Ideas to Turn Your Patio into the Place to Be This Summer
Patios can be a great oasis – a place of escape, where friends and family gather to enjoy conversation and laughter, and where memories are made. Is your patio like this? Or could it use a little sprucing up? If you’re thinking of giving your outdoor space a facelift, now’s the time to start planning. That way it’ll be ready as soon as the weather is nice enough to enjoy it. Let’s take a look at a few ideas that can help you turn a boring or rundown patio into the place to be this coming summer.
Furniture – First and foremost, your patio should be a place that people find comfortable. This starts with nice furniture. The type of furniture you need will ultimately depend on how you plan to use the area. For instance, if you plan to primarily use the space for outdoor dining, a sturdy table and chairs are a great place to start. For more of a relaxing feel, look for outdoor couches, coffee and end tables and a few nice sitting chairs.
Plants/Greenery – Incorporating plants and other greenery into your patio design is a great way to give the space new life. Lush greens, vibrant flowers and hearty leaves also add the perfect dash of color to an otherwise drab location. If your patio is surrounded by grass, consider planting a few shrubs or flowering trees along the perimeter. If this isn’t an option, using planters can be just as effective and also provides more flexibility to choose exactly where you’d like to place them.
Fire Pit/Fireplace – Adding a fire pit or outdoor fireplace is a great way to make your patio a place where people naturally want to gather, especially as the sun begins to go down. Not only are these products great for the practical purpose of providing heat, but because they come in so many different styles and sizes, they’re also beautiful to look at. If you’ve got the space and the room in your budget, the addition of a fire area is a must!
Covering – Some people prefer to have some type of covering on their patio to help keep the space cooler and also block out unpleasant weather. There are lots of options available to you when it comes to covering your patio, and it will ultimately come down to the size of your area and your personal preferences. For instance, if you’d like to cover a larger area, shade sails make a lovely addition. For less shade, or for areas where attaching sails isn’t possible, patio umbrellas are the perfect solution.
Lighting – During the day, you’ll probably get by just fine letting Mother Nature illuminate your outdoor space, but when the sun sets and the stars come out, the right lighting can really turn your patio into something magical and inviting. Depending on your preference, the location of your patio and your overall budget, you could get away with anything from a few strings of bulbs to professionally installed lighting. If access to electricity is a challenge, solar lights can provide a great alternative.
Bar – If you plan on doing any entertaining on your patio, chances are that will involve refreshing beverages. Adding a bar can make things much more convenient since you won’t have to keep running inside to grab refills. It can also really add to the overall feel and atmosphere. Again, there are plenty of options available, from constructing a permanent bar to installing a smaller, portable one. Either way, your guests will be grateful.
Cooling – The last thing you want after putting all this work into making your patio awesome is to miss out on enjoying it due to hot temperatures. With a little foresight, you can have the best of both worlds – a cool, refreshing outside environment regardless of what the thermometer reads. There are plenty of ways to cool an outdoor area, the most common of which is an overhead fan. For an even more comfortable, cooling sensation, consider installing a misting system, which transforms regular water into a chilled mist that instantly cools even the hottest of atmospheres.
Accessories/Accents – Even if you’ve already thought of the staples, like furniture, your patio may still be lacking the pizzazz it’s capable of having. Accessories, like colorful throw pillows, vases and even outdoor hanging decorations can be just the thing to really pull a look together and give your area a unique personality all its own. Get creative and try different things until you capture the perfect look.
Ambiance – You want your patio to be a place that you, your family and your friends can all escape to. You can capture this “oasis” feel by incorporating things that offer more of an ambiance. For instance, you might want to have speakers installed so you can pipe music into your patio area. Or, perhaps the sound of trickling water will create the “Zen” feel you’re after, in which case one or two well-placed fountains should do the trick. Figure out what type of atmosphere you’d like to create and work from there.
Patio Heaters – There’s nothing more disheartening than realizing that the summer is coming to a close. But those chilly nights don’t have to mean that your outdoor gatherings are over. If you’d like to extend the time you get to enjoy your outdoor space, a patio heater should provide the heat needed to keep you and your guests cozy well into the fall, and maybe even into winter. You’ve worked hard to make your patio the place to be. You deserve to enjoy that space for as long as possible.
Patios are a great place to gather with friends, enjoy time with family and just take in the fresh air, beautiful sights and peaceful sounds of the great outdoors. Could your external living area use a little pick-me-up? Not sure where to begin? Don’t worry. Our experts can help! Contact us today to learn how accessorizing your patio can truly make all the difference. And, as always…stay cool, my friends.
