Orlando Soria is a designer in Los Angeles, CA who recently completed a backyard makeover for his West Hollywood home using Sunbrella fabrics. Orlando focuses on personal details for his design approach, saying his goal is to “translate my client’s personality onto their space.” His next priority is respecting a home’s innate details and design and improving upon it. Orlando says, “my ideal house is one that has a good deal of history, with pretty millwork and architectural details, filled with modern, sculptural furniture and contemporary art.”
Entertaining-Friendly Meets Pet-Friendly
The first goal for Orlando’s backyard was to clean the space up, the backyard “felt very neglected” when he moved in. Orlando wanted a space where he could hang out during the day and host outdoor dinners at night. One other important factor for the backyard was a place where Orlando’s dog, Saturday, would have a place to play. “My goal was to create a space that was not only pretty, but also could withstand wear and tear from a very active dog,” explains Orlando.
Must-Have: Comfortable Seating
Homing in on his own personal style, Orlando chose the beautiful Seton Modular set in Charcoal Sunbrella fabric from Frontgate. This versatile seating option anchors the outdoor space with a classic, adaptable style. “It’s the first thing you see when you enter and it just beckons you to come lounge,” says Orlando. “I love an outdoor sectional because it provides seating for a lot of people while also keep an open, inviting layout.”
Not only does the design of the sectional seating anchor the design of Orlando’s backyard, the Sunbrella fabric cushions will withstand wear and tear from his very energetic canine companion.
Completing the Space
He also selected some beautiful pillows designed by Elaine Smith for Frontgate to add color and pattern to the seating area. As Orlando says, “there were so many great fabric options from Sunbrella to choose from!” His pillow choices include the Soren Square Pillow, the Bakuba Lumbar Pillow in Denim, the Focus Outdoor Pillow in Indigo, and the Kente Pillow in Pebble, all designed by Elaine Smith for Frontgate.
Next up for this dreamy backyard? “At some point I’d love to add some shade – either some colorful Sunbrella sails, a pergola, or a few umbrellas,” says Orlando. “It’s beautiful to spend time out there at night but I’m guessing once summer hits I’ll want more shade.”
Design Advice from Orlando
Orlando’s advice for starting your own design project? “Choose ONE thing and just buy it. Making one foundational decision makes the rest of the decisions much easier. People get intimidated by a project then get too nervous to make any decisions. So sometimes you just gotta go for it.”
Check out more Designer Spotlights and get inspired with options for Outdoor Living with Sunbrella!
