A Look at Our New Patio

Summer Patio Refresh + Outdoor Patio Decorating Ideas

Hello design lovers. I am so excited about today’s post because it is outdoor patio reveal time. I will share my designer tips on how to create a beautiful patio. Plus, how to assemble a sophisticated outdoor patio ready for all the summer fun ahead and my designer advice on how to decorate your patio for the season.

Last summer, my husband and I decided that we wanted to add a beautiful covered patio extension off the back of our house. We really wanted to add a fenced-in garden area for me because we have tons of deer that come through our property every day. I needed all of my raised flower beds behind gates, so what I decided to do was create a beautiful outdoor oasis for us. We absolutely love how everything turned out.

We created this space off of the door to our mudroom and kitchen. There was a flower bed against the house, we decided to take them out and built up the flanking garden areas so that we had a more level space to work with. We went with a color palette that coordinates with the house.

All of the exposed wood is cedar and stained it to match our existing shutters. We also created cohesiveness by using the same brick that we used on our house and painting it the exact same color. I love to use brick for patio flooring because I think it’s just a really beautiful textural way to add some character and charm.

I also wanted to create an outdoor kitchen area. A place for me to pot all of my plants and, of course, a grilling station for my husband. we included a beautiful seating grouping on the patio as well as a well-appointed dining table that we can host all of our family and friends at over the summer.

Outdoor Kitchen Area

Now the full outdoor patio reveal. I’m going to share every beautiful detail of our outdoor kitchen area with you. I want to start on the back wall of our new outdoor patio. We have a pull-out trash bin which is necessary so animals don’t come digging around. Centered on the counter is our vessel sink. The inspiration for this was a beautiful sink that I saw at Petersham Gardens in Covent Garden in London when I was there last fall with my daughter and mother.

I knew I wanted to create that beautiful look immediately. I’m absolutely obsessed with Petersham; they have a really beautiful outdoor garden area and restaurant. That was the jumping-off point and inspiration for this whole space. The vessel sink is really shallow, which makes it easy for me to put my pots up there and water them or unpot plants. It goes really well with the rest of the vibe that we have out here.

I had it custom-made. It is only three inches deep, so it’s a really cool, unique sink to have outside in your patio area. It makes our outdoor space feel elevated and sophisticated. I also did a really beautiful bridge faucet and sprayer. Below the sink is hidden storage where I keep pots, plant tags, paper towels, etc. We had the doors to the storage custom-made to tie in the shutters that we have on the rest of our house.

If you are planning to create an outdoor kitchen space, I highly recommend making sure that you include a sink and some storage that is covered. Inevitably, we can’t keep everything tidy all the time, so it’s nice to have somewhere to can stash things away.

We did these floating cedar shelves. I really wanted to be able to have all of my pots, little planters, and watering cans at arm’s reach. I really love the way this turned out. They’re very functional, so if you have an opportunity to incorporate some shelves in your patio space I totally recommend it. It’s beautiful, but it’s also super functional.

This is a fun little trick that I did, the woven baskets are actually laundry hampers, and they have a galvanized insert inside of them. I had our trim Carpenter add some casters on the bottom so they actually roll. I use these for my potting soil and compost. It’s difficult for me to lug all those big bags of potting soil and compost around the garden, so when I want to pot my plants, this is so handy.

On the underside of one of the shelves, we added these little hooks, and I love having these baskets right here. I grab them each morning; they have my little garden clippers in them. I take this with me as I walk through the garden and clip flowers. Honestly, I clip flowers from my garden every single morning. It is how I start my day. I bring my cup of coffee out here. It’s the most zen and peaceful way to start a beautiful summer day.

Over on the other end of the outdoor kitchen, we decided to integrate a beverage cooler and also a grill. We have really enjoyed having this beautiful built-in grill in our outdoor kitchen. We grill around three nights a week, and it’s a really fun place for our family to hang out while having a beautiful al fresco meal together.

Outdoor Dining Space

Next in our outdoor patio revieal is our dining setup. I went with a 96-inch teak table so that we could accommodate eight people when we dine outside. I also incorporated some really beautiful and comfortable woven chairs. When you are choosing your outdoor patio furniture I recommend really making sure that the pieces are comfortable and well made.

Our patio is covered, so our patio furniture is not getting rained on. That’s definitely something to think about when you are choosing patio furniture. If your patio is open to the elements, really read the fine print on the furniture and make sure that it will take the daily wear and tear of the elements.

Seating Arrangement

We like to hang out and watch TV with a fire on a crisp night, so when I was designing the seating arrangement for this new outdoor patio I knew that I wanted to have a large sectional. I really took my time choosing this beautiful sectional. It is large, and it’s super comfortable. It’s upholstered in a really durable Sunbrella fabric, and then I added some beautiful outdoor throw pillows. I love to have throw pillows outside that look like they could be indoor as well, so these were the perfect option for me.

