Ah ... spring. When thoughts turn to the great outdoors and spending quality time chilling, grilling and entertaining.

And also ... daydreaming.

For starters, imagine your ideal outdoor space. It might be a fabulous resort, stretching out on a pristine white chaise longue with the Mediterranean blue as a brilliant backdrop. Or a foliage-framed jungle of a garden, where you've set up a rainbow-colored, festive fringed hammock for swinging or just lying still. Or a country garden, blooming with roses and hydrangeas on the edge of a patio outfitted with cozy seating -- outdoor wicker plumped with cushy pillows. Or a manicured bluestone terrace, framed by tall galvanized pots brimming with boxwood, the backdrop for a straight-lined, tailored sectional.

No matter what style you prefer, or what kind of landscape you can create (depending on size and budget), comfort remains the key to outdoor room design. It doesn't even matter how big the space is, because you can create ambience even on a condo balcony with ingredients as simple as an attractive, snug chair and some sort of side table for a margarita, guacamole and chips, or summer reading.

In terms of materials and choices in outdoor furnishings, there are improvements every year. Wicker and rattan looks have blossomed, with a wide range of specialty weaves, like herringbone, multitonal effects or even bolder striping, as well as open weaves that make even mega-scale pieces feel less bulky.

Upholstered wovens intrigue because the mesh-y "fabric" stretches like skin across frames, resulting in a crisp, clean-lined, contemporary look.

Powder-coated aluminum remains a top choice for a range of colors, in matte and high-gloss finishes. Besides seating, tables, planters and accessories such as trays add to the options for colorful accents. Outdoor stainless steel and other metals provide polished or rustic and weathered looks, sometimes hammered or grained to look like wood. Porcelain tabletops also offer a range of looks from stone to wood.

And teak (as well as other outdoor-friendly woods like ipe, mahogany and acacia) is by no means stagnant, especially strong in contemporary, with new styles of mid-century modern that appeals to those who embrace that style indoors. More weathered finishes (either distressed or smooth, driftwood-like surfaces) are opening the door to those who aren't as fond of the natural reddish tone of teak or are unsure about how it may silver and wear over time.

Wood combined with other materials, including wovens, metals and synthetic concrete, have enhanced design options.

While frames, styles and materials offer considerable ranges, textiles have perhaps been the biggest game-changers in the last few years. Sunbrella, Crypton and Outdura are instantly recognizable brands for performance fabrics, but so many fabric manufacturers have added outdoor components, you may be surprised at the kinds of sophisticated patterns that are available, from animal prints, paisleys and ikats to tropicals, bold cabana stripes and chevrons. Digital printing allows rich and subtle prints, like a watercolor hydrangea on a soft blue background called Bloom, from the high-end brand Donghia. In addition, throw pillows are huge, just as they are indoors, where they can change up or freshen upholstery.

Style leaders like Elaine Smith take their cues from fashion runways, so details such as pleating, weaving fabrics like ribbons, fancy buttons, braiding with frog clasps, hand-twisting for 3-D effects and chenille yarns for raised patterns are spot-on in trend. If the only investment you make this season is in pillows, it's well worth it, as they can instantly add sparks of color, life, a touch of whimsy or a theme that can be carried out in other accessories.

Rugs also lend a dynamic element, and the stain- and UV-resistant categories have such a wealth of good-looking styles that feel so much like softer indoor rugs that they're moving inside to sunrooms and family and dining areas.

If you're in the market for new furniture, be sure to come armed with measurements for your patio, roof deck or terrace. You might even photograph the space with your smartphone and share with on-site designers, especially in specialty shops, as they may guide you through selection.

Here are some tips to keep in mind.

-- Go bold. Choose a color or a pattern that makes a statement. It can be grand -- on a sofa, a chair, ottoman or pouf. Or small -- with an accessory like pillows, a lantern, melamine dinnerware or a planter.

-- Mix it up. More and more we're seeing two different materials combined in one piece: teak plus resin (even in color at West Elm), teak plus metal or even concrete-like synthetics. Or you can become your own mixologist by teaming stone, mosaic or synthetic concrete side tables, or porcelain planters, with teak or wovens.

