Blair from Wisecraft wrote in looking for some help from decor8 readers in regards to her patio space. She is looking for, “Inexpensive ways to add some color to the furniture and walls (with fabric, DIY things, and the like).” Blair continues, “The garden itself is established and doing well, but its the patio furniture, walls, and other things that look bare and drab to me.” Looking for some fresh perspectives, Blair sent in photos seeking our help.
“We are lucky to have a large backyard for city living, and this patio is part of the more adult area of the yard (where we can sit, but still see the kids in the other part of the yard). I have worked on establishing the planting beds (completely empty 3 years ago) with maintenance free plantings and they have grown like crazy (probably too much) and established themselves well. The idea for the garden beds was interesting foliage plants, mixing chartreuse greens and purple-ish black plants. I love the contrast. There are red tulips in the beds in Spring, but for the most part this particular part of the yard is flower free.” – Blair
“Recent garden inspiration has come from Jane Cumberbatch’s Pure Style Outdoors” – Blair
“The table and chair set is from Martha Stewart, we like how it blends in with its surroundings and it works well for us. Again, its easy maintenance, we hose it off! When I look at this patio, I would really like to wake it up with some color, pattern, etc and my hopes are that you, Holly, and your readers can provide some ideas.” – Blair
“The exterior walls of the house are cedar shingles, and our house is a traditional craftsman that we are apparently trying to modernize via furniture and accessories. So, even I am confused about what our style is! I would like some kind of color out there as well (although not paint, more like accessories). Color that would compliment the planting scheme, as well as maybe fill up the patio area with some interesting and inviting ideas.” – Blair
“I have put in some pink fuschia plants and realize I really love the bright pink pop against the more somber colors. We do not have a huge budget for this little area. OK, we don’t have a budget at all! But we do have lots of DIY ability, the drive to want to make our surroundings pretty, inviting, with fabric, DIY accessories, etc…Your readers always have such great ideas, I would love to get a fresh perspective on this area of the yard from them.” – Blair
Okay everyone, we’re on a mission to help Blair! Leave your comments below. I’ll lead the discussion by doing the same.
(images from wisecraft)
June 29th, 2007 at 2:30 am
Here’s what I see at first glance:
- I can’t tell what surface you have. But I’d love to see an outdoor rug in a multi stripe there.
- chair cushions (sunbrella.com is a good start)
- Swap out your umbrella for one in a solid color or pattern, or paint the one you have (my suggestion)
- Add some multi-colored pots on your stairs in bright colors (yellow, mango, orange, for instance.)
- Absolutely add some topiary trees with twinkle lights and put them in all four corner of your outdoor area. Do something with twinkle lights because there’s nothing better than to dine outdoors at night!!
- Make a tablecloth for the table, complete with a hole in the middle, and add decorative trim to it (ric rac would be quite cute, or go with piping or a simple solid edge. I’d use a floral pattern for the tablecloth.
- If you need more cushion for the chairs, add one to the back of each chair and tie it on with pretty ties, or make mini slipcovers that only go halfway down the back of the chair but are lined with padding.
- Lanterns on poles… Always nice. I’m not into torch lights, but I love lanterns. Maybe you could build something to string them on? Hmmm.
Okay, I’ll let some of my readers have a go at this now.
June 29th, 2007 at 3:07 am
I agree with Holly about the trees! I would think about improving the steps off the back door to something more sustantial, slate perhaps? It depends on how handy you really are! But a large tree container to the left of the steps would be great. It looks like you have pea gravel, which I love…very “al fresco” looking. Holly is right on about more pots too i think. But keep them bigger with some taller plantings in front of the house. And again I agree with Holly on all the cheery fabric ideas! Very pretty yard to start with!
June 29th, 2007 at 4:54 am
thanks so much you guys, keep the ideas coming! We have been buying bigger pots little by little, because I agree with you, they fill the space so nicely. I would like to do something with the landing and steps leading off the dining room door. Hmmmm…need to discuss with Peter. Slate would be wonderful there.
June 29th, 2007 at 5:32 am
What about copper planters that have been laquered. This will keep them from turning green and add some color to the back yard.
June 29th, 2007 at 7:16 am
Joann’s and Hancocks have outdoor fabrics for less than $10 a yard. Some are boring, but keep looking. Oilcloth might also be nice. I would also add some cheap paper lanterns under your umbrella. Maybe find some iron work and spray paint it in bright colors for instant outdoor artwork. I’ve seen regular outdoor umbrellas re-done with fabric and they looks really cool. I’m not sure how to weatherproof it though.
June 29th, 2007 at 8:03 am
There is a great artist called Susan Bradley in the UK who makes decorative garden art some in the form of trellis with a kind of inside/outside theme. They are becoming quite widely available and I always thought that they would be fantastic focal/talking point in a garden and you wouldn’t need much else… they arestunning. Take a look at http://www.susanbradley.co.uk/chelsea06.html.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:53 am
I would do some kind of garland under the umbrella through the spokes. Add 2 table runners in parallel to go around the umbrella pole. Add laterns to the fence along the seating area or in select plantings. I also second adding some colorful pots. Beside having them on the stairs you could set ones with flowering plants in the established foundation plants.
-Rachel
June 29th, 2007 at 11:13 am
what about those multi-coloured pots with candles in them for the evenings? I agree with slipcovers too – they have heaps of patterns for them in Vogue. Also I saw a garden umbrella that had various shades of leaves all over it so that when it formed shadows it was like sitting under a tree – you could do something similar with fabric and iron on interfacing.
June 29th, 2007 at 11:48 am
I think slip covers for the chairs could be very pretty and cheerful, as well as the tablecloth. Why not add some bunting? Perhaps a trellis painted in a bright cheerful color? Or leave the trellis natural wood but have a beautiful, bright clematis climbing it.
