BEFORE

When we challenged Aja Muir to upgrade our advertising director, Michelle McGuinness’ lanai, using three different price ranges, the gifted design consultant rubbed her hands with anticipation. “I was really excited about it,” says Muir, general manager of Tropical Garden Accents, in Waimanalo. “Even with the smallest budget, we were able to layer the pieces and get some different looks going.”

Muir put together three different makeovers—with price caps of $500, $1,500 and $2,500—using one basic rule of thumb: “You always want to start with neutral colors,” she explains, “because you don’t want something too dramatic right off the bat. Michelle’s lanai had a lot of neutral colors to begin with, and so after we got the basic setup, we began adding some accent colors.”

While several items were brought in from Tropical Garden Accents, a 3-acre outdoor showroom filled with ceramic pottery, container-friendly plants and tasteful garden accents (including fountains and statues), McGuinness was also able to use small items brought from inside the home.

“We had some new things, but we incorporated some ‘old’ into the [makeovers] as well,” says Muir. “It turned out to be a fun project. As the process went on, Michelle got more and more inspired.”

$2,500 Going All-Out

With the most hefty makeover budget, Muir didn’t hold back. “This is dramatic and over-the-top,” she says, smiling. “That’s what we wanted. It’s a statement.”

A look at the finished work reveals elements that add depth and character to the area. A tall ceramic Vietnamese temple jar 1, free-standing wooden lamp 2 and Buddha statue 3 were added to the setup, providing both visual interest and function.

“People tend to dismiss a free-standing lamp as an outdoor item,” Muir says. “But you can absolutely do that. It kind of brings that interior look outdoors.”

$1,500 A Dramatic Improvement

Although the lanai is very much symmetrical, Muir encourages people to mix things up in their design. “A lot of people are afraid of being asymmetrical,” she says, “but it’s good to layer the look and add depth to the design. We picked tall pots and plants, but we also chose some smaller pots and low plants.”

The two tall plants at either end of the lanai nicely frame the overall space, and the budget also allowed for another pot 4, a small sofa 5 and even a fountain 6.

“You still want some consistency,” says Muir. “Here, the consistency is with the green pots—again, the dramatic accent pieces. Everything else can build around that. For instance, if the Michelle wanted to change the look to a purple scheme, all she’d have to do is change to purple flowers and pillows.”

$500 Fabulous Accents

Muir recommends spending money on one big, dramatic accent piece. “After that, you can always build around the piece using items from around your house,” she says. For this setup, Muir brought in a large, ceramic pot with a striking lime-green glaze 8, then dropped in a purple ti plant for added visual interest 7. “You don’t have to fill the pot with soil; just drop in the plant, plastic pot and all,” says Muir.

With the remainder of the budget, Muir was able to add a sturdy wicker chair and ottoman 9, as well as a second ceramic pot J. The throw pillows were McGuinness’ own unique touches.