-- Give me shelter. If you've got the space, there's an outdoor four-poster at Pottery barn that looks like a bed framed by a pergola, complete with canopy, framing curtains and even lanterns hung inside. Chairs or chairs and a half that are scoop for nesting or even those that cradle with hoods or canopies offer cool outdoor getaways.

-- Gray is the new beige. Just like indoors, gray is gaining traction in outdoor furniture. It goes with just about any color -- especially citron, mustard and hot pink -- and the green landscape pops behind it.

-- Try white. Nothing beats it for pristine style, especially with a modern profile, as in Restoration Hardware's new Marbella aluminum collection.

-- Get in the swing. From traditional gliders, like metal or a French country style wing in black matte powder-coated aluminum with a chunky natural-colored vinyl wave from Lloyd Flanders, to exotic hybrids (a hammock chair from CB2), these offer sheer retro enjoyment.

-- Have some fun. Outdoor poufs can add a playful touch -- especially when you choose a graphic pattern, such as starfish or octopi or giant coral. The puffy vinyl inflatable Air Flower chair in a hot fuchsia shade by Roche Bobois is like a sculptural, sheer beanbag.

-- Add warmth. For cool evenings, a fire table provides heat and a sizzling profile. There are many types of fire pits and bowls, and now cocktail tables with linear fire down the center. Some even come with covers to extend the surface when you're not using the fire feature.

-- Add water. Even if you don't have room for a pool or a pond, consider a water feature like an urn or a fountain with a recirculating pump. Some even have LED lights. Just the sound of trickling water is so soothing.

-- Layer in some lights. The verdict is still out on outdoor lamps -- table, floor, chandeliers. Some draw the line with this indoor-out feature, preferring the romance and glow of candles. With the burn-free variety, there's no mess or worry about the light being blown out by wind. Some light strands have decorative covers; others featuring Edison-like bulbs and the battery-operated mini LED strings so popular in cloches indoors during Christmas are finding their way outdoors, transforming the night garden on trees, umbrellas or pergolas. Lanterns also have escalated in popularity, offering a variety of materials and finishes, in stainless, rusted iron, black or powder-coated aluminum, from rustic to ethnic to sleek.

Once your new pieces are in place, settle in. Revel in the sun-kissed outdoors -- and the sheer bliss of daydreaming in your oasis all summer long.

Sources

-- CB2, 800-606-6252, www.cb2.com

-- Crate and Barrel, 800-967-6696, www.crateandbarrel.com

-- Elaine Smith, 561-863-3333, www.elainesmith.com

-- Fermob USA, 404-749-4749, www.fermob.com

-- Homecrest Outdoor Living, 218-631-1000, www.homecrest.com

-- Janus et Cie, 800-245-2687, www.janusetcie.com

-- Missoni Home, available at Mobili Mobel, 312-337-3444, www.missoni.com

-- OW Lee, 800-776-9533, www.owlee.com

-- Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, www.potterybarn.com

-- RH, 800-762-1005, www.rh.com

-- Roche Bobois, 312-955-0275, www.roche-bobois.com/en

-- West Elm, 888-922-4119, www.westelm.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

As reliable as the first furls of foliage poking up from the soil, lawns awakening from winter slumber and trees leafing out, green is the surest sign of spring.

Get ready for a greening up of the interior landscape as well. Pink quartz and serenity may be the proclaimed Pantone colors of the year, but a verdant range of green is sooo money.

In January at the Paris Maison & Objet furnishings exposition, palm fronds dominated patterns trends. Why? There's the obvious exotic tropical appeal. But it's all about the green. Green velvet. Green leather. Moody inky tones. Rich emerald. Even that old standby, Kelly. Blue-based spruces are dialed down from teals. Lemon-based. A dash of olive. On sofas, chairs, lighting, housewares.

Fashion designers also are enamored. Green in spring collections include a grass offering at Dolce + Gabbana, a python trench coat from Burberry, lace from Gucci, suede pumps from Manolo Blahnik, agate rock candy bangle bracelets from Ippolita. There's also classic packaging: Think of the iconic Orange verte products from Hermes in the familiar emerald bottles, and a new woodsy fragrance from Armani called Vert Malachite, which comes in a bottle with the gem's characteristic swirly markings.

