fresh and affordable looks for outdoor living
Summer is almost here and that means lots of time for outdoor living and lounging. These warm days are like precious gold in the great northeast. Most of 2018 to date has been spent in wind and rain, snow and sleet and lots of cloud cover. You can feel the energy in the air when the sun shines - - people are out and about and the neighborhood just feels a little lighter.
Like most styling selections in my home I try to keep things simple and classic while being affordable. Last spring we splurged on a stamped concrete patio that I am beyond in love with. For four years we lived on gravel and grass and couldn't be happier with the decision of going with concrete. For the full post on my patio makeover CLICK HERE!
This Spring my focus was on selecting outdoor materials that felt light and inviting but were low maintenance. We travel quite a bit in the summer months and I didn't want to fret about whether or not I "took the cushions in". Life is just too busy for that!
Our patio is essentially broken up into three sections: (1) The Fire Pit Area, (2) The Lounging Area, and (3) The Dining Area. This post will walk you through each of the three spaces along with some of the low-maintenance plants I selected for the yard space. Enjoy the tour!
THE FIRE PIT AREA
For the fire pit area we built our own pit using flagstone blocks from Lowe's and my husband used reclaimed barn wood to build me a fire pit cover that doubles as surface space (it also hides the unsightly coals and charred wood). It was super easy to build and there are plenty of tutorials on Pinterest that show you some ideas. We got our idea for the cover from the blog The LilyPad Cottage.
Pillows are from Marshalls, Adirondack Chairs were made by my brother-in-law Jim, side table is from Sears (only $27.99 --- click here) and other decor was found at Marshalls.
THE LOUNGING AREA
This area happened by accident. We were hoping for a hot tub but when it wasn't in the budget I came up with a make-shift lounge area. Turns out, it's not really that 'make-shift' and is actually my favorite part of the patio.
What I found out in this process is that lounge chairs are EXPENSIVE (holy hell!!). But I scored these (also from Sears) for only $59 a piece. Super stoked! The umbrella was on sale from Joss & Main for $39. Pillows and vases are from Marhsalls and plants are from Lowes and Troy's Landscape. The white planters were from Rite Aide and were $3.00. I bought Rustoleum spray paint from Lowes and sprayed them white. Boom! Lastly, the side table/umbrella stand was $69 from Sears. I love it!!!
THE DINING AREA
The dining area setup kind of makes me laugh. The table and chairs were found on Craigslist about four years ago now. We scored the whole set (including Sunbrella cushions) for only a couple hundred bucks. The metal pergola was clearance at K-mart for $159 about 3 years ago. I have no idea where the set originally came from and haven't been able to find the pergola online since, but let me tell you, get on Craiglist or Facebook Marketplace and search through other peoples stuff. You can get a great deal!!
THE PLANTS OF THE PATIO
From succulents to rosemary, dwarf pine to feather grass, and a little bit of in-between, here are the lovely hues of purple and green that make this patio come to life. Low maintenance plants with lots of color and energy. Oh - and a picture of a pretty little chicken named 'Cleopatra' that we love oh so much xoxoxo
As always, thank you for coming by the blog and I really hope you enjoyed the tour. In the hectic cadence of our lives our backyard and patio have become a sanctuary. A space for food, family and fun. A place to unwind, have privacy, light a fire and sip on wine. I hope you all have a beautiful summer full of laughter and joy.
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