We Found Inspiration for Furnishing Your Backyard in Our Favorite Summer Movies

Beads of sweat and warm night winds. Smoke from the grill, the rip-roar of ice in a blender, and the sweet, sweet taste of turning on your out-of-office for a week or two. Summer’s (almost) here, and we’re getting ready by watching some of our favorite sun-soaked movies. In case your old lawn chairs are no longer compelling or your patio has lost the plot, we took some inspiration from a selection of what we think are classic summer films and found a few new outdoor accoutrements that will bring a cinematic atmosphere to your backyard.

Blue Crush

Picture this: Foamy waves tumble across white-sand beaches as you catch your crush’s gaze for just a little too long. No Doubt is blaring out of your radio, and Britney is hand-in-hand with Justin on the covers of all your favorite magazines. It’s 2002, and there are no higher stakes than in the world of sun, surf, and teenage infatuation.

But if you’re landlocked and loveless, no sweat. Bold colors and blocky lines transform any outdoor area into a piece of paradise fit for a flirty, fleeting fling. Splurge on a wavy teal Tupelo Goods chair or a radiant, canary-yellow sun lounger from MoMA. Let your rash guard dry in the sun while you sit next to a hot-pink side table from Heller and rest on one of Sferra’s extra-large terry-cloth beach towels. Just don’t forget your sunblock—Dune’s award-winning gel has got you covered. Soon you’ll be all set for a summertime romp in the sun. Just remember: It’s just a little crush.

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Wet Hot American Summer

Enamel plates, mosquito nets, and a dinner bell ringing off in the distance. Where are we going? We’re off to summer camp. School’s out, and we’re ready to kick it full-time with a healthy dose of absurdist 1970s and ’80s nostalgia. I’m talking s’mores and short-shorts. I’m talking card games and Mitch, a can of mixed vegetables dispensing wisdom to Christopher Meloni. It’s going to be hot, it’s going to be wet, and it’s going to be a summer we won’t forget.

But if you want your backyard to evoke camp without being too campy, you can capture a grown-up version of the vibe with a bench from Fritz Hansen or an elegantly utilitarian pendant lamp from Fermob.

Want to go all the way this year? It’s all in the details: Add a pair of Nocs binoculars, a Crow Canyon mug, or a bell from Schoolhouse.

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Something’s Gotta Give