It’s summer and Americans are movin’ out. And not just to patios and decks, the traditional spots for barbeques and picnics. We are plunking down chairs and love seats in the middle of the yard, surrounding them with blooming containers and stacks of books and settling in.

Or carving out a corner on the front porch, with a bistro table and a chair for morning coffee.

Sherri Daubert understands the concept. She has her coffeemaker and grinder set up right outside her walkout lower level. Daubert loves to start her day there, looking out over her garden.

For her, it all started with a table several years ago. When she was looking for a unique piece of stone for the top, Daubert found a salvage piece of marble, leftover from the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery’s construction.

“I was a docent there at the time,” she said. “I loved it.”

After having a wrought iron base made, she began putting other things together.

Chairs came from one place, cushions from another. A bench was a bargain find at a big box store.

Before long, she had pieced together several separate seating areas.

This summer, Daubert has taken it one step farther. She’s rearranging furniture with her garden colors — primarily purple — in mind and even moving things from indoors. Two large urns from the inside now hold pots of plants.

The results are serene, colorful and individual.

Her next project is to transform a tall pot into a small garden fountain.

Daubert is not alone in wanting to carve out another living space.

The U.S. Census Bureau Housing Survey found that homeowners across the nation spent more than $40 billion in 2003 improving outdoor living areas.

The explosion of interest in outdoor furnishings has taken place in the last 10 years. In 1994, according to the American Home Furnishings Alliance in High Point, N.C., outdoor furniture sales — which then probably meant a round table and four chairs — was about $2 billion. By 2004, that number had grown to about $4.7 billion.

This summer, high gasoline prices are also driving the desire to stick around the house.

According to the 2006 Summer Gardening Trends Research Report, almost half (47 percent) of American households plan to decrease summer travel and spend more time on home and garden projects in response to the high cost of gasoline.

Although Daubert’s efforts revolve around gardening as much as decor, others just want to be outdoors.

Gardens are just one element of this newfound space. Fire pits, barbeques, comfy chairs and hot tubs are all a part of the total outdoor picture.

Travis Stark, manager of Capital Patio and Flame Shop, said one of his store’s most popular items is the “chat” group — four larger, rocking-style chairs and a copper fire pit.

Outdoor kitchens, which his store custom designs to the individual customer’s space and cooking needs, can include grills, refrigerators — even the kitchen sink.

Outdoor rugs are hot this year, Stark said. He can order all kinds of colors and sizes.

These rugs are also turning up everywhere from Target to Home Depot, in a variety of styles and prices.

They are made to be outdoors, drenched in rain, run over by Big Wheels.

Since outdoor rugs are relatively new, no one is sure if they have a one-year or five-year life span. They are resistant to mildew, fading, mold and pool chemicals, according to their care labels. Most are made of polypropylene, a plastic product.

Different age groups are looking at their outdoor living areas in different ways.

Young couples with small children and less income want to enjoy and entertain. They have hectic lives and watch cable television landscaping shows, studies show.

In some cases, when their houses are small, these new families are creating outdoor rooms to add space.

The less expensive pergola kits and easy-to-set-up metal-framed gazebos with netting are made for this target audience.

At the other end of the spectrum are those over 45years old who have been in their homes more than 16 years, according to a wire story from the Washington Post.

This group is spending the most money on high-end outdoor furniture, gigantic grills and coordinated accessories to go with them.

Whether you are on a budget or not, the backyard and deck or patio can be a blank slate.

Like Sherri Daubert, you can add seating arrangements at will, rearrange with your garden in mind and start each day with coffee in an outdoor setting.

Reach Kathryn Cates Moore at 473-7214 or kmoore@journalstar.com.