I love spending time outdoors when the weather warms up. Although my patio’s footprint isn’t much larger than a walk-in closet (about 9 feet long by 3 1/2 feet deep), I’ve managed to design a perfect hang-out for two:
- Bistro table for two
- Flowers to add foliage and some greenery
- Lighting – Strings of twinkle lights as well as two battery operated lanterns illuminate my patio
- Grills – We’ve managed to fit both a charcoal and propane operated one near the far concrete wall – they’re snug, but safely fit
- Some shade – We installed an outdoor, heavy-duty shade onto our pergola to block out the westerly setting sun
Sprucing up a small patio doesn’t have to cost much. Small bistro tables can be found for under $100 at Ikea or even Walmart. Flowers and pots are fairly inexpensive, especially when local nurseries have sales. OSH recently had a huge weekend sale on plants – buy annuals for color and more long-lasting plants for year-round.
Umbrellas and shades may be a little more costly, but if your patio faces west, you will definitely need something to offer some coverage. If you don’t have room for an umbrella, a shade attached to an overhang will work great.
Drag out those holiday lights and string them up for some mood lighting. Use Mason Jars or empty glass containers for tea lights. A little lighting can go a long way.
And best of all, enjoy the warmer weather!
How much time do you spend outside in Spring?
3 Comments
We are in the process of making our patio awesome and these are all things that we are going to do! 🙂
@Michelle – I hope this gave you some ideas! 😉
I’ve missed just hanging outside, talking over a glass of ice cold tea after what seems to be a decade of winter. Your patio hangout looks really comfy.