Backyard Living + a Patio Update!

We’re in the full swing of summer which means spending a lot of time outside bbq’ing, hanging out and playing cornhole. This also means we need a comfortable and cute place to sit and enjoy the season.

Our back patio was a mess.

This is a bit embarrassing

My outdoor rugs were torn and ruined so I had nothing there. Most of the pillows are super faded out (the intense Colorado sun means I need to freshen up pillows every few years) and the cushions were filthy as was the patio.

A little bippity boppity boo and I turned it into this!

We kept my existing Ikea Applaro sectional, which we painted several years ago (here’s the tutorial!) and its held up surprisingly well. The only issue is at the base of the legs, which I can easily touch up when I get around to it.

The goal was somewhere the whole family could hang out. It was important to keep it fresh, open and bright. Grounding the space is an outdoor rug from Ruggable. It hits all of the color notes, is super soft on the tootsies and is a fun design.

Looking at this pic I’m now contemplating painting that mirror 🤔

I put our outdoor hanging chair a bit off to the side, the kids like to chill in it and read. It also brings some height and additional texture.

Adding in a few new pillows from Home Goods to my existing pillows from World Market livened up the sectional. The Ikea cushions wash up incredibly well with a power washer, it makes them look almost new!

Francis the flamingo is ready for the party!

I opted to bring out 2 of my ghost chairs from storage (previously used in our dining room) and use them out here.

They don’t visually interrupt the space and give a cute little coffee corner.

I used the ottoman pieces of Applaro as side tables in between the seating sections. Some flowers really brighten the area and carry the color from the rug up.

The coffee table is a vintage thrift find for $15. It’s exterior is laminate so it shouldn’t have any issues in the weather.

The little bit of paint coming off was from my overzealous power washing 🫣

Our patio is really long, so next door to the sectional is this small set. It needs some new pillows and a rug but one thing at a time amiright?! We placed my fire pit table here and added a glass top from a thrift table to protect the wood. (we never use it for an actual fire)

I like to create zones when there is a large space like this.

I have 2 rocking chairs that my kids gave me for Mother’s Day last year. They are my favorite spot to sit and rock while I watch them play in the yard.

They used every color spray paint and then wrote their names on different parts of the chair. ❤️

I have a dining area just to the left of the rocking chairs but there aren’t any after pics of that yet. I need to refinish the table, get a rug, chair cushions, etc etc Hopefully I’ll get to it this summer.

But for now I am thrilled with how this side has come together. Its no longer an eye sore when we’re in the backyard or from the window looking outside. It’s cozy, inviting, yet fun and energetic!