Back Patio Refresh – On a Budget!
Form
The first step in creating this outdoor oasis was to consider the size we were working with. Trust me, the overall space is not very big AND we were needing to work around a fairly large hot tub. I wanted to maximize this limited area by creating two living spaces; a place to dine and a casual living area with a variety of seating options. The best way for me to define the two spaces was to place outdoor area rugs on the patio. The placement of these rugs created a foundation for which I could build upon and helped me visualize the end result.
Frugality
Budget is always at the forefront of each room I design. Therefore, most everything used to create this outdoor space was bought second hand. Searching for the right piece of furniture or accessory is part of the fun! Before starting this back patio refresh, I priced new patio sets (table and six chairs) from a couple of big box stores. The ones I liked averaged $1200.00. Yikes! I am happy to say this ENTIRE project (furniture, rugs, accessories, lighting, landscape, etc.) did not cost that much. Woohoo! If you are trying to stay on budget, be sure to shop local flea markets, antique stores, thrift stores, and Facebook Marketplace. You may not find what you are looking for immediately, so be willing to check back often to find the perfect piece(s) to compliment your space.
Functionality
As mentioned, my goal was to create not one, but TWO spaces to congregate. For the dining area, I purchased a wooden table and chairs from Facebook Marketplace for $90.00. It is clearly not intended for outdoor use. However, I have treated it with a waterproofing product and a coat of polyurethane, so hopefully it will hold up to the weather. Because it is a set you would typically see inside a home, I love how the stained wooden top, painted base, and sea grass chairs bring texture, warmth and coziness to the outdoor space.
For the living area, I transitioned a bench that was previously used at the foot of our bed to the outdoor space. It works perfectly against the side of the house offering extra seating AND storage. The industrial metal baskets come in handy for storing extra towels, blankets, and pillows. The original cushion to the bench was covered in a red and white gingham fabric. Because it was glued to the bench, I chose to paint it with white chalk paint. I love how it turned out and plan to write a separate blog post about that process soon!
Once the bench was in place, I set out to purchase comfy chairs and a coffee table. The two gray Adirondack chairs were found on sale at Target for less than $20.00 per chair. The resin material allows for hassle-free maintenance and all-weather performance. Win-win! I also scored two iron chairs at Goodwill for $6.00 each. A quick coat of black spray paint made them look like new! To provide extra coziness and comfort, I added some adorable outdoor cushions and pillows (also on sale at Target).
To complete this seating area, I added a wicker coffee table which was found at a local antique store for $17.00. I had thought of painting it black, but decided to leave it the original green color. The texture and color compliment the dining table and chairs and it is the perfect size for this space.
Focal Point
After placing the main furniture pieces, It was fun to bring in accessories and unique décor items. The focal point for this space is that beautiful sign. Isn’t it amazing?!? This was originally a very large picture I bought years ago at a used furniture store for only $10.00. I knew it would make a perfect chalkboard. Thankfully, a sweet and talented friend of mine transformed this fun find into an original piece of art and I love it! The monogramed black and white towels, hanging lantern, and variety of pillows on the bench make this wall the focal point for the entire outdoor space.
Fun Features
What better way to bring a pop of color into an outdoor space than by adding flowers and plants. We chose to border the patio with Knock Out roses and pampas grass. We also used three large containers to serve two purposes. The most obvious was to fill them to the brim with a variety of flowers. But…before doing that, we used each container as an anchor to help secure additional lighting above the patio. I have always loved seeing string lights on covered porches and patios and wanted to figure out a way to add them to our fresh new space.
Since we were not working with a covered space, we had to get creative to solve this problem. Three large containers, a bag of concrete and three shepherds hooks later provided the means to string four strands of lights above our outdoor dining and living space. This fun and fairly easy project provided the finishing touch to our backyard patio refresh. The warm white lights create a soft glow and perfect atmosphere to our outdoor space! I will share the details of this lighting project in an upcoming blog post. However, if you don’t want to wait…head over to my Instagram and you can see the process saved to my highlights titled “backyard”.
Are you wanting to refresh your patio, deck, or porch? If so, I hope these key ideas provide inspiration and maybe a little guidance as you create a DELIGHTFUL outdoor living space you want to enjoy and be in as often as the weather will allow.
