The Narrow Outdoor Patio Spruce
Post Spruce — Chic & Inviting
Pre Spruce
Pre Spruce - Bare & Drab
Pre Spruce — Sad Corner
Pre Spruce Challenge - Long & narrow space
Mid Spruce
Brighter Walls
For a calming yet vibrant vibe.
I wanted a calming yet vibrant vibe to the patio. The pale misty blue added some much needed contrast against the house and immediately brighten the space. The lighter colored patio walls adds more visual emphasis vertically, which balances the long horizontal space of the patio.
p.s. do you spot the puppy in the sliding door?
Design Tip
Using a lighter color on the walls with darker color floors will elongate a space vertically.
I wanted to create a focal area to divide the long narrow space. I used astro turf, in one corner of the patio to create a green corner.
Design Tip
When using astro turf, try hiding the edges so create a more finished and polished look.
Adding Faux Plants… All Over
Got Faux?
I stocked up on faux plants and selected ones that had similar green tones.
I had no idea what I was going to do with all of them yet... this is going to be a fun experiment.
The patio was in the shade most of the afternoon which is great for staying cool but not so great for plants. I did not want planters to take up the precious real estate in the patio and I wanted to add greenery to the walls (which would be a pain to do with real plants), so I opted for faux plants.
DIY Wall Decor
Materials:
frame - recycled wood
frame backing - chicken wire (this is so that you can stick faux plants in the wire and have it stay put)
wooden “Please Seat Yourself” sign
zip ties, lots of them
Adding the Furniture
I am the type of person who likes to rearrange things from time to time (just for fun) or when the occasion calls for it. I tend to look for light-weight furniture that is multi-functional and that is easy to move.
The pieces:
One Happy Corner
I am obsessed with my hanging egg chair. It’s my favorite spot to perch, wine & unwind.
Unfortunately, part of the whicker on the egg chair arrived damaged — bummer. Instead of dealing with the hassle of boxing it up, returning it and finding a new one, I decided to strategically hide the chair’s flaws using faux plants. Problem solved. Hassle avoided.
Similar egg chairs can be found here — you don’t have to break the bank to add a cool swing to your outdoor space. You could also try finding used ones in your local area on Craigslist, NextDoor or your local thrift store.
Depending on your space, you could also use other types of suspended seats. Trust me, your bum will thank you.
Post Spruce
The Final Touches
Outdoor Rug - This small addition can really dramatically transform a space. It can add more color & texture and helps with creating a focal point to the main seating area. An outdoor rug can also be hung up to spruce up your walls.
Decor
I used roll-up outdoor window shades to add more warmth to the gray concrete walls. They are affordable, light-weight and easy to clean / maintain.
Friend’s old skateboard with wooden postcards from Yosemite
Old TX road sign - I plea the 5th on how it was acquired
Outdoor Storage - I wanted a place to store miscellaneous items & patio furniture covers when not in use. The cabinet next to the climbing plants was an old metal locker that was painted to blend into the walls.
Overhead Outdoor String Lights - I set these to a timer so that they automatically turn on and off in the evening and in the morning. It saves electricity and it’s a much more pleasant wake up call when the string lights turn on the morning and shines light into the bedroom.