Hello there! Hope you had a wonderful long weekend, and especially a great 4th of July! I’m happy to welcome you to the Bloggers Patio Party blog tour, where nine talented design bloggers will be sharing their ideas for enjoying some outdoor living this summer on your backyard patios, decks, or even just right in your backyard! If you’re joining me from Jennifer over at Decor Gold Designs, then you’ve already been treated to a lot of beautiful ideas. I hope I can add a few more for you to consider. Let’s go out back!
We’ve lived in our home for two years now, and up until recently, our patio off the back of the house was pretty much an wasteland of concrete, with a few random chairs sprinkled around for good measure. Needless to say, it was not doing a lot to promote outdoor living! Today I’m sharing what we’ve done to improve the “livability” and “party-ability” of our backyard patio, and giving you some ideas so perhaps you can up the enjoyment factor of your backyard or patio as well. I’ve included links to some sources in case you want to try to recreate a similar look on your own patio. (Some affiliate links included.)
Idea #1: Comfy seating for conversations and for relaxing
I knew right off the bat that I wanted to add a seating area on the back patio that would allow my husband and I, and our dog Ghost, to go outside on a summer evening, enjoy the breezes and watch the deer as they roam through our backyard (eating away at our trees and flowers and they go, but hey – it’s nature, right?).
I settled on two of these aluminum and rattan chairs from Overstock.com. (You can find them here.) They are super comfy and are pretty much no maintenance. Of course, our backyard patio is completely covered, so I haven’t had to worry about them getting fried all day long by the hot sun. Having an ottoman is pretty much non-negotiable for me. I swear that it is impossible for me to relax and read if I don’t have my legs up!
A few cozy throws in case the evening gets chilly, and some pillows to add some pops of color and for back support, and this little seating area is pretty well set up. Oh, and I also added a small lamp for reading when it gets dusky.
SHOP THE LOOK
We bought the chairs and ottomans last summer. And while they were comfy and we enjoyed spending time on the back porch, I felt like we were missing something to tie the area together and make it feel like an cozy spot on its own. And that missing piece was a rug.
I just recently acquired this beautiful rug from Rugs USA. (You can find it here.) Probably the first thing you’ll notice when you go to that rug link is that it’s not an outdoor rug! I knew that when I ordered it, but because our patio is covered, and because it’s just my husband and I, I felt like we’d be okay with the rug out here for the summer months. I plan on moving it indoors at the end of the summer and using it in a guest bedroom.
I really love the extra punch of color that the rug adds to the seating space. Plus it makes the seating area feel so cozy and homey.
**You’ll want to stay tuned until the end of the post, because I’ve got exciting news about a rug giveaway that will happening on my Instagram later this week! Be sure to check it out!**
Idea #3: Treat your patio as you would your home, and dress up those big bare walls a little
I have this stigma about putting nails into the siding of my house. Somehow it seems so much more intimidating than putting a nail in a wall inside. I’ve decided to get over it, though, and dress my patio walls as I would my indoor walls. Enter these awesome hex shelves by Raw Restorations. I think they are just perfect for showing off some favorite plants, and bringing some interest and color to those big bare outdoor walls. Kate and her dad make some amazing and truly creative art out of old barn wood. I wouldn’t mind dressing up all of these walls with some of Kate’s gorgeous pieces. You can check out her website here and find her on Instagram here.
These hex shelves are made from old barnwood and have so much personality. I outfitted each one with a little baby from my spider plant, potted in a tin can. I figured the tin cans go with the other metals on my porch.
Idea #4: An expanding table will allow you to accommodate more people for parties, or scale things back for a more intimate dining experience.
I chose a table for our patio that comes with a built-in butterfly leaf. It allows me the flexibility to open it up for bigger parties, or to skinny it down if I want more room on the patio for other things going on. I love having the option to take it bigger or smaller. My table is made from Acacia wood, and I love the natural look. (You can find it here.)
SHOP THE LOOK
Idea #5: Choose seating that can be used indoors if necessary – it’s always good to have extra chairs you can use inside!
I love these gunmetal chairs I chose for our patio dining area. (You can find them here.) Besides loving how they look, I also love that they are easy to bring inside, and they go great with my indoor table as well, allowing them to do double duty. And really, I love any piece of furniture that’s flexible – makes spending the $$ on it less painful if you know you can use it in more than one setting!
In some of the pictures, you can behind the table a big galvanized tub. That holds (and mostly hides) my bright yellow hose, a not-so-pretty backyard necessity. (You can find one like it here.)
Idea #6: Use a hutch to create a “room” feel on your patio, and to allow for storage of outdoor dishes and supplies.
Oh my. I’ve had this hutch in my storage unit, going completely to waste, for years. That is until I had the idea to put it on my back patio! Not only does it allow for display of some fun decorative pieces and plants, but it also is so handy to have a place to stash patio dining supplies. Now I don’t have to make a trip inside for extra napkins, plates, salt and pepper, or whatever. (You can find one like it here.)
SHOP THE LOOK
Thanks so much for hanging out with me this morning on our back patio! I hope you enjoy a lovely summer outdoors with your family and friends! Now it’s time to hop on over to see how my friend Annie, from Zevy Joy celebrates her outdoor spaces! You can continue on the tour from Annie’s post, or check out the full tour list with links below. Enjoy!
Lindsay Hill Interiors I Zevy Joy I Kelley Nan I The House of Silver Lining I Citrine Living I Haneen’s Haven I Randi Garrett Design I Z Design at Home I Decor Gold Designs
And finally – whatever you do, be sure to be following my Instagram page because later this week I’ll be giving away a $200 gift certificate to Rugs USA so that you can buy the perfect rug for your patio or home! Entries will be accepted only on my Instagram page, and the contest will be open to US residents only.
Hope you’re the lucky winner!!