The trend is not surprising, says Ann Haagenson, divisional merchandise manager for Anthropologie. The retailer shows its fondness for the hue in a number of spring introductions for home decor.

"Green naturally evokes a sense of the season and new beginnings," says Haagenson. "It's been a long winter for some, so a nod to nature is especially welcome. There is an eagerness for positivity and hope, for the optimism that the color represents."

We've certainly seen it before. Just a few years back, malachite was all the rage and, like animal prints, that look never seems to fade.

"Malachite has become a decorator classic. The material -- and the color -- is popular in everything from bar gadgets to decorative accessories, even as the inspiration for wallpaper," Haagenson says. "It's inspiring in spite of its prevalence, especially when it appears in unexpected places like a malachite bench I saw in a solarium of Milan's Villa Necchi. It was striking, and a supreme example of luxury."

And then there's the sometimes kitschy, exuberant chartreuse or those tart lemon-limes that seem to pop up every summer. Still, this new planting of green seems richer, perhaps even a little more sophisticated and nuanced.

"Green is the new black," says interior designer Gary Lee, who also is at the helm of a curated furnishings collection in Chicago's Merchandise Mart.

"The greens we are using are dimensional, with undertones of black and/or gold, like one of our credenzas (for Atelier Gary Lee), which is in noir green," he says. "It relates depth, interest and warmth. When using green, textures are important to how the color works in palettes. There's something very soothing about the new greens. Something very elegant, yet natural."

When Miami designer Sam Robin created a bachelor's loft retreat as part of an Elle Decor magazine-sponsored Modern Life concept house during Art Basel/Design Miami in December, she was trying to bring the outside in. Situated in a 6,000-square-foot penthouse in the city's hip Wynwood Arts District, the condo featured a deck filled with lush plantings.

Also mindful of the artsy vibe, Robin married industrial chic -- using wallcovering that looked like exposed brick -- with style and elegance. Behind a bed, a stunning headboard that looked like a green-and-white agate slab was actually a printed-out version of the stone on aluminum board with layers of resin and sparkle to simulate the mineral, created by artist Alex Turco. Robin laced citrus hues throughout with furniture from Roche Bobois and small tables from Robicara, a company she co-owns.

"In Florida we do a lot of inside out, bringing nature in with incredible living walls. I am loving these greens," she says. "Two years ago I was traveling in India, and there was a scene with gorgeous grasses and women wearing identical grass green saris." The image stuck. Also a no-brainer in Robin's design: the integration of large-leaf foliage. And all the greens pop against the neutral grays.

Then again, certain shades of green may well substitute for gray.

"I love a gray-green that reads as a punchy taupe," says Haagenson. "This color works with both cool and warm tones."

Los Angeles-based designer Barbara Barry long has embraced greens as neutrals. In her launch of the new Milling Road for Baker Furniture, designer Kara Mann made some strong statements with seating in suedes and velvets, in a dark, moody shade she called "midnight green."

What to call some of these new greens is a challenge. While so many are just plain "greens," in Europe, some are referred to as "golf." There may be "grass," and then there's the familiar "forest" and "Caribbean." The kicky, saturated bright known as "Kelly," a preppy staple with navy that was especially popular in the 1970s, is back.

"Kelly green is a sporty sense of the color," says Haagenson. "It evokes fun and inspires energy."

Launching its new custom line of furniture, Anthropologie trotted out its ranges of colors in striking rows of the same chair silhouette.

Even the mention of certain colors elicits visceral reactions. For so long, avocado was one of those, forged in the context of kitchen appliances during an era that also included harvest gold. But the shade of avocado that you might see today is a little bit truer to the real fruit; it's just probably called "guacamole" or something else.

So how do you integrate some of the new greens?

Unless you are secure in bold choices, the brights probably are better in accent pieces, like a single statement chair or even a side table. The latter could be in a lacquer (emerald) or shagreen (sharkskin), or stone, either real or faux. A softer green is quiet enough to make a design dent; in an otherwise neutral scheme, it can be simply refreshing. Supplement it with a piece of art in the same shade. A landscape or abstract piece that may include a touch of metallic gold for sparkle also can introduce a verdant touch. If it's hung near a window or door overlooking a garden or trees, it really will make an impact.

