Warm weather and sunshine can do wonders for your body, mind and soul. And if you have an inviting outdoor living space where you can stretch out and chillax with your fave frosty beverage, all the better!

A few years ago, talk about patio, terrace or deck shifted to "rooms," as the idea of extending interiors became a goal. Now it's not so much about rooms, but style. Keeping it consistent, so there's a seamless flow from furnishings and palette in your home to what you choose to surround yourself with outside.

Even al fresco cooking styles have expanded, with debates about charcoal versus gas, Green Egg or Kamado and Argentinian grills. How about a pizza oven? Sometimes more than one style of cooking is now part of an outdoor kitchen, which, depending on your space, may include a sink, fridge, wine cooler or even beer dispensers.

Although outdoor furniture still is sold in "suites" -- groupings of sofas and chairs, dining tables with chairs in the same style -- some manufacturers are beginning to rethink the sameness and mix it up a bit.

That's especially true in Europe, where designers are masters of the mix -- pairing concrete or porcelain with wood or metal and rattan, for example, and combining unexpected palettes, not just summer brights.

"There are definitely international trends emerging in outdoor furnishings," says Richard Frinier, a lauded designer who creates collections for both American and European companies. "Modular pieces have become the centerpiece of most outdoor living spaces. Seating for lounge chairs and sectionals is slightly deeper. Left and right units can be added on to create different shapes for entertaining or used as chaises or grouped and clipped together as daybeds.

"The ability to mix materials, textiles, textures, constructions and patterns has never been as accessible. And color trends incorporate every combination imaginable, allowing people to really express themselves without feeling like they have to follow any particular trend."

Part of what's driving this enormous accessibility, of course, is social media.

"Social media continues to be the main influencer," says Frinier. "Brands from every corner of the world show their designs on their websites, blogs, videos and across social media platforms with a click of the mouse."

And reporting from international shows has fed Instagram with images of all the latest textiles, lighting, rugs and accessories. Seasonal Living (www.seasonalliving.com), a manufacturer whose products include modern outdoor furniture, lamps tables and sculptures made of colorful ceramics, recently launched a free magazine whose mission is "to inspire you to live a life of wellness and sustainability -- in harmony with the beauty of nature's season." There are articles on "off the beaten track travel destinations," food and drinks, recipes and entertaining.

Perhaps part of the seduction of European-designed outdoor furniture is fearless color combinations, form and surprising influences. A new table by Antonio Citterio from B and B Italia, for example, has a slender frame, shown in a rich terra cotta. But one surface choice is extraordinary: enameled lava stone with clay decoration that appears to be a lacey overlay, especially striking in charcoal over the burnt orange.

Gloster's new Dune seating by Sebastian Herkner, honored as designer of the year in January at Maison and Objet in Paris, takes cues from indoor upholstery features like quilting. The way Herkner puts dusty shades together, like cinnamon, a pink and lavender, is appealing.

Of course, there's nothing more inspirational than a fabulous image, to be drawn into a shot with a gorgeous landscape. It's the aspirational aspect that Frinier long has embraced. His newest Tangier collection for Century Furniture takes architectural and design elements from Morocco -- one of his favorite destinations.

"Among all of my travels to more than 40 countries across five continents, my time spent in Morocco was extremely inspiring. It's really the ultimate nomadic travel experience for its sense of allure, mystery, rich history and artistic heritage.

"While the colors of souk markets, with their inspired foods, aromatic spices, mint tea, roses, clothing, shoes and crafts, are incredibly memorable, it is the remarkable architectural style and design elements that captivated me. White stucco walls, arches, domes, blue doors and windows, geometric patterns, romantic courtyards with tiled moriscas and lavish gardens are remarkable."

Sometimes even the simplest addition of greenery can be huge.

At Maison and Objet, the Italian brand Gervasoni paired tall-backed strappy chairs and two totally mismatched chairs with a curvy concrete base table topped with marble -- all whites, grays and black. A montage of dripping greenery and lights was constructed above, like a chandelier hanging overhead -- and it was design genius.

Don't forget about accessories -- pillows, rugs, lanterns and small garden stools or tables -- that can add a pop of color and pattern. Elaine Smith (www.elainesmith.com) brings fashion to her stylish pillow designs -- with dressmaker details like cords and trims -- all with on-trend color combinations. One new rug design from the eponymous Spanish brand Nanimarquina juxtaposes florals with checks in a striking pattern that is modern but reminiscent of antique Bessarabia.

Frinier feels we spend so much time connected online that we need to think about wellness. "We need balance," he says.

"Beyond creating outdoor dining and entertaining spaces, find the unique space outside where you can place a lounge chair, ottoman and small occasional table near filtered sunlight, where you can actually read a book or sketch or simply relax or meditate with calming music or to the sound of wind chimes," he says. "A place for a chaise lounge, daybed or hammock where you can laze and nap.

