Transform Your Outdoor Space: Stunning Patio Refresh Ideas

I don’t know about you, but I love spring. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, surely at least one more time in this post. I can’t wait for planting season to start.

This year we are re-oiling our deck. Our deck is made out of tigerwood, which is a hardwood that needs to be powerwashed everyother year and re-oiled. It’s kind of a pain, but it looks so much better after it’s done. I’ve included pictures before we oil, so you can follow along and see what we did.

To clean and oil the deck we use Messmer’s products, which are made in Utah. So I feel good supporting a local company. You can however get it on Amazon, here. The link is for the natural finish oil. We are specifically using the Hardwood oil. Our deck is made out of tigerwood, so that is why we need a product specifically for that.

So to clean off the wood, we used a powerwasher, let it dry for at least 24 hours. Messmer also makes a wood cleaner, however we were able to get the old patina off the wood with just the powerwasher.

This year my deck needs a whole makeover. I have pots that are cracking and string lights that need to be replaced, they are like 7 years old with some broken bulbs. Also my cushions are old and faded, so I am doing a whole make-over and thought I would take you along. I hope this inspires you to refresh your patio/deck, even if it’s just a new set of outdoor pillows.

Planters

I love to plant tropical plants in my planters, because they don’t grow as perennials in Utah, so they work well as annuals in my planters and pots. I wait until May to plant, so that chance of a hard freeze is passed. This timing can vary based on where you live. Follow the local guidelines for when to start planting. We are in planting zone 7A.

This antique french pot from etsy is where I plant my yearly herbs. This year I planted cilantro, italian parsley, rosemary and basil. The basil paired with our fresh garden tomatoes, some fresh mozzerella and a drizzle of balsamic glaze is a healthy and tasty late summer snack/appetizer.

If you want to plant some early spring flowers, you can find pots filled with bulbs like tulips, and daffodils at your local nursery. I also like pansies for a hardy early spring to late fall flower. Pansies are fun because they come in so many colors. I like mixing pots of various heights and sizes to create visual interest.

1. 4 Pack- Modern Swirl Plant Pots. These come in 3 different colors and are about 14inches.
2. 2 Pack- 21 inch tall planters. I like mixing various sizes of planters to create visual interest
3. 30 inch Tall, Modern planter. I love modern looking pieces like this, I think the clean lines really let the plants show off.

Thriller, Filler, Spiller Planting

When planting my pots I use the “Thriller, Filler, Spiller” method to plant. You pick a thriller plant for the middle of the pot, this is your tall plants, like grasses and such. Then pick out a filler plant, these are plants that aren’t as tall and can be used to fill in the pot. Then pick a plant that trails over the edges of the pot. I like creeping jenny and use that as my spiller most of the time, or sweet potato vine. I like black sweet potato vine for a nice contrast of color against all the green.

On the south side of our deck we have hops (as in beer hops) vines planted. We string up twine each year and connect it to the top of our deck cover. The hops vines grow strong and fast, twirling up the twine and giving us some shade and privacy on the deck.

Lighting

I think lighting for your patio or deck is essential. Even though it doesn’t get dark until later in the summer, it’s nice for BBQ’s that linger into the evening. Plus it gives you a good excuse to sit out on the patio at night,

1. Globe string lights– This set comes with 64 feet of lighting, and comes in clear, blue and multicolored sets. I love the idea of blue lights mixed in with clear lights
2. Solar Powered String Lights– If you don’t have outdoor power close, you can still hang string lights, just find solar powered options like these.
3. Sun, Moon, and Stars String Lights– These are super cute celestial themed lights. Which will remind you to look up at the stars at night
4. 4 Pack- Globe Lights Outdoor– This is a different option from string lights. You get a pack of 4 big globe style lights that can be hung up individually. These are also solar powered so you don’t need a plug nearby.
5. Solar Stake Lights– I have these lights and put them in my potted plants on the deck. The intricate designs cast beautiful patterns after dark

