Patio Renovation!
I know what your thinking….. a patio renovation blog at the end of summer? Really? But let’s be honest, would I really be doing this MY way if I got things done on time? Nope. I am all about keeping it real and let’s face it… with two kids, two dogs, birthday’s, life events, seriously JUST ALLL OF THE THINGS, momma was BUSY this summer. All while still trying to find time to renovate and decorate. I will however, let you know I put a lot of heart and soul into how I wanted this space to look. I knew I wanted a space outside that the whole family and our friends could enjoy. I wanted it to be cozy and relaxing so we could hang out, play outside and have nice dinners while the sun went down. Family bonding has always been important to me and I truly think you have to feel at “home” to be comfortable in your home.
The space started out ROUGH. There was an older table and chairs that we had for awhile that were passed down. There weren’t any plants and basically gardening didn’t exist AT ALL. I am the first to admit I have a black thumb though. I don’t know why, but every plant I touch, dies. Probably because I am so overwhelmed with keeping kids alive, I might forget to water them. haha. There was old furniture stored outside, the grill was just sitting in the middle of the patio, IT WAS JUST A HUGE MESS! Here are some pictures of before so you can just see for yourself…. AND DON’T JUDGE ME.
Okay so now that we can all agree that it was A HOT MESS, let’s talk about what I needed to fix. Even though I know it would be WAYYYY easier to talk about what DIDN’T need to be fixed. THEN I’ll show you the after pictures. Which still don’t really do it justice. You just have to come enjoy it yourself to fully understand.
First thing first, I CLEARLY threw that table straight to the curb where it probably belonged six years ago. haha. There were a lot of tables I really did like at first, but I knew I needed something big. Something that could seat AT LEAST 6 people so we could entertain. Not only that but I didn’t want to completely break the bank. I’m sorry, but if it’s going to sit outside, I just don’t see the point in spending a fortune on it. I clearly started my search at Target but I couldn’t find anything that met all of my requirements. After that, my friend had started working at Home Depot and instantly was like BINGO! That is not only where the deals were going to be at, I knew they could easily have the size I needed too! I looked online first, naturally, and saw one that I LOVED. Although it was smaller than I originally wanted, it intrigued me enough to make a planned trip to the store. When I got there I was pleasantly surprised to find the one that I ended up purchasing. I can’t say that it was love at first sight but it was basically a steal and not completely unfortunate looking! To me, it was a win win. Here is the link to the table I went with. You can see it is a mix and match set, which they do every year. Unfortunately, I can no longer find the link to the chairs as well but that is my own fault for waiting so long to write this!
Next, I knew we needed an outdoor rug. (SIDE NOTE: I bought new patio paint as well, but it still hasn’t been done… life.) To me, a rug is a huge staple piece and honestly it can make or break the space. At first, I wasn’t sure that I wanted green but after buying the table, I had created a whole vision in my head. I saw the rug and instantly thought, this is the one. It wasn’t too loud, you could put a lot with it and obviously green looks really esthetically pleasing outside. Target did not disappoint.
Last, the BIGGEST thing was the “garden”. A.K.A, basically destroying and fixing what was considered a garden to the previous owners. I myself knowing I have a black thumb, I didn’t want anything that was high maintenance. I just wanted plants that were kind of taller, spaced out to give a full appealing look and some stones. Also, with the two dogs, we needed to build a short brick wall so they could maybe STOP WALKING THROUGH THAT AREA! haha. Easier said than done. But with that in mind, at least the stone would be easy to clean. I ended up picking out Marble Chips. I really liked the way the white popped next to the grass and DUH, went with the rug I already purchased. Then I picked out Milkweed plants. Because not only do they NOT need a lot of TLC, but they bring lots of Monarch butterflies around! Which I love! Buuuuuut, here is a link to the marble…
Everything from there on out just kind of fell into place. The same time I was buying the rug from Target I ended up finding lanterns, two side tables, an outdoor clock, extra bulbs for my hanging lights, outdoor pillows and some artificial plants (again don’t judge, I just know my place). I even went back to Home Depot and got a new light fixture as well. It’s really amazing how you can envision something so easily in your mind when you want it so badly. I will share all the links for you for everything else at the bottom! If I can’t find the exact one, I will link something similar to what I have or what I would like.
Needless to say, it’s not 100% there, but it has most definitely come a long way. We have definitely enjoyed endless summer nights outside with friends and family. I love how it turned out and I really love knowing at the end of the day I have a place I can relax outside.
Hanging String Lights
Replacement Bulbs
Laugh now, you’ll need them, I promise.
Lanterns
I bought one lantern in each different size.
Decorative Pillows
Outdoor Clock
Not my exact one but I do love this! I hung up above the grill kind of below the new light fixture.
Outdoor Side Table
Outdoor Glass Side Table
Boxwood Wreath
Not pictured because it was hung later, but I put it over the bench seating.
Artificial Plants
Outdoor Lantern
And of course, the after pictures! Please comment and let me know what you think!
Not pictured or linked is an AMAZING white outdoor bar cart I found at Home Goods. I put it next to the grill because I knew we needed something for all the grilling utensils/outdoor toys.
Again, please know what you guys think and feel free to ask me any questions! I really enjoyed updating this space. I know it still has a lot of potential, but it’s all about baby steps when your a busy mama!
XOXO