I think I would put a planter next to one and stop looking at it! :)

you slice through a large soft plastic planter (square or cylindrical) that has a flat bottom so you can create an opening that enables you to fit the container around the base of the post and tape it there as best you can. Loosely cover the inside of the bottom with a plastic bag or bit of vinyl, so not too much can fall through the cracks. Then wrap and criss-cross a lot of jute twine around the container until you can't see the sides of the planter any more. You use acrylic paint and a brush to paint the twine the same color as your patio set and let it dry. You fill it with potting soil and plant climbing vines and remember not to overwater them.

Cute idea:-)

you can probably find wastepaper or storage baskets or hampers in the same material as your patio set. That would be even easier. But I would seal them with something so nothing stains your concrete when it rains.

IMO acm has the right idea and honestly the other makes no sense and prbably will look a lot worse thatn what you have .It is part of the construction and often n modern type style the bones are exposed so relax and enjoy the new remodel and IMO wrapping those and making then even bigger is not the answer .

modern is looking at ugly things.

Living with ugly is the new normal to make yourself get used to.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I guess that’s just how it goes with a remodel- focusing on too many tiny details can make you crazy. Time to go find some planters…:-)

Just have them clad with wood and paint to match the posts.

It seems to be there to keep the wood post from direct contact with the ground to prevent rot of the bottom of the post.

Be careful if you wrap a planter around them as the soil and watering will rot the wood over time.

How about tile with black grout?

I might suggest a parge coat on the concrete base to at least make it smoother and give it a sleeker, more modern appearance.

Wrapping in a synthetic like azek will give you the crispist finish if that what you want but will make it larger…

I think the only snarly post was mytwocents with a comment about modern. The rest just honest .

I wonder if you could do some kind of low surround with pebbles or smaller rocks/large stones. I don’t know how you would contain them though. Could be a trip hazard depending on how you do it. But might be better if combined with a planter. I don’t know.

The dark stain or paint you have on the concrete looks good.

IMO, you have already done the best thing you can do by painting them to match the post.

FWIW, I don't think the bases are 'ugly'. Just a simple foundation for the post. The dimensions are not wildly out of scale. The only downside is that the bases are a bit of a stumbling hazard. Trying to wrap them with anything is going to increase the stumble factor and push the dimensions of the base out of scale to the post. IMO, trying to cover them up is only going to succeed in making the bases more noticeable.

Wrapping them with a planter/ flower pot is a big no-no for the aforementioned reason--you do not want the wood to be in contact with wet soil because of rot. Nor do you want to create a red carpet attracting termites.

I love what all you've accomplished!

There are so many awesome aspects to your backyard redo to focus on that it would be fairly easy to not notice that small detail.

The most satisfying solution would be to do as Norwood suggested. You would need to remove the paint (power washer?) for best adhesion. This would also cover the fact that the tilesetter didn't cut the tile close enough to the base.

The easiest solution would be to paint up to the tile in a straight line.

That does look better, thanks for the idea:-)

I think they still would look great with some dry stacked stone shoes.

I agree with those who advised against making the post bases bigger, both because of proportions and increasing the trip hazard (I trip over anything and everything).

I think your paint job did a wonderful job of integrating the bases with the posts, and unless a guest tripped over something else and is looking at them as closely as your photo, no one will notice. Enjoy your new space!