Spring is officially in swing, and if you're fortunate enough to have a home with outdoor living space, you're likely gearing up for pool parties, firepit nights, and just good old lounging around in the sun. Ormaybe you're casting a critical eye on your deck, porch, patio, or veranda, realizing it could use a serious spruce-up.Never fear: We're here to help you live your best, most luxurious alfresco life. We solicited the advice of six designers with Decorating Den Interiors, a collective of individually owned and operated design firms across the U.S., and came away with five keys to making your outdoor-living dreams a reality.1. Choose your materials wiselyDesigner: Bohnne Jones | Photographer: Alex SharpIn any space that will be exposed to the elements, it's vital to rely on furniture, rugs, and lighting specifically manufactured for outdoor use. "You really need to make sure, if you're not taking your things in and out every day, that they're rated for the weather," says Nashville designer Bohnne Jones. As an example, she offers the patio shown above, for which the owner wanted furnishings with a very organic look. Unfortunately, "very organic" materials are often the ones that deteriorate most quickly in the sun and rain, so Jones went with these rattan-look chairs, which are actually synthetic. Along similar lines, "the cushions are all outdoor-rated, light-fast, and mildew-resistant, which is an issue in the South because of the humidity," she says.Ditto with the more decorative items, like the throw pillows. (A useful caution here from Jones for DIYers: "You might think you can make pillows using outdoor fabric, but if you're still using regular cotton thread, it will rot. Make sure you have outdoor-rated thread as well.") Even the plant containers are chosen accordingly. "Ceramic pots shouldn't be left out in the winterthey will absorb moisture and crack when it freezes," Jones says. So this patio uses an assortment of planters in weather-appropriate materials: glazed terra-cotta, metal, and plastic.2. Don't overestimate your spaceDesigner: Krista Shugars | Photography: Darren MilesWhen designing a seemingly vast pool area for homeowners in Naples, Florida, Krista Shugars, owner and lead designer of Maryland-based KD Designs, and her team proceeded carefully in plotting out the arrangement. They started with the pool, which left the remaining square footage to accommodate the owner's requests for multiple functions: an outdoor kitchen, a dining room, a TV sitting area, and a firepit."They wanted big, comfy chairs, and it's actually a narrow space, so making it all fit was a challenge," Shugars says. Some considerations they made a point to keep in mind: leaving enough room for guests to easily pull chairs back from the dining table; ensuring seating was a comfortable viewing distance from the TV while not encroaching on the pool (the chairs might be splash-proof, but guests watching the football game may not be); and allowing room around the adjacent firepit for six substantial swivel chairs. Also, when you're contemplating a space with wide-open views rather than solid walls to provide a sense of the parameters, it can be easy to be deceived visually. Shugars relied on 3D rendering software and detailed drawings, along with the tried-and-true "checking and rechecking our measurements," she says.3. Make the color scheme cohesiveDesigner: Kris Miller | Photographer: Michael HunterWhile it might seem obvious to decorate a pool area in shades of blue, in fact your outdoor design palette should play off the one inside, says designer Kris Miller, who designed this space in Austin, Texas. "It's important that they coexist, especially if you're sitting inside and can see out the windows to the outdoor design."This philosophy was especially important in this case, because several rooms look out over the terraced outdoor space: the primary bedroom, which is decorated in blues, taupes, grays, and golds, with artwork in blue and orange; the formal living room and adjoining family room, which use cream, taupe, and champagne; and the kitchen/breakfast area, which houses the owners' collection of art glass, much of it blue. "What we did outside was use a lot of neutral, but then also some color pops incorporating blue," Miller says. "It's cohesive with the interiors, and the blue ties into a lot of artwork that's very personal to them."The same point holds true for the design style used indoors and out, she adds: If your home is "super-modern, and you bought outdoor furniture in wicker that's very traditional and cottage-y, it's a disconnect."4. Consider how much upkeep you're up forDesigners: Barbara Elliott & Jennifer Ward-Woods | Photographer: Scott JohnsonBarbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward-Woods, partners in Atlanta-based design firm The Sisters and Company, also adhered to the outdoors-as-extension-of-indoors principle in conceiving this cozy balcony. But in doing so, they encountered another challenge, since the governing palette here was black and whitethe latter, of course, being particularly risky in outdoor areas. Their client on this project was willing to go to some trouble in order to keep the color scheme she loved, however, so Elliott and Ward-Woods ordered covers for all of the furniture and made sure the cushion materials could be removed and bleached when necessary. They also advise being diligent, in any open space that could be buffeted by winds, "that you're not putting in furniture that's going to bounce around or fly away easily." Equal care was taken when it came to smaller details. "When it's completely open, we try to not have as many accessories," says Elliott. "We're going to do more with pillows, which can be brought in easily, and lean toward plants and heavy lanterns."5. Don't stress if you don't have a viewJennifer Psynack, owner of Design Concept in upstate New York, had amazing views to showcase when she designed the striking octagonal screened deck in the Finger Lakes region pictured at the top of this story. To that end, she kept accessories minimal and simply let the glittering blue water and glossy green trees work their visual magic. "But not everyone has a lake view," Psynack acknowledgesand in those cases, "we have to create those moments, those focal points. Don't be afraid to use plants, rocks, water features, statues." She strives to create a textural, layered feel: "If you have a lot of plants, break them up with a rock formation, a waterfall, or even a birdbath." As long as you're willing to shuttle accessories in and out, you can even decorate with books and tableware, she adds.