My Budget-Friendly Patio Makeover REVEAL!
I’ve been working on a really budget-friendly patio makeover for the small patio off my office, and it’s done! I’m excited to share the full reveal today with all of the before and afters.
I don’t think it’s a secret that my favorite kind of makeover is one that’s super affordable but makes a big impact. And this patio makeover definitely falls into that category!
One of my absolute favorite things about our house when we first saw it was that my office has a small (about 7′ x 10′) patio right off it. It feels like my own special place to hang out and take a break, and it creates a really special courtyard-feeling in our backyard.
But, of course, when we first moved in it was a bit boring.
I knew I wanted to prioritize this space this year, because I spend a ton of time in my office. So as soon as the weather started to warm up I dove right in. So far you’ve seen that I…
- Shared the before photos and all of our plans
- Painted the trim black to break up all the brown
- Painted the ceiling haint blue and added a ceiling fan
I originally planned to stain the concrete as well, but I chickened out. I wasn’t ready to fully commit to that project so I put it on the back burner. But, I already have the stain sitting in my garage so I reserve the right to decide to randomly do it on a Tuesday afternoon just because the mood hits. Sometimes that’s how it goes.
But, for now, the main projects are done and it was time to accessorize!
Patio Makeover Reveal VIDEO
If you like to watch it all come together via video, I’ve got you covered! Here’s a quick little look at how I put together the finishing touches on this patio, along with a video tour of how it all turned out.
Mini Patio Makeover Details
The Outdoor Rug + Furniture
The first step was to add an outdoor rug to the patio. I might not be ready to commit to staining the concrete but I also am definitely not interested in leaving it fully visible. So, I got the largest rug that would comfortably fit. I am in love with how it looks! I debated for a long time on what style to get, if I wanted a color versus a neutral, blah blah blah. This is the sort of decision that’s really easy to overthink!
But, in the end, I decided to go with green (the whole point of this makeover was to break up all the brown, so another neutral felt silly) and striped. I think it’s the perfect subtle pop of color, and it does a great job of hiding the ugly concrete. Here’s the rug I chose for the space.
The big cozy chair and the swing were things we already had. The chair I’ve had for ages, and the swing is one my parents bought 25+ years ago and never hung up. So, they gave it to us! I think I still need a small coffee table or ottoman, but the rug really made things feel cozier!
Adding Hanging Planters
The final touch was adding some more plants. I already had these hanging planters from our last house, and so I just pulled them out of the storage shed! I grabbed a couple of clearance plants from Lowe’s (I spent less than $20 on all three!) and hung ’em up using some hooks we had laying around.
Truly, the best kind of project is one where you’ve already got everything you need!
Eventually I might add some more plants out here, but for now I’m going to see if I can manage to keep these alive. I’ve never been good at outdoor plants that aren’t automatically watered. So, wish me luck. Or rather, wish them luck. Worst case, I’ll add some faux plants instead. I already have a list of all the best ones!
Patio Makeover Before & Afters
Like any project we do around here, I’m not ready to declare this little patio DONE. I think our house will always be evolving and changing, and the ideas I have for just about every space are endless. But, for now, this is all I plan to do out here and I’m calling it complete-for-now.
Now that I’ve seen what an impact a little paint can have on the patio, I’m itching to do the same over on the main patio! I have leftover blue paint from the ceiling and black from the trim, so in the next few weeks I’ll probably move over there and keep going. It is so satisfying to see how different it looks now and I just love making my mark on our house in this way.
Oh, and if I’m being really honest, I’ve already spent about half an hour looking at outdoor coffee tables while I was writing this post so I think it’s safe to say I might end up ordering one of those too. Like I said – no space is ever fully complete.