When we moved into our house almost eight years ago, we knew it needed a lot of work. Slowly, but surely, we have changed every single room. New kitchen cabinets, fresh paint and brand new tile were just a few of the upgrades we made to our outdated ranch.
The final frontier was updating our outdoor space. The house had a small patio off the sunroom that fit a small bistro table and a gas grill very snugly. Grilling and sitting was challenging to say the least.
About a month ago, we asked our favorite contractor to expand the patio and add a pergola. We sent him a few photos of spaces we liked, and I couldn’t be more pleased with what he came up with.
The pergola is made out of cedar, and he replaced our old steps with new ones in the same material. They smell divine. In addition to adding much needed room, the project has given us some shade, which is heavenly.
After the space was built, it was my turn to outfit it with furniture and accessories. We had the wooden glider, but needed just about everything else.
I wanted to go with a palette that felt like summer, so I found pieces in shades of teal, red and lime. I thought it would tie in with our bright, red door.
So, where did I pick up all this summer goodness?
- The teal chairs are from Pier One. They come in quite a few colors (though I couldn’t find mine online) and are stackable.
- I picked up the small side tables at Target. They fold flat, which is key for storage in colder months.
- The doormat was another Target purchase, and I like how well it incorporated with my color scheme.
- I have been obsessed with the Crate & Barrel pillow shown above for awhile, so it was one of the first items I added to my list.
- I love the pop of color these red planters provide.
Once I had the furniture in place, I needed to tackle the plants. I read somewhere, probably Pinterest, you need a thriller, spiller and something else when potting a few plants together. I settled for the two items I could remember. The bit that looks like grass is the thriller and the petunias are the spillers. I did two planters in the same color, and this one’s mate has some sort of tropical green number in it. Crate and Barrel sold me the pot with the plant in it for an extra $10. Did you know they do this? When they told me it was an option, I was like, “SOLD!”
In addition to the large pots, I added a few smaller ones. I am a mosquito magnet and read lavender keeps them away, so I added some to a pot I received from Ellie for Mother’s Day. To hedge my bets, I loaded up on citronella candles too, though the lavender smells much better.
I love having fresh herbs, and when we expanded the patio, we took out the small space where I had chives and rosemary growing. To make up for lost herbs, I picked up this great zinc planter from Crate and Barrel and filled it with oregano, thyme, chives, parsley and rosemary. It doesn’t have any holes in the bottom, so I added Styrofoam under the soil to help with drainage. It is working reasonably well, despite the heavy rainfall we’ve had. That being said, I have had to empty it a few times, which is a very messy job.
The last two things we added that made a big impact, but probably aren’t terribly exciting to you are a new grill cover (ours had holes in it) and a storage bench. I’m a little more keyed up about the storage bench than I should be, but it is the perfect spot for storing Ellie’s outdoor toys and provides additional seating. My handyman (Keegan) also said it came together really easily.
The only thing this space might be missing is a coffee table. I really like having that area open, but think it might be a nice spot to put your feet up. What do you think? Should I start the search or consider this space “done”?
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