Your patio is your own private world, and you can decorate it as uniquely as you like. You may want to base it around an ethnic theme, fit it out to provide the maximum in privacy, or make it a part of a flower garden. The choices are wide open, and it’s up to you what you would like to do.
A Mediterranean Style Patio
A really cool look you can develop for your patio without spending a lot of money is one with a Mediterranean theme. Start your look with a base of terra cotta tiles mixed in with a pattern of cobalt blue ones. You can buy new furniture to fit the theme or simply paint your old furniture a Mediterranean blue. Do you want a water feature but feel you can’t afford it? How about building a simulated one?
You’ll start your simulated fountain by placing cinder blocks around the perimeter. You can then cover the blocks with the same tiles you used for the floor. Inside your “fountain” you can lay out a blue and white tile pattern which will look like a sparkling pool of water. On top of the tile, set a concrete planter stand topped with a terra cotta pot full of flowers. It will look gorgeous for a fraction of the cost of a real water feature, and it won’t take nearly as much maintenance.
Ideas to Make Your Patio Area Private
If you’re looking to make your patio a private space where you can relax without all the neighbors looking at you, you need to take some measures to block their view. By going to a salvage yard or even a yard sale you can find old wooden shutters. Choose the ones from a tall window. Attach three or four of them together like an accordion, and spray paint them to fit in with the décor of your patio. Since these are portable, you’ll be able to store them in the garage during the winter and set them out again next spring.
Another seasonal method you can use to block the view is to create your own trellis. Start by making a frame out of 2x2s. Put hooks two to four inches apart along the top and bottom of the frame, and string some wire vertically by attaching it to the hooks. Install the frame along the edge of your patio space, and plant fast-growing annuals, such as morning glories, along the frame. Once they grow up, they’ll effectively give you the privacy you’re after. In the fall you just cut the strings and store the frame so that you can use it again another year.
Planning the design of your flowerbeds to include your patio is a delightful way of decorating the space. What could be nicer than a patio surrounded by the beauty of nature and the smell of fresh flowers? If you plant perennials, your décor will grow back fresh every year and be there for you to enjoy.
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