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17 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,A ugust 1,2019 insidehalton.com At home As a hot-spot for  gathering, entertain- ing and relaxing  with friends and fam- ily  throughout the warm-weather sea- son,  backyards  are  an  extension of our favourite  living spaces,  similar to  living rooms and kitchens. To help  transform your home's exterior into the ultimate outdoor oasis,  Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares three tips for creating an in- viting backyard that you won't want to leave. Ambient accessories There's nothing better than enjoying a relaxing evening outdoors on a warm sum- mer night. Outdoor accessories that illumi- nate your backyard with light - like lanterns, stringed mini-lights and fire pits, - are fun and easy ways to set the mood and create a tranquil and ambient space. Serene stains Neutral-hued  colour palettes  like beige, grey and brown are typically a go-to for inte- rior home design and are quickly becoming more on-trend in outdoor living spaces. Nat-more on-trend in outdoor living spaces. Nat-more on-trend in outdoor living spaces. Nat ural-inspired hues  can transform a back-ural-inspired hues  can transform a back-ural-inspired hues  can transform a back yard into a calm and serene setting while pairing nicely with many exterior home fix-pairing nicely with many exterior home fix-pairing nicely with many exterior home fix ings like brick, stucco and shingles. "When  selecting  a  stain  co- lour  for  decks,  fences and outdoor furni- ture, opt for complementary tones that tie into your existing backyard colour palette," says Grech. "You can  also  play around with  the opacity of  stains, the same way you can with paint  finishes.  Most stains, like  Benjamin Moore  Arborcoat,  come in a variety of opacities,  ranging from  sol- id  to  semi-transparent and  translu- cent  and  each  vary in  intensity,  either emphasizing or subduing  the  look of your chosen colour." Fresh foliage Complement the serene look and feel of your backyard  with  lush  and leafy plants. Mixing different types of plants that vary in height, texture and width will add  depth to  the space  and further enhance your outdoor oasis. "Hosta, boxwood and  lady fern are great options that work well togeth- er and add a nice pop of  textured green- ery to a neutral-hued backyard," says Grech. (NC) Three outdoor living trends for your home QEW QEW 405 190 406 420 104 LAKE ONTARITARIT O St. Catharines Lewiston Short Hills Provincial Park THOROLD • Niagara Falls • Niagara on-the-Lake • 58 SITE LOCATION FUTURE FUTURE N DIRECTIONS TO SITE › QEW to HWY 406 › HWY 406 to HWY 58 › EXIT Right at Collier St. › Turn Left (EAST) on Beaverdams Rd. › Turn left at Palace St. into site CELEBRATING 25 YEARS MARYDEL HOMES ANOTHER LUXURY COMMUNITY BY PRIORITY REGISTRATION www.marydelhomes.com PHASE 2 COMING SOON GRAND OPENING SEPT 14TH $499,900STARTING FROM LUXURIOUS ALL BRICK DETACHED HOMES