Finally...the patio reveal

It may basically be the end of summer before you guys get to see the whole patio as I envisioned it back in, you know, March when we started the whole process?   It was a real test for both of us to get through the frustrations this whole project brought, but somehow we're still standin'.  (Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! - points if you got the reference.)  You couple that with the crapfest weather we've had all summer of pop up storms galore and we've basically been able to only see it with covered furniture.

So without further adieu.  I am a stickler for detail, and when our 10+-year-old outdoor pics were looking a little flat, I looked to see if I found something I liked just as much.  When I found this pic, I knew I had to have it.  The look of our cobblestone matched with the cobblestone in the picture makes it feel like you can walk right off of our patio and into the picture.

This is my seat, I claimed it because it never gets any direct sun, so I don't start to smoke like the vampire I am.  I kept one of our old nesting tables from the former garden area, and it was perfect as a sofa table behind the chair.  I put some portulacas in a watering can and boom.  My nook.

The "beastbrella" we got back in June hasn't seen much action, but the base on that thing is HUGE.   I used our old planters (which were only a year old) to plant some flowers.  I didn't plan on putting them on the base, but when I saw how much they hid the ugly base, they stayed there.

Here's a shot of the "living area" The pic on the other wall matched the architecture of the first one, so I thought it complimented it well.  The curtains are always up when it's nice enough to be out back because we have neighbors that are close enough to mosey by and we can close them when we hear them out there.  I like how it makes it look like you're looking out of a window.

My DIY folding shelf on the gate was getting lonely, and with the other large scale pics up, it looked out of balance.  I thought about putting up an antique window, but Kirkland's came through with a lightweight chippy window frame.  I painted the raw wood part to match the shelf, but the chippy white part still comes through.

Here's our other beast...the grill.  It's in what was previously a garden area that just got irritating to deal with, and after 18 years of it, I wanted to gain the space.  Our previous grill was the same thing but half the size and no side burner.  We like the infrared from a health standpoint (fewer flare-ups), and I've always wanted a side burner even though I have no idea why.  Then I wanted the option to be able to cook more if we had people over.   The black table under the grill usually resided in the middle of the furniture because there was nowhere else to put it but it's SO nice to be able to have it out of the way.  Then if we eat out back, we put the table on risers, so it's not so squatty and have a nice place to eat comfortably.

Here's a shot of it open.

The hanging baskets used to be hanging by sisal rope, but one of them finally gave way after two seasons in the elements, so we replaced it with galvanized chain.  Not crazy about the look but I'll take it over worrying about whether or not it's going to drop.  The brown square behind the grill is a retractable shade to keep the other neighbor from peeking in.  We've actually caught her doing it so yeah, that was mandatory, and the old one looked like poop, so we got an upgrade this year.

When the beastbrella is up, we're almost entirely in the shade since it's 11' wide.

It is such a relief to be completely done with this.  (*waits for a meteor to drop out of the sky into it*)  Most would say it stinks we are only done with it toward the end of summer, but honestly, most years that's not when our patio gets a workout anyway because it's too hot to be out there.  So this is the perfect time to have it done and be ready for *hopefully* cooler days and chilly nights to curl up.  Fewer chances of rain so we can keep it uncovered for more than 12 hours 'just in case.'  Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a book to read.

Oh wait, it's raining.

What does your favorite outdoor space look like?

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