and expanded her L.A.-based business across the country. Today, wherever she’s working, Lewis creates one-of-a-kind spaces with eclectic, California-inspired aesthetics. ON THE COVER: Designer, Amber Interior Design. Photographer, Shade Degges. Architect, Curtis & Windham.…

The Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen Guide We’ve gathered open-air cooking and dining spaces to help you imagine just how incredible your patio, balcony, or pool deck could be. With durable materials, premium appliances, and creative seating, these designer projects are full of ideas and inspiration. housebeautiful.com/outdoorkitchens 25 High-Design Firepit Ideas That Are Easy to Create There’s one to fit your space, aesthetic, and fire-building capabilities. Browse a gallery of gas and wood-burning options. housebeautiful.com/firepits Backyard Landscaping Tricks Proven to Boost Resale Prices Well-planned plantings significantly raise your property value. Follow the resale-savvy lead of designers across the country. housebeautiful.com/landscaping WANT MORE? Become a member with unlimited access to our digital offerings. housebeautiful.com/allaccess…

The spring weather report calls for fresh style. Editorial Director Joanna Saltz asked designers and landscape professionals which alfresco trends they predict will be popular all year. GOT A DESIGN CONFESSION? TAG US! @HOUSEBEAUTIFUL “Pergolas with movable louvers are gaining popularity, allowing them to be used in rain or sunshine.” —Sara Furlan @marianilandscape “The softening of exterior spaces through the introduction of curved designs brings a sense of elegance and flow to outdoor living.” —Nicholas Condos @harbouroutdoor “There’s an increasing push for non-combustible materials near buildings, such as the use of pea gravel and other decorative rocks as topdressing in lieu of bark mulch.” —Adam Kober @koberdesigngroupinc “Expect to see more outdoor cooking and living spaces centered around the inclusion of eat-in organic vegetable and soft fruit gardens.” —Janice Parker @janiceparkerjpla “We are focusing on green destinations within gardens that allow…

FORGET BARE GRASS LAWNS AND boxy play sets. Today’s backyards are starting to resemble far-flung destinations, with hospitality-inspired design features found in resorts from alpine chalets to tropical bungalows. When designer Jennifer Mendelson couldn’t work a sunken living room into the interior layout of her Colorado home, for example, she took to the outdoors, enlisting Studio B Architecture to create a sunken living roof. Inset into her house’s green roof, this gathering space offers a large firepit plus sweeping views you might see at a grand hotel—but with all the comforts of home.…

Shapely Centerpieces The organic designs and rounded edges of these coffee tables add unexpected softness to any hardscape. Be Gentle Protect your investment, especially in the offseason, by buying outdoor furniture covers—and actually using them. Neutral Ground Set off your outdoor room with a durable rug that can withstand the elements (and any party you throw)! Make It Fit A narrow patio (or porch) calls for a custom-size outdoor runner, especially if your flooring is concrete. Motion Happiness Add in one (or two) swivel chairs to ensure your guests can be part of every conversation. Swap Fabrics Not a fan of white? Brands offer a range of cushion-cover options, but they do take time—order before the season shifts. Framed Foliage Elevate your landscaping with large, statement-making planters that show off your green thumb. Color It Yours Choose from 12 hues (including tangerine!) and three sizes…

A 17-FOOT SOFA TELLS YOU A LOT about a person. In this case, what it’s saying is that Dawn McKenna, a Chicago-based real estate advisor who chose one for her Naples, Florida, house, loves to host a party. When envisioning the living room of her waterfront home, McKenna “wanted 10 people to fit comfortably,” she says. And she knew they could on her vintage sectional, now covered in a crowd-friendly performance fabric. “When we laid out the room, I walked the steps to make sure it would fit,” she recalls. And if red wine spills all over the white cushions? Says McKenna, “It is what it is.” When it came to the house itself, what captivated McKenna wasn’t what the space was, but what it could be. A relic from the…