One of the many things I love about this house is the wonderful outdoor spaces. However, the long covered porch area was a bit of a challenge to decorate. We have the major components but it is still a work in progress. Let’s talk about How to Make the Most of Your Patio Space.
Our pool area faces the direct hot sun. The former owners were very wise to cover the entire back area of the house. A lot of the covered area is quite high so decorating it has been a bit of a challenge. You can read about my concept for the design in my post How to Achieve a Collected Look on Your Patio
This real estate photo will give you an idea of the expanse of the covered patio and the height of the roof on either end. The first thing we did was purchase five large pots to anchor each post. We have planted them with climbing polka roses, lantana, and coleus. The roses are small. Hopefully next year they will begin to climb the posts and create a cozier feel.
HOW TO CREATE THE MOST OF YOUR PATIO SPACE-CREATE INDIVIDUAL ROOMS WITHIN THE SPACE
In order to create a cozier vibe, I decided to create individual rooms within the large space.
We placed the wonderful table our friend Jim built for us in front of the kitchen window (hopefully we will have some sort of fixture there at some point. The table is surrounded by great Home Depot chairs. I will link all available items and similar at the bottom of the post. An old trough is filled with succulents. Two vintage urns from local Wisteria hold standard tabletop olives. You can see the table in our former garden in the post Before and After Garden Transformation.
The table set up for a recent dinner party.
Wouldn’t this area have been fabulous with accordion doors opening up onto this space? I am sure the former owners thought of it. Needless to say, that will not be in our budget. I shared more of how I selected my color pallet in this post How to Select a Harmonious Color Pallet for your Pool Area here.
The center area in front of the great room houses the Ballard Designs Suzanne Kasler chairs from our former garden, a sofa from the same collection that we added, and the coffee table that our friend Jim built. The table and coffee table were originally at our lake home. The pillows are all from Pottery Barn.
The beautiful view from the patio of the surrounding hills.
In this little seating area, we have four more of the home depot chairs and an ottoman/coffee table from World Market (All linked at the bottom of the post). FYI the boob fan lights are going. We are replacing them with inexpensive HD outdoor fans without lights.
We defined the area with an inexpensive mirror also from Home Depot, an olive standard, and some old shutters we have had for years. I like mixing the old with the new and the low and high.
The patio off the master (primary) is still a work in progress. I think it needs a few more potted plants to bring the roof down and cozy up the space. I think some shutters on the french doors would also really help. The entire house could benefit from some shutters here and there.
We brought the iron table and chairs from our Chualar home. It works nicely tucked into the space that overlooks the rose garden and the hills.
I am linking all available patio items here:
SHOP MY POOL PATIO AREA
We still have some tweaking to do over time, but we feel very fortunate to have this wonderful space to enjoy with family and friends. Don’t be afraid to mix the high and the low and the old and the new to create a friendly collected look. I mixed the higher-end Ballard (Suzanne Kasler) furniture with chairs from Home Depot and items I have collected and already owned. Thank you for reading How to Make the Most of Your Patio Space
absolutely gorgeous…you have got the taste 100%
Hi Mumbai
Oh my goodness thank you so much. I try to keep current for you ladies! You keep me in line!
Cindy, this has nothing to do with your post, but my sister just told me that her school friend, Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski was killed in a car crash. Someone previously posted. and mentioned her on this blog. I was sorry to here this sad news.
Hi Gayle
I think my cousin worked for her. Yes so very sad
Beautiful space! I love the accent pedestal table between the two chairs in the Patio off the Master space. Where did you get them?
Thank you!!
Hi Elizabeth
Well that is a great question. My husband found the base in his warehouse. We have no idea where it came from…maybe he salvaged it from a job? At any rate we almost tossed it but decided to put a scrap piece of stone on top!
I started to add this to my remarks above but wanted to make sure it was a real thing. My husband and I have both had prolotherapy in our knees. We swear by it. There is now prolotherapy got dogs. Google it. It’s like acupuncture with dextrose injections. Sounds crazy but it has been a game changer for us.
