Front door beauty
Let's hit the flea market! Plant a piece of furniture. Ready to get really creative? Pull out a drawer or three from an old cabinet or dresser, line the interiors with waterproof plastic, fill them with soil and pop in a few plants. This can be a wonderful way to give new life to an old piece that is too rundown to use for its intended purpose.
For patio? To Do: See if the plants can live in the shade. Colorful succulents in varying heights and textures can transform a minimalist planter box into a low-maintenance statement piece. They’re a great option not only in dry climates, but also for planting areas that you’d otherwise have to water by hand.
Upgrade the necessities. My current mantra is this: Why be ordinary when you can just as easily be unique and spectacular? Consider this custom water diverter. Every dwelling needs an efficient way of moving water away from its foundation. This one is a real eye catcher compared to the rectangular blocks of concrete or plastic most people have.
15. Camp-style entertainment zone. A classic fire pit and picnic table are gathering areas the entire family can enjoy together. Having a casual, inviting outdoor space like this makes it more appealing to eat lunch outdoors in nice weather, or to head back outside after dinner for s’mores and songs around a blazing campfire. Just be aware that the ashes stay hot in fire pits for quite a long time — so keep kids away, even if it’s been a while since the last fire.
1. Outdoor chalkboard. A big chalkboard hung on a fence or an exterior wall can keep kids busy. Want to try something a little different? Hang Plexiglas instead, and let kids paint on it with washable tempera and shaving cream — you can wash everything right off with a hose, so you can reuse the Plexiglas as many times as you want.
Consider special lighting for patio. Remember that details matter. Lights can create ambiance as well as create a safe environment for you and your guests. The right materials and design can allow lighting fixtures to enhance built elements.
Hammock for the patio or the pine trees?
All of these are good ideas for the outdoor dining area--wind chimes, bunting, bells and flags. Wind chimes, bells, flags or bunting when activated by a breeze can also contribute background sounds that help muffle unwanted noise.
Use pump from Pennsylvania to create a water feature near the outdoor dining area. A flowing stream with several mini waterfalls creates a melody of sound that can be a major improvement in environmental sound quality.
We need a new water feature for the patio! Create additional layers of white noise. Multiple layers of desirable sounds work together to mute or take attention away from undesirable noises. A simple water feature may provide enough soothing sound to distract from annoying noises.
Benches for the outdoor dining table......to crowd more family in!
Pay attention to the hue. Since most solar-powered lights today use LED bulbs, the light they emit is bright white. If you want the look of incandescent bulbs, look for solar lights with tinted covers — they may be labeled “amber” or “soft white.” You get what you pay for. The brightness of a solar light depends on the brightness of the sun and the amount of daylight it is exposed to — but it also depends on the quality of the photovoltaic cells and the size of the LED bulb. Higher-quality photovoltaic cells and larger LED bulbs tend to cost more, so to a certain extent, the higher-priced solar lights do tend to shine more brightly.
A solar table lamp, like the one shown here, can be a welcome (and unexpected) touch in an outdoor seating area.
Ambient and decorative solar lights. Decorative solar lights, including colorful blown glass, decorative lanterns and string lights, are not as bright as solar path lights. However, used in multiples or alongside path lights and spotlights, they can provide a warm ambient glow. Where to use ambient solar lights. Place a few handblown glass solar lights on stakes in your garden beds for soft landscape lighting. Or hang solar string lights, like the charming mason jar lights shown here, over an outdoor dining table for a welcoming touch at your next gathering.
Camp stools for coffee table on patio
Consider using old cans to create unique planters.
An outside patio - Pea gravel, ⅜-inch angular gravel or decomposed granite can make a nice surface to walk on.
A pebbled and mulched pathway lined with bricks
A paved brick sitting area in the yard with pots of plants
'Love the winding path to go down to the outdoor dining room! 1. Reimagine your hardscape and bed lines. Serpentine lines both invoke the imagination and have a relaxing effect upon the mind. In art theory this shape is referred to as the line of beauty. It infuses a composition with vitality, as opposed to straight lines, which signify death or inanimate objects. This bluestone walkway seems to be endless, disappearing around the bend. Don't you wonder what lies beyond?
