Prepping Our Patio

 

One of our priorities this year was to make our patio a place we could actually use and enjoy.  Our other priority was to do it spending as little money as possible.  It was a complete blank slate when we started.  This is how it looked the day we moved in last June:

 

 

 

 

Our one “splurge” for the space was this sofa and two chairs we ordered from Target.  After comparing it to other outdoor furniture, I still consider it a good deal.  (And, as I mentioned before, you can order it by the piece, instead of as one bulky matching set.)

 

 

 

After getting the big pieces in place, my first trip was to my local garden center:

 

 

 

My success rate at keeping plants alive through an entire, hot Carolina summer isn’t the best, so I opted for a few colorful, *inexpensive* plants.  I spent less than $50 total.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, for the rest of the patio, I literally shopped our attic, garage and house.  Several of the accessories I found just needed some fresh paint.  I used one of my favorite colors to give them a lift:

 

 

Rust-Oleum spray paint in “Fern”

 

 

 

We touched up the garden stools (a Big Lots purchase a couple of years ago) after scraping last year’s peeling paint with a wire brush.

 

 

 

 

 

Remember the white mirror in our old master bedroom? 

 

 

 

It also got a green makeover.  I’ve definitely gotten the bang for my buck with this round mirror.  I bought it (at Kirkland’s) ten years ago for the living room in our first house, and two new colors later, it’s still around.

 

 

 

 

I found this lamp base (originally a dingy yellow) for $10 at a thrift shop a few years ago.  It has been patiently sitting in my attic until now.

 

 

 

We added more lighting with small eye hooks and this $12 string of lights from Target:

 

 

 

And, the rest of my color palette was determined by these fabrics I had leftover from other projects:

 

 

 

Before, during and after pictures to come. . .

 

 

PS—Thanks so much for your kind words about the Better Homes & Gardens article!  I appreciate you sharing in my excitement.  You all are very nice to me, and it makes me love blogging that much more ;)