Hi Patricia
Looking it up right now!!
You are living your best lives I keep saying! Looks like a lux resort. Sorry to hear Beau is feeling down in the joints. Painful for sure. Hope he gets better!
Thanks Patricia. It is very frustrating. I should preface that Beau has been on glucosamine since he was a pup. We also give him salmon oil every evening. He has been a very active dog and has gone done hill very quickly. If we do not have luck with alternative therapies (if we can get in somewhere) we will not let him suffer. We do not believe in that at all.
Cindy,
Not only is your home beautiful, but the outdoor spaces are also stunning, and I love your style. Each “room” is so inviting and with that view, I could sit all day and just look at the rolling hills behind your backyard.
I love watching as you develop each space with a collected and cozy feel to each.
Karen B.
Hi Karen
Thank you so much. I am sitting on my patio enjoying the breeze and scenery right this very minute. We love it here.
Cindy your outdoor spaces are always cosy and inspirational! I love how you have mixed and matched and add things from each of your homes. I am sure that your family and friends love spending time here. Thank you for the inspiration!
Hi Eliz
We are sure enjoying the outdoor spaces here. The former owners created an outdoor Eden.
This is a beautiful patio decorated. I do think shutters beside door would look great and something over the doors on wall. I wished here in NC the standard olives would survive winter. I have large olive pots that would be perfect for them. Excited to see how you keep decorating outside.
Hi Nancy
We will definitely add some shutters as time goes by. I am a firm believer in living in a space first. Sometimes things I think are awful really aren’t and somethings that I think would be great maybe not so much either. Live in it and think…
This is so pretty! We have a winter home in the Palm Springs area and it is challenging to decorate because I have to find plants that either can withstand the summer heat, or plants that I can toss at the end of the season. I love to glean ideas from your blog. Thank you!
Hi Barbara
I bet succulents do well there, don’t they? It is tough having two homes I know. We did it for over 15 years.
This is just heavenly!! All that fresh air and beautiful comfort. Awesome job. Wish I was out there with you and Beau now.
Hi Mary Ann
We need to schedule September!!
So beautiful Cindy! Love each space, so inviting and comfortable. You have such great style. Your views are amazing- can’t wait to see your ‘tweaks’ to the garden.
Hi Barb
Thank you so much. We wanted to get the outdoor space done so we could enjoy it. Next year some garden tweaks!
Cindy,
When you moved from your old home, I thought how is she going to top this place. But, I should have known, you would. I am blown away at this gorgeous outdoors area, it is just a bit of heaven on earth. Everything about it is pure perfection and I think I could just live on your patio. It is divine to the max!!!
Hi Gail
I thought the same thing Gail, but we were ready for a change. This outdoor space is so much more usable because the weather is so accommodating. Our former home had more interesting architectural details, but this house makes up for it in outdoor living space.
Just yesterday I was driving down to our home in southern California and we went through your breathtaking area (on the 101.) I have a courtyard I have been tinkering with, and I appreciate all the advice I can get. It’s a 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival house we bought just two years ago. I am trying to avoid full-blown Hacienda, but people keep telling me the courtyard looks like “Encanto.” I keep tinkering.
Hi Kay
I bet your courtyard will be lovely. Live with it a little while it will speak to you!!
Cindy, you’re the expert at mixing high and low to create magic. Your outdoor spaces are amazing. I love the shutter idea. And I love you added a mirror. Adding a mirror on our back patio has been a game changer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … your new home looks like a fabulous, boutique resort. It must be heaven living there and your family and friends must be flocking to spend time at the lovely Hotel Hattersley. xo
Cindy,
I love how cohesive every “room” looks. I’m not a matchy person but you’ve kept the look and tones so it all “goes”. I believe you call it a curated look. I’ve never been that clever. I just say it all goes and that makes me smile. In our AG house…which sat on a hill…we had levels. On the third level we had the privilege of having several very old and lovely oak tress. My husband and I created a chandelier garden. I scoured thrift stores, estate sales…you name it and gathered 10 different chandeliers. He ran low voltage wiring and we had all those chandeliers lit up under the canopy of the oak tress. It was so lovely and unique. Have you considered hanging (in your own beautiful style) chandeliers from your high patio ceilings? Just a thought. Such a fan of all you do.