Two small tables in front of the patio sofa give more options for moving them and using them in other ways.
Spruce up the shed.....
Fire feature, sitting space, eating space, color with pillows and the awning are good elements for an outdoor space.
String lights for patio--either in a tree or two or strung across the space with the cord hidden by plant material
Magnet Wall! - Stainless steel refrigerators are so common these days, we’ve lost the most convenient place for displaying notes, postcards and children’s art. Why not install a giant magnet board in the kitchen to take over? The sleek metal looks cool and just begs for creative personalization.
Tile for front porch?
A sitting area in the front yard
A TV and Blu-ray mounted in the corner of the patio!
Perfect for the cluster of pine trees! 20. Cool down. Make a backyard retreat more inviting with subtle variations of green, and put comfortable furniture in a location that allows for relaxation and comfort. When it's hot, nothing cools like green.
Old, beat-up wooden ladders are such a popular decorating item these days that they can be hard to find. But if you have one taking up space in the garage, consider putting it to good use as a plant stand. It's not easy getting height in the garden. This does the trick.
Using old doors to create a screen--This would be a good thing to use on the patio maybe.
For our outdoor kitchen--These measurements will be helpful. If you plan to use a long dining table, allow for enough space to move around when you have a dinner party. Spaces around 12 by 14 feet tend to work well for a setup like this. Once again, I suggest measuring your table and allowing for a minimum of 3 feet around the table for circulation.
A couple of these chairs with a table would be great for in front of the kitchen window--the perfect place for reading for me!
I love this for the area on the patio in front of the kitchen window. An area around 6 by 6 feet is just right for a bistro table and a couple of chairs — the perfect place for coffee and the morning paper.
I would LOVE to have a sectional on the patio......I suppose if I got that then everyone else would want an HDTV too! Determine how you plan to use your space. Do you plan to relax here or entertain? Is the space going to be for a couple of people or groups? While outdoor spaces are technically not rooms, the size requirements are similar. Much like a dining room or a family room, you will need enough space for your furniture and to comfortably circulate. Measure the spaces in your house to determine if a similar layout will work for your outdoor deck, porch or patio.
"Sail shades lend a strong, artful, sculptural look that they impend on a property. They provide protection from UV rays, can lower the temperature underneath by about 15 to 20 degrees, yet don't make you feel enclosed when you are sitting underneath them. What exactly are shade sails? Typically, they're made of a fabric called HDPE (high-density polypropylene mesh), a form of plastic that is about as recyclable as a plastic milk carton. However, they do not have a plastic look to them because of a knitted weave, tautness provided by the tension and porousness. They generally block 90 to 95 percent of the sun's harmful UV rays. They can be used outdoors to box in a space without hardscape or actual walls. Sources: Wicked Shades and Tenshon
noequaldesign.com - This shade fits in with a traditional home. 'Would love to extend our patio shade with one of these.
"The addition of a shade sail can make an existing outdoor living space so much more interesting. Shades are available in almost any size. You can overlap them to add dimension and more coverage, and use different colors for contrast.
I like the shade sail to "extend" our patio and make it roomier. A shade sail overhead offers protection from the sun.
For the path that leads to the outdoor dinner and fire pit structure--Moss can also grow beautifully between patio pavers if the area is shaded and moist. Soil acidification is the best way to encourage moss to grow this way, although it can be successfully transplanted. Don't cut it too thinly, as it can readily dry out before it has become established.
Open the curtains on every window and create a view with plants, etc. The landscape is also an integral part of the house, whether in carefully framed views or as an extension of the house's functions into courtyards.
Maximize a small space with a custom fit. A small space filled with lots of small furniture just feels cluttered — you can actually seat more people and increase the sense of space with a built-in bench that fits perfectly.
A stone bench for around a fire pit
Plants around sitting area
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