Paint the walls -- or one feature wall. Or paper them in a bold green graphic or malachite, a chevron or stripe. Lucky clover stripes at WallPops from Brewster Home (www.wallpops.com) are affordable (recently $10.99 on Amazon) and are peel-and-stick, so you can remove them when you want to move on to something else.

Choose a pendant light that features green. Some glass and metal combinations are like jewelry.

If you don't want to make a huge commitment, try an accessory. Solid color pillows will pop, but patterns may add an artistic touch. One in printed linen at CB2 has a watercolor look that feels like a painting on a sofa or chair. Choose a pretty tray to organize small items on a cocktail table; textures can be welcome for subtlety. Check out beautiful boxes or trivets in agate or other stones, such as those by Anna New York (www.annanewyork.com). Utilize napkins, placemats and dinnerware. Or change out the pulls on a dresser or cabinet.

Of course, any live greenery imported into interiors transforms the space. Bunches of pale green hydrangeas, giant fronds or lacey asparagus ferns refresh. Vertical gardens have captured the imagination in recent years, and there's nothing like having fresh herbs at hand when you're cooking or grilling. At Williams-Sonoma, several styles of hanging containers are available. When the cells are filled, the contrasting foliage is like a living piece of art.

Then there's the once-ubiquitous wheatgrass, a favorite prop accessory for magazine stylists, in low, rectangular containers. Pop one of those on your dining table, and your friends will be green with envy.

Sources

-- Aerin Lauder, 866-647-3330, www.aerin.com

-- Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, www.anthropologie.com

-- Arper, 212-647-8900, www.arper.com

-- Atelier Gary Lee, 312-644-4400, www.ateliergarylee.com

-- CB2, 800-606-6252, www.cb2.com

-- Issey Miyake Home collection by Iittala at MoMa, 800-851-4509, www.momastore.org

-- L'Objet, 855-562-5388, www.l-objet.com

-- Lalique, 888-488-2580, www.lalique.com/en

-- Kara Mann/Milling Road, 800-592-2537, www.mr.bakerfurniture.com

-- Roche Bobois, 312-955-0275, www.roche-bobois.com/en

-- Sam Robin Design, 305-375-0727, www.samrobin.com

-- Vista Alegre, available at Michael C. Fina, 800-289-3462, www.michaelcfina.com; www.vistaalegre.com

-- Williams-Sonoma, 877-812-6235, www.williams-sonoma.com

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)

Weaving personality into home decor while making it relevant regardless of style requires a honed eye, spot-on instincts, the expertise of a trusted designer and imaginative resources. Color, a deft mix of beautiful fabrics, and well-chosen art and accessories, layering and texture add punctuation. And vintage, one-of-a-kind or handcrafted pieces really bring generic sofas, tables and chests to life.

The thrill of the hunt is everything for some shoppers, especially when you land that special piece. So is a good sale. Whether you're shopping Portobello Road in London, a Marrakech souk or a dazzling bazaar in Mumbai, part of the fun is exploring global marketplaces. When you find a bargain among precious items that are barely affordable, it's a real treat. And sometimes you don't even have to worry about having enough cash: Vendors in the flea markets of Florence and Paris make it easier by taking credit cards.

In the last 15 years, "e-tail" sites have been game-changers, changing the landscape of furniture buying. They allow you to scroll through thousands of "curated" antiques and unique pieces, in addition to well-known furnishings and designer brands, 24/7. Some of the products are part of "flash" sales, where the added allure is the savings off a suggested retail price for a short window of time. Like retailers and catalogs trying to set themselves apart, the websites now offer engaging features on a variety of design topics.

For luxe goods, there's nothing quite like 1stdibs (www.1stdibs.com), which covers furniture, lighting, fine art, jewelry, fashion and vintage haute couture from top dealers around the world -- "the most beautiful things on earth." It's like a tour through art history and design museums. Where else are you likely to find a 17th-century polychromatic horn lice comb ($9,500), an English Civil War Parliamentary helmet ($4,500), a rare 17th-century Dutch rosewood, ebony and tortoiseshell cabinet ($390,485), or a specially priced Tiffany Russian table lamp?

