The patio & porch are true extensions of our living space spring, summer & fall. We spend a lot of time outdoors watching the girls play or relaxing with a glass of wine, so I like to treat the patio & porch like I do any room of our home. Each year, we give the patio a little refresh. It just needs a little sprucing up after the leaves, rain & snow. I treat it just like I would any other space, adding pillows, a throw blanket, lighting & decor.
Yesterday was the perfect spring day. We had so much fun celebrating Easter. We spent the afternoon power washing the patio, planting a few additional flowers along the patio & a couple of planters of lavender by the light posts. I’ve been potting lavender for a few years now & love that in addition to their fragrance & aesthetic, they also keep mosquitos at bay.
We just had our house painted {more to come on that soon!} & I couldn’t be happier with the color scheme I chose. It is so clean & crisp & works well with the existing stone that I refused to cover with paint.
For a little added ambience & evening lighting, I added a couple strands of string bulb lights. We have several strands from our 2007 wedding still. They help draw the eye up from the aging concrete.
When you select something you love, I think it just gets better with time. Last summer, I anxiously waited for our patio set to age. It aged beautifully over the winter & I rotated it this spring to allow the sun & rain to weather it evenly.
I lined the flower beds with the same flowers I did last year. After just a month, they spread & flowed over the rock wall. The far side of the patio is our maintenance free butterfly garden. I’ll update this post when it fills in, but for now, here’s an iPhone photo of it from last year!
I’m still in love with the galvanized barn light fixture we installed last year.
I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made & that we’ve created a space outdoors that we can relax & enjoy. I look forward to sharing photos with you again in another month when the landscaping flourishes! For more easy ideas to improve your home this spring, download the Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine – it’s free & full of inspiration!
I’m proud to be a Lowes Creator & Influencers network member. As always, all opinions & ideas are my own.
Happy spring!
Coordinately yours,
Julie
I love the color of your house Julie! Lovely…..
Thank you! I was really happy, after a few nervous feelings. It’s a huge commitment!
You have amazing home decor style Julie!! I’m secretly smiling because I have that same Pottery Barn blanket. The fact that you picked it also makes me think that I might be on the right track 😉
Stay fabulous,
Seng | http://www.sengerson.com
Ah, thank you, Seng! It’s such a soft throw – it has been everywhere in our home. If you ever want to shop my finds, I share them on http://www.shopbhg.com
Thanks for reading!
This is such a gorgeous setup! I love the color of your house 🙂