A Patio Refresh | Our Outdoor “Room”
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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!
You can see the planning process here…
As it starts warming up, I’m dreaming about spending a lot of time outside on our patio and entertaining. Our current patio is in really sad shape. It’s very dated and just looks worn. Unfortunately, I don’t have a huge budget to redo it and furnish it. I’ll have to get creative! I start a lot of my projects with a little bit of inspiration and a layout. This one is no different! Doing this today has me anxious to get started.
Our concrete patio is a little unusual in shape, but I know with the right layout, this will work to our advantage.
We can be honest…this just isn’t pretty.
So, where to start? Clean up! I removed the swing and sold it on Craigslist for $25. I also plan to sell our current patio set and the bird bath that the previous owners left behind. These funds will go toward the renovation. The storm door on the basement door will be removed as well as the miscellaneous exposed wires. Not a dime to be spent here!
Then I’m going to power wash the patio and give it a blank slate. If I’m not happy with the look, I plan to stain the concrete, which is a minimal investment of $50-100 and a little sweat.
Then it’s time to furnish and style! I fell in love with this galvanized clock from Pottery Barn {left} that was no longer available and would have blown my budget. Then I found a galvanized thermometer {right} from Lowe’s for just $18. Sold! I’ll also be adding some flowers to the existing window planters.
This gooseneck galvanized light fixture fits in with my East Coast cottage theme and was only $25 from Lowe’s! It will replace the light to the side of the door and add a lot of charm.
The old post lanterns are awkwardly placed, but are built into a railing that is almost impossible to replace. Fortunately, I found these post lantern replacements on sale for just $9.99 each! I didn’t even realize that was a possibility!
With just $85 spent on cleanup and lighting and decor, I’ll be ready to furnish it! Here is a little of my inspiration:
Simple and casual, just how I like our home to feel via House Beautiful
I envision large chairs with cushions for the fire pit {via Southern Living}
I love these DIY wine barrel end tables for the patio. It would connect our love for wine and the outdoors. {via Centsational Girl}. Now that our window planters are done, it’s time to get started!
Happy spring!
Mrs. Shockley says
I love the color of your house Julie! Lovely…..
Julie says
Thank you! I was really happy, after a few nervous feelings. It’s a huge commitment!
Seng says
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
Julie says
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!
Jessica Zimlich says
This is such a gorgeous setup! I love the color of your house 🙂