"For those who live in apartments or condominiums, a chair or chaise by French doors to a small balcony or a window where sunlight may flood in create that feeling of a retreat and getaway.

"We really need to unplug, unwind and undo. Relaxing makes us more aware of ourselves, our surroundings and it ignites and fuels the creative spirit to be still with our own thoughts."

Sources

-- B and B Italia, 212-889-9606, www.bebitalia.com

-- Century Furniture, 800-852-5552, www.centuryfurniture.com

-- DEDON, 877-693-3366, www.dedon.de

-- EMU, (some items sold through Room and Board, 800-301-9720, www.roomandboard.com), www.emu.it

-- Gervasoni, in the U.S., contact imoderni, 305-865-8577, www.imoderni.com; www.gervasoni1882.it/en

-- Gloster, 434-205-0417, www.gloster.com

-- Kettal, 786-552-9002, www.kettal.com

-- Missoni, 866-966-0390, www.missoni.com/us

-- Nanimarquina, 646-701-7058, www.nanimarquina.com

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

-- Roche Bobois, 212-889-0700, www.roche-bobois.com

-- Seasonal Living, 512-554-5738, www.seasonalliving.com

Consider the plain white wall as a canvas. In a milieu obsessed with personalization, treating those walls with color, pattern and texture is happening in a dynamic way, with amazing options that are unprecedented.

The worlds of art and decor are merging, with hand-painting, textures, the look of stones and gems available in a variety of materials, along with mosaics, sequins, glass beads and shards, patchwork fabrics. All of these may be embraced on today's wall cladding, which may be a covering of wood, porcelain, glass or mosaic, as well as what we consider traditional wallcovering -- although these days, it may be paper, vinyl or a hybrid.

Some of what is available today is truly extraordinary. And it's reminiscent of what craftspeople and artisans delivered to aristocrats and royalty centuries ago. Inspirations still come largely from nature, and the interpretations by the artists are what can be so arresting.

The influence of maximalism in home decor cannot be denied. Some patterns are expressed through layering, which leads to new forms, the likes of which we haven't seen before. This is what makes the best of the new wallcoverings so fresh.

Case in point: A new design by artist Elena Carozzi depicts brilliant orange koi fish in a rhythmic pattern, made more intense because they're presented on a charcoal ground. The ground itself is a traditional damask, and the juxtaposition is almost startling.

And wallcovering itself has become a barometer for style trends -- or at least a reflection of what currently is resonating in home decor. Because of the range in scale and subject matter, geometry and stylization, there's an appeal even to modernists that wasn't there a few years back.

The maximalism movement has been nurturing an appetite for pattern. And "customizable" has been a key buzzword. There are companies where you can download your own art -- photos from travels, favorite dishes in restaurants, your children -- and turn them into wallpaper. Self-adhesive, peel-off papers have made installations a little less scary. And the patterns offered at companies like Tempaper (www.tempaper.com) are stylish and come in a range of colors suitable for many kinds of decor.

Murals continue to be popular, and digital printing has made large-scale designs more like works of art. Fidelity to imagery from nature, for example, has resulted in incredibly realistic subjects. As in fabric design, scale has ramped up. Besides bold looks, color also has become richer, with more depth, shadings and mixes.

"The biggest change is the explosion in scale," says Atlanta based interior designer Melissa Galt. "We're no longer thinking wallpaper. It's wall art or wall murals -- and not just scenic."

Texture continues to evolve. Last year, Elitis introduced an incredible mosaic handcrafted from mother of pearl, sea shells and recycled teak in a beautiful range of peach and lavender tones. In Paris, the Dutch Walltextile Co. attracted attention with a covering that teamed an olive velvet in a burnished metallic weave.

Metallic accents warm surfaces, while embroidery adds another decorative touch. Some of the embroidery feels more modern, like topstitching as opposed to a fancier stitch.

And applique is employed in a most dramatic form at Kinland Decor, with a leather covering that features leather floral appliques that pop, with embroidery to flesh out the flowers' leaves.

Charlotte designer Lisa Mende was especially blown away by this wallcovering, which she saw at Heimtextil, the massive international textile show held each year at Messe Frankfurt in Germany.

"The leather applique flowers, along with the embroidery, add such a soft, sophisticated accent to the leather wall," says Mende. "The tension of using a product that is typically so masculine and adding a feminine touch creates a yin and yang we all crave in design."

Pasadena, California, designer Jeanne Chung of Jeanne K. Chung Inc., says she likes her wallcovering designs "the bigger the better. Bold, bold bold."