It's as valuable an asset for interior designers as it is consumers browsing over coffee on a Saturday morning. "For one-of-a-kind items for the high end, it saves scouring antique malls or searching around the country," says Tobi Fairley (www.tobifairley.com), a Little Rock, Arkansas-based interior designer who also designs products for CR Laine and Woodbridge Furniture. "It could take days or years to find what's all in one place."

Launched 15 years ago by Michael Bruno, a luxury real estate dealer, his focus on Marche aux Puces was brilliant, bringing the famous Paris flea market online, starting out with 100 new items per week. Now, 1stdibs embraces an entire global marketplace. In addition, there's an online luxe magazine, Introspective, as well as a style blog. And 1stdibs operates a 33,000-square-foot gallery on the 10th floor of the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington in New York City.

It's no wonder that other e-tailers have kept pace.

One of the newer sites, Dering Hall (www.deringhall.com), filled a niche for connecting the interior design trade and consumers looking for high-end design. Besides the 500-plus curated products it sells, Dennis Sarlo, Dering Hall's editorial director, recognizes the need for value-added with features such as Lookbook.

"Basically the edit is what draws a lot of people," says Sarlo. "We might cover a particular architect or designer's project. There's a mix of content, ideas. If we do a feature on ottomans, we shop the site like consumers and choose the most striking to talk about. The goal with all is to keep (the look on the page) crisp, focused pretty much on the product -- not overwhelming with a lot of stuff everywhere."

An uncluttered visual presentation clearly is a draw. When One Kings Lane (www.onekingslane.com) came on the scene in 2009, designers flocked to the site largely because they liked the fresh presentation: crisp photos often cued up according to color, with lots of air in between. Another instant winner: vintage and flea market pages and tag sales from designers and style visionaries like Paige Rense, former editor for Architectural Digest magazine. Her sale featured her own furniture, art, books, jewelry and several Hermes Birkin bags.

Tobi Fairley says that tag sales are a welcome vehicle for designers.

"I keep a very limited inventory," says Fairley. "It's a great way to recoup expenses."

Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke at the High Point, North Carolina-based Madcap Cottage (www.madcapcottage.com) have had many successful tag sales with One Kings Lane as well. Nixon believes the most obvious appeal of e-tail sites is accessibility.

"It's more democratized," he says. "A playing field some people never would have had access to. It's the idea of surprise and delight, like the slogan from (grand dame Chicago retailer) Marshall Field's: 'Give the lady what she wants.'"

That said, you need to do your homework when you're buying high-ticket items without professional advice. Studying the websites themselves is a good start.

Blogs, of course, have become such an integral part of retailer and manufacturer websites; consider Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn or a lifestyle brand such as Aerin Lauder. Beautiful, inspirational images and storytelling are compelling; readers crave the insider tips.

Content on e-tail sites covers an enormous range, from how-tos (organize your closet, dress your bed), 10 best (pendant lights, bar carts, etc.), entertaining (mouthwatering food shots and recipes), personal tips from designers, even travel destinations like one in the Italian Dolomites on The Study, 1stdibs' blog. Wayfair (www.wayfair.com) recently called out four ways to entertain on game day, including images for building your own panini station; and, of course, for sale access to all the components.

A One Kings Lane feature on how to organize your jewelry may reach out to the person to whom boxes likely resonate ("amazing at tiptoeing the line between form and function"), and assigns a style icon (here, Audrey Hepburn). And you can add appropriate product to a cart with the click of a mouse, of course.

Shop the Look on Dering Hall may focus on a particular style, like "a charming chalet with modern edge." Cool enough, but one example features Nicky Dobree, billed as one of the leading luxury chalet designers in the world. Following a gorgeous room shot depicting elements of the style, are products to buy: twiggy pendant lights, a hide cube, antelope wall art, tartan fabric, kelim ... you get the idea.