Hi Katie
Absolutely! I have to ease into any project that involves my husband. You can check my inspiration post. I am hoping to add a pendant light or two above the table and perhaps something above the area in front of our master. I don’t think there is any electrical so it will be a project probably for next year.
Loving your new outside spaces and how you created each area to be so special! Your details are so inspiring!
Hi Sue
Thank you so much! It was a bit of a challenge.
If anyone can face a challenge YOU can. Everything looks so warm and cozy. The outside offers such spectacular views, and I can picture dozing off with a good book. The landscaping is so lush and green.
Hi Katherine
Thank you so much. It has been quite warm here so the hills are quite brown.
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!!
Hi Judie
Thank you so much. I so appreciate it.
I am a rather new reader of the blog and love your style. I think there is not a lovelier rose than the Polka. It flourished for me in Illinois, but in MN, it is in a pot and I get one or two blooms a year…..worth it!
Hi Rosie
I am so glad to hear that. I have only had a couple of blooms as mine were very small when I purchased them. I have always admired it but never planted it.
Love,love,love your outdoor space! I like that it is so livable! All are great ideas! It is so hot in Dallas this summer-103 today! My yard and plants are frying! Anyway, pardon my rant! I can just see an outdoor rug to warm some of your rooms! Also, I have the west sun facing my patio too. Nice in the morning but brutal in the afternoon. We bought cedar lattice. The cedar ages better that the pine. 4’ panels flank our seating area and we grow climbing roses on them . They do provide shade and color and privacy too although we still have our view.
Hi Marcia
Your outdoor space sounds fabulous as well.I have never gotten on the outdoor rug bandwagon. I am not sure why. I feel like mine would be filthy all the time from watering the plants, the animals etc. I do love them in others homes however!
FABULOUS!
Hi Guys
How are you? You guys have such a beautiful garden and sitting area. Wish we could be there right now! Hopefully next year!
Your outside areas look beautiful, love the intimacy that you have developed in each area. An area that I would love to see is your garden, can just see a pick of the hydrangeas (at least I think they are hydrangeas) can you share this area with us?
Hi Marcia
Those are iceberg roses that you see (which are great). I have to be honest that area needs some work and is really not ready for prime time if you know what I mean. In front of the iceberg roses are modern roses of every color imaginable. That is one area I plan to edit. I am not a personal fan of modern roses. The raised beds are great, and I love the grapes surrounding the area. I will leave the iceberg border. I love it. I am just unsure if I want roses there at all. This isn’t the time of year to change anything, so I am mulling over ideas. One possibility is leaving the iceberg border, extending it all the way around the raised beds and grapes, and turning that area into more of a french kitchen garden. Then I would plant some david austin roses in front of the olives on the other side. Anyway stay tuned!
You did a fabulous job with your outdoor “rooms” Cindy. I love how you did the dining area, and added the mirror and that gorgeous potted olive tree to another space. I can tell you are having fun!
Hi Jackie
Thank you so much. We are sure enjoying the lovely outdoor spaces. Although it gets quite hot during the days, the nights are lovely.
This looks great! And what a fabulous site for a pool.
Just curious…what happened to the round dining table and black chairs you pictured a few weeks ago?
Hi Stina
That table is in the courtyard area that I shared last week. It is still there!
Cindy, I love how you warmed up your outdoor spaces with furniture and accessories. It’s collected, warm and cozy the way you’ve created conversation and dining areas. I love the wicker furniture and the pillows and cushions. The antiques mixed in….and Furry, my favorite cat!
xx
Ha ha Furrie your favorite cat! She sure loved you!!
Absolutely Beautiful I would never go inside!
Hi Teresa
We do not spend much time indoors!!