Sep 30

More than a last hurrah for your patio


Posted Under Patio for all seasons - Tags: , , ;

Sure, it’s September, and October is right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying your patio. So we’re putting together a list of things you can do to keep enjoying your patio as the leaves change and the weather cools (though you folks in warm areas….this might not apply to you).

We like a lot of the tips Cheryll Gillespie has here, but this list includes some of our all-time favorite fall patio ideas:

  1. Warm up your patio: As the weather cools, a great way to continue to enjoy your patio is to add a little heat - think a chiminea or elevated fire pit. It’s incredibly important to make sure it’s safe, but a small fire bowl or chiminea adds not only a toasty fire to sit around, but it also adds a classic look to your patio. Got a covered patio? As long as it’s well ventilated, a gas-powered fire pit is a safe way to add warmth to your patio.
  2. Change with the season: Spring and summer call for bright colors and bright whites, but when the leaves turn gold, orange and reds, it’s time to turn your patio decor with the season. Swap those bright pastel patio seat cushions for something a little more subdued, or maybe change your green patio umbrella to somethink like a rich brown or auburn. Even adding different patio lights - swapping white for something seasonal - helps change the seasonal mood.
  3. Get into the holidays - Depending on the weather, you can theme your patio with the changing seasons - Autumn is, of course, a great time to celebrate the harvest season, Halloween and even Thanksgiving with decorations such as hay bales, corn stalks and scarecrows. Some of you might even be lucky enough to have a relatively warm Christmas - don’t forget to include your patio in your decoration ideas. Christmas trees look great outdoors too.

So those are our tips - if you’ve got your own, let us know!

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Aug 08

Lighting up your patio for a great summer


Posted Under patio lighting - Tags: , , ;

We’ve talked about this before, but we’ll definitely say it again: patio lights make a patio. Whether they’re tiki torches, paper lights, re-purposed Christmas lights or some crazy novelty lights, the soft, warm glow of patio lights create a great mood for summer nights. And it’s an inexpensive way to give your patio a brand new look.

With Labor day coming up in a month, Here are some tips on how to properly light your patio, deck or porch.

  • Don’t be afraid of color: White lights are classic - they bring a nice, warm glow remnicent of candle light. But they’re also pretty common. Colored lights - whether they be Christmas lights or novelty lights - can add a unique flair to your patio. But be careful - there’s a fine line between tasteful camp and overdoing it.
  • Don’t forget your patio umbrella: A perimeter of patio lights is always a plus, but don’t forget what is probably the natural centerpiece of your patio: the patio umbrella. You can buy patio umbrellas that are pre-lit, but they tend to be pretty pricey. With a simple strand of mini lights, however, you can create a look perfect for evenings on the patio when the sun goes down.

  • Italian-Style Lights: You know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever been in an Olive Garden or other Italian restaurant. Those strands of big white bulbs that are strung across the narrow streets of Italy (and Little Italy for that matter) create a warm, all over glow on your patio. It really depends on your patio layout to make these possible, but if you get a few strands of white C9-style lights, you can make this cosmopolitan look work.

Thanks to At Home At Home for the second picture.

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