Think you can’t turn your patio into an outdoor living space? Think again. Imagine stepping out from your sliding doors to a peaceful oasis of calm and joy. The sun is setting, casting long shadows over plush pillows, sparkling string lights and abundant greenery from your landscaping.
Your patio has become an extra room, the perfect extension of your home where you can find tranquility or entertain your friends and family. This sounds perfect, doesn’t it? Well, making your patio into an outdoor living space is actually quite an easy task if you are willing to follow some expert tips.
Ready to turn your patio into a destination?
The Patio Problem
If you’re lucky, your patio is an unused waste of space. Maybe it’s cold and grey, or bare, or hard; a place that looks great from your living room window, but gives you the same feeling a spiderweb does from the other side of the glass. Perhaps adding a patio to your home was an expensive mistake you’re now living with for the next 20 years, and there’s a good chance your patio looks a lot more like a liability to enjoy your home than an asset.
Maybe you spend your free time staring out a window, wishing the backyard was an oasis, longing for a place to relax and drink a cold one, but thinking it’s never going to happen. But this is where you’re wrong. Creating a backyard patio you’ll actually use doesn’t require a major renovation; it doesn’t even require a huge budget. It does, however, require planning.
Creating the Vision: Where to Start?
The first step in designing a stunning patio is to dream. What would you like to do with this outdoor space? Do you have a vision of entertaining your friends with lavish dinner parties, or would you rather start your mornings here with a cup of coffee? Perhaps you picture yourself slowing down for the evening hours, curled up with a book.
Comfortable Seating: The Heart of Your Patio
Home is where the patio recliner is Just as any indoor room is defined by at least one chair, the key to an outdoor living space is comfortable seating. There’s no reason to be limited to the usual plastic chairs. In fact, the most inviting setup might include cushy, weatherproof cushions and sturdy furniture that entices you to sit and linger.
A sectional sofa, a couple of lounge chairs, or even a hammock can help transform that space into a living room with a view. Furniture that doubles as storage is an ottoman or benches with removable tops provide a covered place to put blankets and pillows, which can then be moved aside to transform the area from living room to bedroom.
Layered Lighting: Setting the Mood
Lighting is the best way to create ambience on your patio — sunlight accounts for most of it during the day — but when the sun sets, layered lighting can really help to create magic. Use fairy lights, lanterns or string lights to add warmth; you could also invest in solar-powered garden lights.
You stroll out to your patio, where warm string lights and lanterns create an intimate atmosphere — but we’ll get around to the ambient lighting soon.
Greenery: Bringing Life to Your Space
Greenery is a surefire patio decorating idea: take your patio from sterile to sensuous by planting any kind of greens you like. You can be an expert gardener who knows how to grow and nurture ornamental plants, or you can be a novice just starting out. All you have to do is get yourself some potted plants, a hanging basket or two, and even plant a vertical garden.
Mixed levels of greenery look best: tall plants such as bamboo or small trees provide privacy and help to enclose the space, while low plants and flowers add color and texture.
Functional Zones: Maximizing Your Space
You can also create different zones that encourage different uses. Consider carving out a dining area for alfresco meals with a sturdy table and comfortable chairs. Add in a lounge area with some sofas and coffee tables for relaxing. If space permits, a small bar cart or outdoor kitchen is the prefect finishing touch for your entertaining expertise.
Almost like cooking and eating outside — without all the action escaping you. Soon we’ll examine some very easy ways of doing this.
Weather-Proofing: Extending Your Patio’s Use
Bad weather is a common reason why patios are hardly ever used. There are many weather-proofing options to make it usable all year round. Outdoor rugs, weather-resistant furniture and faux-fur throws can help. You can heat the area with lights and fire pits, or if you’re really serious about outdoor enjoyment, pergolas, awnings and umbrellas can serve as shade and shelter.
Use outdoor patio heaters or a fire pit to keep your patio warm on cooler nights. Who doesn’t enjoy huddling by a fire on a cool evening?
Personal Touches: Making It Yours
Make it your space with everything from the color of your patio to the decorative accents in this outside room. Consider bright throw pillows, patterned outdoor rugs and unique decor items, such as sculptures or wind chimes.
It’s the personal stuff that makes your patio character-filled, right? It’s your private space. I’ll get to that in a minute.
Addressing Common Concerns
This is where you’re poking holes in my advice: ‘Hey, this sounds good, but what about maintenance?’ or ‘I don’t have a big patio, can I still make it cozy?’ The answer to both questions is yes. The secret to an inviting patio is not size but shrewd design choices.
Even a small balcony can be turned into a charming outdoor living space with the right furniture and accessories. As for maintaining the patio, invest in high-quality materials and a little bit of upkeep on a regular basis will keep it looking fresh with hardly any effort whatsoever.
Solving the Problem
Step-by-Step Guide Okay, in the interest of getting down to brass tacks, here’s how to turn your patio around:
What you’re working with?: What shape is your patio? Is it large or small? How much sunlight does it get?
Make a wish list: What do you want your patio to feel like? What’s your preference for light, texture, and color?
Create a concept: Bring your wish list to life. Map out the space on paper, trying out different ideas until you find the one that works best for you.
Formulate a detailed plan: Determine hardscape needs, such as paving stones or decking, whether it would be suitable for a linear or curved design, and what plants you’d like to incorporate.
Draw Your Plan: Sketch out your patio, and map out each zone, bearing in mind where people will walk and how you’ll use the space.
Pick your furniture: Become an armchair minimalist by investing in the most comfortable, sturdy, allergen- and irritant-free seating you can afford. Multifunctional pieces save space and add convenience.
Layer Lighting: Strings of lights along the perimeter, lanterns on tables, spots on plants or artworks.
Plant greenery: Use pots of different heights and combine tall and small plants to avoid monotony. Hanging plants are a great use of space.
Designate Functional Zones: Define zones for eating, lounging and perhaps cooking, and delineate them with rugs or planters.
Weather-Proof: Make sure your furniture and decor are waterproof and in it for the long haul. Shelter and sun options can extend time you use your patio.
Lend Personal Touches: Add things that make it feel like you, adding some personality. For example, hang up drawings from the kids or your own art. Seasonal redecorating every few months is good too.
Bringing It All Together
Your Dream Patio Awaits Visualize stepping out on to your patio and being instantly drawn in. Inviting seating beckons, low lighting provides ambience, and plants create a lush oasis. It’s cozy but airy, stylish but practical, and authentically you. These simple but expert tips will help you create an outdoor living room that you’ll want to hang out in every day.