When you invest in an Adirondack chair, you probably don't want it to blend into the background. You want people to notice, enjoy, and use that chair. But the Adirondack style has become so popular that sometimes it's easy to look right past. If you are looking for easy ways to emphasize a new Adirondack chair, consider some of these ideas. In each case, you'll draw attention to the chair by surrounding it with other things that may catch the eye.

Create an instant canopy above your Adirondack chair. Set up a simple frame (like a doorframe) around the chair. Twist a long length of cloth over and around this frame. Let the ends hang loosely down the long sides of the frame. Adjust the top portion by playing with the amount of drape and rearranging until you're satisfied with the look. For more of a "room" feel around your Adirondack chair, set up three or four frames with fabric to create "walls."

Set up several chairs and place an aquatic garden in the center of the furniture arrangement. Grow plants such as the water lily, lotus, and water hyacinth. Aquatic plants come in three varieties, fully submerged, half submerged, and floating. Fully submerged plants grow entirely under the water. As a result, they don't add any visual interest, but they can help to keep the water clean. Some popular flowers, such as the water lily and lotus, actually root in soil, but their leaves and flowers float on top of the water.

Paint a matching design on your Adirondack chair and on the wood flooring of your deck. Go as big or small as you want. The repeating element could be as simple as a small motif on the back of each chair and in the center of the furniture arrangement. Buy paint specifically formulated for outdoor use to ensure it can hold up to weathering. Depending on the material, you might consider both a primer and a clear overcoat to preserve your work.

For easy color coordination, choose a set of cushions in a color that matches one offered by a stoneware line of dishes. Use large bowls or pitchers as planters or as vases for cut flower arrangements. You could also use a platter as a color-coordinated base for a candle garden. Choose three or four candles of similar style in different heights. Place these on the dish and surround the candles with natural rocks, marbles, or clear colored plastic stones.

You can also achieve a more general coordination by choosing a resin Adirondack chair in a bright color. Surround the chair with brightly colored flowers in hanging baskets, planters, or small pots. Or select a dark chair and surround it with flowers in richer, darker shades.

Finally, you can emphasize your Adirondack chair with overhead lighting. Choose a chandelier or other attention-grabbing piece. The best ways to hang overhead lighting outside are to attach it to an overhead structure (deck cover or pergola beam) or to tie it to a sturdy overhanging tree limb.