A super easy thing to add color to the table: get a round bundt pan or a jello mold with a hole in the center, drill some holes for drainage (or use a hefty layer of gravel for drainage)and plant it up with colorful foliage (perhaps herbs, so you can pinch ‘em off while you dine outdoors?) Put it right over the hole in the table and put your umbrella through the center hole! You can paint it or rely on the plants for color.
What about appliqu?ing a design on the umbrella you already have?
For plants with incredible color, a couple easy favorites are Bright Lights Swiss Chard (aka Rainbow chard) and Rhubarb. They have a nice height and the stalks are gorgeous reds and oranges. With rhubarb you can dye fabric, as well!
June 29th, 2007 at 11:58 am
I’m just wondering why you would not have added flowering plants in your garden if you like color? Tuck some bright, inexpensive annuals along the edges of your beds and you will have color all season long. A small movable flower cart in any bright color could hold a rainbow of your favorite potted annuals as well. There are planters that circle around the umbrella pole of your table for colorful flowers there. Change them for any entertaining themes you require. Some of my favorite annuals are the “wave” petunia and all the gorgeous coleus variations out there. Good luck!
June 29th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Hi Blair, I really like your patio – it has so much going for it. I agree with Holly about the umbrella – that would give you a nice pop of color and there are so many options out there. I also like the idea of adding color to your pots – either the pots themselves or by adding more bright annuals – maybe zinnias, geraniums, impatiens (all depending on your sun back there). Would you be willing to hang something on the wall next to the single door? You have a great big blank canvas there and it’d be fun to see something like an outdoor thermometer or clock in a bright color. If not, I think you need to add some height in your plantings there.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with – I am sure it’ll be gorgeous.
June 29th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
My ideas on this:
* Hang fairy lights or tealight holders from the parasol. (If you really don’t have a budget, just use little glass jars and some metal wire)
* Tealight holders on poles in the flower beds.
* Hang a colourful patterned fabric on the wall, perhaps two or three narrow lenghts next to eachother.
* Put a big and bright woven plastic rug under the table.
* Morroccan lanterns with coloured glass on the stairs.
* Sew cushions in oilcloth (not the shiny plastic version, use the kind that is almost like cotton) for the chairs. This way they will withstand a little rain.
* I love – oh damn, i forgot the word- you know these triangular fabric pieces on string, a kind of garland? Well, that would add a lot of colour and fun! Like this: http://emmas.blogg.se/images/2848c_1182203192.jpg
Well, that was what I could come up with for now. I hope you like some of the ideas!
June 29th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
painting pots really gives a good pop of color… you can cluster them or spread them around the patio .. and if theyre all the same shade / tone then its a pretty cohesive look ..
June 29th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I’ve seen some really nice brightly painted Adirondack chairs that can add quite a pop.
June 29th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
I think twinkle lights under the umbrella, maybe along the outside or woven in the workings in the very top. I saw this somewhere and it was quite charming. With your sewing skills, maybe an umbrella slip cover in bright colors??
June 29th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
* cushions on the chairs in a sumbrella fabric.
* a striped outdoor rug under the table and chairs.
* fairy lights anywhere!
* coloured pots
* brightly coloured placemats – from oil cloth. (I’m not a fan of tablecloths)
June 29th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Hmmm, I’m picturing some large folk art paintings on those walls next to the ground-level door or on the fences, but I’m a folk art freak.
I like the square geometry and would love to see some big colorful square planters. For more seating, I am envisioning a long rectangular bench that doubles as seating with a cushion on top. You could also do sunflowers along the fence as well.
I can also see trellises painted a bright color up the fence and/or that wall by the ground level door. Sections of square lattice painted red or bright blue, perhaps even aqua. Potato plants and clemitis are two plants that are very easy to train up trellises.
This looks like such a fun project. You have a wonderful yard that is already a great space. It doesn’t seem to need much stuctural or spatial help, only cosmetic help.
Look at gardens from Oehme van Sweden – they do a lot of neat small gardens in Georgetown rowhouses and the like.
Becky
June 29th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Thanks to everyone for such great suggestions. Lights, lanterns, and planters have been on my brain today, as well as chair cushions, thanks to your comments.
Isn’t everything better with little lights?
June 30th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Blair,
Check out the June issue of Cottage Living magazine for a similar ‘real life redo’ of a patio just like yours. In addition to the planters, cushions and little lights, this family added a dining pavilion, fire place, sculpture and wire candle chandeliers.
Last summer we built our own patio! After the tons of sand and brick, there was no energy left to decorate. Your post has inspired me to get back out there and finish the job. There’s still so much summer left to be enjoyed outdoors.
June 30th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Hi Blair!
I would put one of those large galvanized tubs- you know the kind that have some sort of agricultural purpose, and fill it full of plants in that gorgeous fuschia palette, and then try to find a climber also in fuschia for that short fence to balance it out. Maybe a cluster of small painted pots in the middle of your table (I don’t so much like the pots with a hole in the middle) and maybe a fabric slipcover for the upper portion of your chairs, or even just small throws folded over them. I’d imagine you have chilly nights, no? Also, I wouldn’t worry too much about using sunbrella, you’re in Seattle for pete’s sake. I’d find some festive tablecloths at tjmaxx and chop them up. Let them get lovely and faded, then switch them out in two years when you tire of them…
PS- do you remember that shot from MSL way back when they showed an entry similar to yours? I think the accent color was periwinkle. I’ll try to find that…
June 30th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
I think I have the Country Living issue you’re talking about Perfect Bound, thank you. And yes, Courtney, I’d love to see that layout from MSL, or maybe if you have the month (you know I, like yourself, have all of them). Thanks you guys. And thanks again Holly.