OUTSIDE
Deli t Delights Photo courtesy of Gigi Lombrano
ADD A TOUCH OF CELESTIAL SERENITY TO YOUR RESIDENTIAL ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS WITHOUT FRETTING ABOUT INDOOR SPATIAL CONSTRAINTS. By Bryan A. Hollerbach
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aradise, thy name is patio! Patios used for fun and entertainment are vital living spaces, perhaps now more than ever, given social distancing and other COVID-19-related precautions that generally eighty-six indoor entertaining. In that regard – with the cool clarity of autumn swift increasing – it seemed expedient to confer with a pair of local experts about ways to welcome relatives and friends for a bit of alfresco bonhomie: awardwinning designer Gigi Lombrano of Gigi Lombrano Interiors and Nick Liuzza of NJL Custom Homes.
“Flexibility is the key to hosting an outdoor gathering,” confides Lombrano, who both belongs to the American Society of Interior Designers and holds the esteemed NCIDQ certification through the Council for Interior Design Qualification. “When preparing to host, think ‘divide and conquer,’ using comfy chairs that are easily rearranged, along with small tables which provide a place to hold a drink, as well as your phone/keys and some snacks.” Despite the promise of autumnal cool, Lombrano also recognizes the regularity with which Mother Nature breaks that promise here, with heat and humidity lingering long after they should have abated – usually, alas, mere moments before snow starts falling.
52 | OCTOBER 2020 | ABODE | LADUENEWS.COM