"Nonrepeating murals and photorealistic collages are great," she adds. Chung does sketches and renderings for her clients, so they can see just how her large-scale designs occupy a space. She looks to art, wallcoverings and rugs for cues to pull together a palette for a room.

At Heimtextil and Paris Deco Off, both this past January, several trends were dominant:

-- Bird motifs. Avian imagery always has a following, but this year, there were more birds than usual. From songbirds to pelicans to cranes, with the latter part of a growing trend for Japanese themes.

-- Japanese artistry, like printmaking, also was celebrated in collections like Mizumi by Black Edition.

-- Art Deco. Coinciding with furniture and lighting directions, the distinctive stylized shapes that make up this look, most popular in the '30s, has settled in. At Ancien and Moderne, a charming pop-up during Maison and Objet in Paris in January, one wall showed off fabulous pattern that was inspired by the eggshell inlay work of Jean Dunand and Gaston Suisse -- on a rich ruby-red waxed ground.

-- Geometrics. Scaled up, with more open fields, these patterns are especially appealing to those seeking an appropriate backdrop for mid-century modern styles.

-- Foliage and nature. Palm prints have enjoyed popularity for some time. Now the prints are denser and include other types of foliage, even grasses, ferns and trees. In a collaboration with Moooi, the firm launched by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, one captivatingly dense pattern shows 10 extinct animals, buried in the greenery. And the stylized painting of rows of trees in a Cole and Son paper is utterly enchanting.

-- Bold florals. The dark-ground Dutch masters look has retreated somewhat, but not the florals. Now they may be a bit brighter, but the big blooms endure.

-- Overscale textures like grass cloth and jute, including those from the Belgian brand O.

-- Rich velvet and metallic weaves made one collection called Caribou by the Dutch Walltextile Co. a standout.

"Grass cloths in luscious bright fresh colors like cobalt blue and emerald green are giving new life to spaces in texture and color," says Wichita, Kansas, interior designer Mitzi Beach.

"Wallpaper is not back," says Beach. "It never left."

Sources

-- Arte, 866-943-2783, www.arte-international.com

-- Anthology, 201-399-0500, www.stylelibrary.com

-- Black Edition, 800-338-2783, blackedition.com

-- Cole and Son, customer.service@cole-and-son.com, cole-and-son.com

-- Dutch Walltextile Co., info@dwc-amsterdam.com, www.dwc-amsterdam.com

-- Elitis, 917-472-7482, www.elitis.fr/en

-- Fromental, 347-625-1838, www.fromental.co.uk

-- Kit Kemp for Andrew Martin, info@kitkemp.com, www.kitkemp.com, also through www.kravet.com

-- Elena Carozzi for Lizzo, london@lizzo.net, www.lizzo.co.uk,

-- Omexco, info@omexco.com, www.omexco.com

-- ZR, Zimmer and Rohde Ltd., 212-758-7925, www.zimmer-rohde.com

E-books may be gaining popularity, and the hard-cover variety may not populate as many homes as in the past, but the need for a bookcase or two hasn't waned. In fact, on retailer sites it's still its own category, sometimes teamed with storage and shelves, and the old-fashioned freestanding bookcase has been reimagined.

It's still recognizable, but the tweaks have given it a range of styles and looks, and increased modularity has created options -- for those blessed with an abundance of space or those with serious storage challenges. And greater attention is being paid to its expanded function: as a room divider, a spot for artsy objects and collectibles, as well as for boxes or baskets to corral clutter -- or even solo as a decorative tour de force.

Changes are being reflected both in very large formats -- single pieces or modules ganged together -- or more compact, slender units designed for small-scale living. A dominant shift has been to more open shelving, often resembling an etagere. During EuroCucina, part of the massive Salone del Mobile show in Milan last spring, there was an abundance of these shelving systems that integrated seamlessly into living spaces, stylishly defining kitchens and function within.

What is most striking about these components is the mix of materials -- metal or stones and porcelains with wood. Often the shelving coordinated with cabinetry. At Veneta Cucine, for example, the black iron framework look created a graphic rhythm throughout the space, with tall open shelving lined with weathered sabbia wood shelves in the foreground, and medium-height closed shelves framed in brushed stainless steel, with the rich grain of the wood as a backdrop, rising just high enough to mask the work island behind it. The rich columnar cabinets in the back, finished in a metallic liquid mercury look, also were framed in stainless steel, a handsome design melange.

That emphasis on modern design has affected shelving throughout the home.

-- Riffs on the familiar bookcase and etagere mix materials -- sometimes more than two -- introducing color and varying the heights and widths of dividers.

-- Asymmetry and cantilevering unexpectedly throw off the accustomed formula.

-- Undulation within the format or the shape itself adds a dynamic that commands the eye.