Bird Feeders

I love as many beneficial animals and critters in my yard as possible. I try to plant flowers to attract hummingbirds and butterflies as well as bees and birds. So I have a hummingbird feeder, and a birdseed feeder for my backyard. If you have ever sat on your patio and birdwatched, you know what I mean. I get so excited every time I see a hummingbird. Interesting fact: hummingbirds beaks are changing to adapt to the feeders we put out, instead of the flowers that they eat from. I personally prefer to plant hummingbird friendly plants in my yard but I do understand that urbanization prevents a lot of these plants from freely growing. If you have an area that you can plant perrenial plants, consider plants that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. I do truly believe that we must learn to blend nature into our lives.

We do have squirrels that live in the trees in our yard, my dog Ernie is always barking at them, but they are much to fast for him.

1. Hummingbird Feeder– This is a really pretty blown glass feeder. I like that it comes in different colors of glass, but the actual feeder ports have red flowers to guide in the hummingbirds.
2. Shepards Hook 2 pack– These are tall, 92in, to hang planters, or specifically in my case, birdfeeders. Good for when you don’t have tree branches tall enough for a birdfeeder.
3. The Pioneer Woman: Hummingbird feeder, the main compartment is made of glass however the base and feeder parts are made of silicone and plastic with a nice S shaped hook for hanging. I like that the base and feeder ports are made of plastic, my last feeder had metal parts that started rusting after a couple of seasons, and that can’t be healthy for the little buddies

Seating/Pillows

I have two zero gravity chairs on my deck for lounging, as well as a table and chairs, and benches surrounding my deck. So we have lots of seating, which is important when entertaining. I also love a good bistro set for the front porch. My front porch isn’t quite big enough for a bistro set, so for now I will just dream of sitting out front drinking a lemonade in the summer.

1. Outdoor Waterproof Pillows– These pillows have a cute modern looking dot pattern, and come in multiple colors.
2. Adirondack chairs-Set of 2 wooden chairs. These can even be painted if you want.
3. Country Chic-Throw pillows, I love how cute these are for a country chic/ farmer’s market vibe
4. Bistro Set– I like that this has nice wide chairs that you can sink into. I think it looks much more comfortable than the straight back metal bistro set chairs.

Outdoor Rugs

I like to have a rug leading from my back deck into the house. That way we can wipe off our feet before coming in the house.

Since we have a wood deck, I don’t put down a large rug, under the table. However if you are working with a concrete or stone patio, you may want a rug down. I find that it’s more comfortable to lounge outside without shoes on, when there is a rug to set my feet on.

1. Tribal Pattern Woven Rug– This tribal pattern is boho looking without being super in your face. It’s also a decent size, a medium sized rug at 4 feet by 6 feet. There are multiple color options and size options though, and the price is right.
2. Door Mat– From the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore collection. I like this modern pattern, that adds interest. I do like the colored door mats, however I find that the really colorful ones fade super quickly. I bought this for my back deck leading into my house.
3. Evil eye Doormat– To protect your home, or just as a quirky and fun doormat.

This group of planters includes the foremost pot filled with annual flowers, the second back is my bromeliad, a tropical gem that I move inside in the winter, and in the very back is my two year old lime tree that I also keep inside in the winter. This year it has started growing limes!

This patio refresh took about a month to complete, including cleaning the wood, oiling the wood, repainting the support beams white, stringing up the hop vines, and planting and stringing up the lights. We of course have day jobs, so all of this was done after work or on weekends.

For fun, I’ll include a picture of my raised garden beds. These bad boys are falling apart and we need to rebuild them next year. We are debating on putting in a greenhouse or getting more sturdy raised beds.

This year we are growing tomatoes and peppers only. I usually grow more veggies like lettuce, onions, and squash. But to be competely honest our beds are falling apart and we left on a two week vacation to Japan at the beginning of growing season, so it was just the basics this year.

Disclaimer: Some, not all of the links are affiliate links. You will not pay more or less to shop through them. However I may earn a small comission if you purchase through a link. As always, I only share what I personally have bought with my own money and actually love. Thank you!