In addition, you can browse Dering Hall's Look Book, which is kind of like Pinterest or Instagram. If you click on a particular shot you like, you'll see an attribution, as well as a way to contact the designer. There's also a tab for locating design pros.

Still another website, Viyet (www.viyet.com), operates as an online high-end furnishings consignment shop, where you might score a Christian Liaigre chair. The company's mission is to inspire interior redesign -- at 50 to 80 percent below retail prices.

One of the more recent entries to the e-commerce world is Bezar, now AHAlife (www.ahalife.com), founded by Bradford Shellhammer. This marketplace for modern design covers art, house and jewelry, and has digital pop-up shops from handpicked designers who sell products in three-day "bursts." Simple premise: "where people who design special things connect with people who desire special things ... authentic and (with) a story ... a little bit bizarre ... things with heart."

Such connectivity seems to resonate -- even when buying a hip, well designed portable grill.

Sources

-- Bezar, now AHAlife, 855-848-3778, www.ahalife.com

-- Dering Hall, 917-512-6900, www.deringhall.com

-- 1stdibs, www.1stdibs.com

-- Madcap Cottage, 917-318-0006, www.madcapcottage.com

-- One Kings Lane, www.onekingslane.com

-- Tobi Fairley & Associates, 501-868-9882, www.tobifairley.com

-- Viyet, 844-924-8717, www.viyet.com

-- Wayfair, www.wayfair.com

SIBEBAR

QUICK SCROLL

-- Bezar, now AHAlife. Originally launched in 2015 by Bradford Shellhammer, an online design marketplace with hip, curated products. Recent cool picks: blue atomic ottoman from The Modern Historic, $300, with black iron X base and authentic 1950s barkcloth upholstery; city plates by notNeutral, Los Angeles-based design house, including New Orleans, Dubai, L.A., Amsterdam and Mumbai at $45 (10 percent off).

-- Dering Hall, launched 2011 by Peter Sallick, CEO of high-end bathwares line, Waterworks, and New York interior designer Steven Gambrel. Combines top-secret intel with luxury home good marketplace, with access to design pros. Create an account, personal or trade. Recently for sale: Dorset coffee table mauve by Maxine Snyder, $2,325 (list $6,975); Radiata handblown glass pendant $1,155 (list $2,310).

-- 1stdibs, launched in 2001 by Michael Bruno. A global online marketplace for furniture, art, jewelry -- "the most beautiful things on earth," where "the finest antique shops are always open." Must register. Recent posts include an "exceptionally rare George I silvered gesso pier table," circa 1715, for $68,000; and an Art Deco plywood and chromium-plated metal wastepaper basket by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, $2,500

-- One Kings Lane, launched 2009 by co-founders Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus. New sales daily; most last 72 hours; top brands, vintage and designer. Tastemaker tag sales (personal collections) plus clearance. Recent finds: overdyed green vintage handwoven Tabriz rug, $2,199 (69 percent off list $6,999); Kemp accent chair, Cerulean, by Kim Salmela, $899 (23 percent off $1,169). Nice style touch: "Why We Love This" commentary.

-- Viyet, launched in 2013 by Rachel Rodin and Louise Youngson-Klasfeld. Pronounced "VEE-yet," a play on the design term vignette; mission to inspire interior re-design. Online consignment shop features pre-owned designer furnishings with strong brand recognition. Average resale is $1,800, marked down from of an average retail price of $4,600. Join now offer of 10 percent off first order. Recent posts: Holly Hunt modern chaise lounge, retail $5,850, selling for $2,925; French 4-by-5-foot vintage 1950s wine poster, retail $4,000, selling for $1,200.

-- Wayfair, launched in 2002 by Niraj Shah and Steve Conine. An online destination for "a zillion things home." Family of merchants includes AllModern, Birch Lane, DwellStudio and Joss & Main. Free shipping on orders over $49 from furniture to flatware. Recent buys: Langford 92-inch sofa by Dwell Studio, $1,660, 20 percent off of suggested retail of $2,089; Renaissance gold five-piece place setting by Wedgewood, $93.99, 59 percent off $230 retail.

(For editorial questions, please contact Clint Hooker at chooker@amuniversal.com.)