I also grounded the seating grouping with an outdoor rug. If you have the opportunity to add an outdoor rug to your seating arrangement on your patio, I say go for it. It adds another textural layer and creates a little bit more of a cozy vibe in the seating arrangement.

I wanted to make sure that we had plenty of seating for impromptu guests. I added these cute little woven stools in front of the fireplace. We use them sometimes to prop our feet up on, or they can be occasional seating for additional guests. We also made sure to have a coffee table in the space for obviously setting down our drinks, putting a book down when we need to, and just having an additional surface to style.

I want to talk a little bit about the patio fireplace and just outdoor fireplaces in general. I really wanted to create a beautiful moment with this being the focal point of the space. It was important to me to create something beautiful and functional. We did a masonry fireplace. We really love the ambiance that it creates when we have a fire going. I added a blue stone mantel, and we recessed the TV into the brickwork. Then we added doors that mimic the shutters on our house so we can hide the TV when we want.

One other fun design detail that I incorporated into the fireplace was a slight taper to the shape. It starts out quite large and then goes up ever so slightly. It is a beautiful added detail that I think creates some charm to the fireplace.

Lastly, I wanted to make sure that we had a raised hearth. I absolutely love sitting by the fire. On a fall night, I just sit right next to the fire and have a conversation with my family. It’s just a really beautiful way to end the day.

Creating Sight-lines

A big designer tip with our outdoor patio reveal is that you should really consider sight lines. We have beautiful land behind us. I knew I wanted to make sure we had this fireplace as a focal point.

We also kept the spaces on each side of the fireplace open to be able to see the natural creek behind us. Plus, every spring and summer, we have these beautiful ferns spring up out of the creek bed. It is one of my husband and I’s favorite parts about our property. We wanted to make sure that we can see the ferns while sitting on the sofa.

Decorator Details

Another designer tip is to really make sure that you are adding decorative accessories that make the space feel inviting. That could be a really beautiful woven tray on your cocktail table with some fresh flowers and a potted plant. Maybe adding in a potted plant on your fireplace as we have. Or have the little stools that I spoke to earlier that just add a layer of sophistication. It makes the space feel well thought out and beautifully designed.

I want to show you a few of those decorative details to use when styling your patio. How I incorporated accessories to create a welcoming and layered space on the patio. If you have the opportunity to add in some details that you might otherwise see in an interior space, I say do so because what that does is create a sophisticated and welcoming environment.

I added in a towel stand and some linen hand towels, as well as a soap dispenser out here next to the sink. Obviously, it’s super practical to have these items out here. It’s also beautiful and makes this space feel very thoughtful. I do a lot of gardening, and I wanted to make sure I have everything I need handy. A plus is that a lot of my gardening essentials are also really aesthetically pleasing, so I’m able to style them.

I also love to incorporate really beautiful plants on the shelves and then also in pots on the countertop. It adds some color to this side of the patio. For me watering the plants every morning is very therapeutic. If you don’t love doing that I would say group your pots in one area, maybe in a really gorgeous artful arrangement. That way, all of them are in one spot, so you can hand water them with a watering can. Better yet, if they happen to be in the range of your sprinkler system, you don’t have to water them at all because your sprinkler system will do that for you.

Sneak Peek of the Garden

Lastly for our outdoor patio reveal, I wanted to give you a little sneak peek of the garden. I’m going to do a full garden reveal in a few more weeks when all of my flowers have started to bloom. I just wanted to talk through a couple of the design features in this area and some things to think about if you are creating a new garden space for yourself. I knew that I wanted to incorporate raised garden beds. We did that, and you can get a little sneak peek of a few of those.

I have created two sets of stairs on each side of the patio. That is a really beautiful spot to incorporate the potted plants that I spoke about earlier. Another little tip that I have for you when you are decorating or creating your outdoor garden and patio space is to make a list of must-haves.

Must-haves for me were an outdoor kitchen, a seating grouping with a fireplace, and raised garden beds. I absolutely had to have string lights. I think they are so magical and beautiful we have them on every single night. They add the perfect touch to our new outdoor space.

Okay, there you have it, our outdoor patio reveal. I hope that you enjoyed my new outdoor patio reveal and that you took away some tips and tricks that you can use when creating your own outdoor spaces this season. Please see the link below to watch the complete outdoor patio reveal video.

Outdoor Patio Reveal YouTube Video

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As always, thank you so much for reading, and remember, good design is for everyone. So create an outdoor space and garden that inspires you, have fun entertaining this season, and fall in love with where you live one room at a time.

XO, Ashley