-- Playing with positive and negative spaces offers both closed and open options, sometimes with sliding panels that can change up the look.

-- Patterned accents, such as opaque shades that lend a decorative element that stands out, even when nothing is in the cubbies.

-- Leaning ladder styles suggest a relaxed, casual look.

-- Wall-hung shelving also has morphed: While floating shelves have been an option for some time, now the shelves themselves are being housed in frames that may emphasize shape.

Color alone can be pivotal, as anyone who has ever painted a built-in bookcase a bold color like apple green or cobalt blue can attest. Manufacturers more and more are offering choices. A new series at Ligne Roset called Book and Look has several configurations, available in fashion-forward colors like mustard and khaki, with an option of ganging all together for pop. Harto's Edgar shelving actually is a furniture hybrid: an open console on legs, with a column rising from the right side, and bold blue panels to the left and at the base of the column.

One of the most eye-popping introductions in the last year is Marcel Wanders' Dojo cabinet, part of his Globe Trotters collection for Roche Bobois. The black frame is dressed with stunning, highly lacquered blue panels that slide, inspired by sliding doors in Japanese architecture, plus a round golden mirror at the top, a geometric triumph.

Metals range from raw black iron to warm metallics, like the smart brass-finished etagere from Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop lifestyle collection for CB2.

Pattern also has been employed in fresh ways. Etro Home's open bookcase, its framework in warm brass, is decorated with panels that show off some of the Italian fabric brand's signature prints -- paisleys, stripes, along with solids, as well as a rattan weave that lets light in.

In a similar fashion, Roberto Cavalli Home popped some of the palm prints that give alternating panels a tropical vibe, as well as sophisticated embroidered leather panels, especially effective as the modules team medium, narrow and skinny widths.

Just as pattern changes the face of the bookcase, so does form. It can be sculptural, as in a red spiral in plastic that London designer Ron Arad created for Kartell several years ago. Or it can be architectural, as in a simple framework with cross supports at the Italian brand De Padova. It creates a strong backdrop for furnishings, height and solidity without intruding on even large-scale sofas or sectionals.

A dimensional piece like the Portuguese brand Green Apple's newest Hobart is arresting and still familiar, as the elements break down into cubes set on their sides to create a honeycomb pattern. And Wewood turns the bookcase at a seemingly precarious angle -- an open form intersected with an equal size, askew and visually unnerving.

Even the more conventional Everywhere by Christian Werner for Ligne Roset has an element of surprise: Appended to its open shelving is a floating asymmetrical closed door that shifts the boundaries of the piece. That brand is especially adept at addressing multiple storage needs by combining vertical elements, like bookcases, with low-slung consoles or open sideboards to suit entertainment and TV storage needs, with attractive combinations like black marble-effect ceramic stoneware, black-stained oak veneer and black perforated steel back panels (in Clyde), with occasional contrasting brass elements.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the new, minimal Jack bookcase by London-based Cypriot designer Michael Anastassiades for B and B Italia. Its bare essential dual support poles pierce the shelves, stretch to the ceiling and taper at ends to single rods.

For those who don't want to commit floor space, the number of stylish wall-hung shelves has been growing. The French brand Harto channeled a bit of mid-century with a hint of eastern style in the staggered look of pole supports, most striking in black with gold accents (also in natural), that create a fetching composition, even before decorative pieces are added.

A very different look at Anthropologie combines Lucite with brass supports (that read as accents) in a compelling arch, with transparent shelves. That retailer also features a piece reminiscent of curios, this one in an exaggerated oval.

Whatever you call them, these new storage solutions are useful in just about any room in the house.

-- Place a slender etagere as a focal point at the end of a foyer.

-- Divide space with a larger piece, perfectly suited for loft-style living.

-- Position open shelving in front of a window with a less than attractive view.

-- Add a sculptural or architectural bookcase to ground and add visual verve.

Even with brilliant solutions for containing, your job is not finished. Now it's up to you to act as curator, editing your own collections so they'll look fabulous on your new shelves.

Sources

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

-- B & B Italia, 1-800-872-1697, www.bebitalia.com

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

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

-- De Padova, 212-431-8282, www.depadova.com

-- Ethnicraft, at ABC Carpet and Home, 646-602-3101, www.ethnicraft.com

-- Etro Home, 212-247-1200, www.etro.com/en_it

-- Green Apple, info@greenapple.pt, www.greenapple.pt/en

-- Harto, contact@hartodesign.com, www.hartodesign.fr

-- Ligne Roset, 212-375-1036, www.ligne-roset.com

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

-- Snaidero, 310-516-8499, www.snaidero-usa.com

-- Wewood, at Arttitud, authorized dealer, 415-252-8888, www.wewood.eu, www.arttitud.com