7 Small Patio Makeover Ideas
In Boston, where small backyards are the norm, so are small patios! With spring on the way, most homeowners will be looking at makeover ideas in order to get their patio spruced up and ready for summer. If you need some inspiration, here are a few of our favorite ideas!
1. Get a Little Lift by Converting the Patio to a Deck
Small decks are great places to spend the afternoon with a good book or even host small summertime barbecues. They’re advantageous, too, in that they remove the need for you to walk down a short flight of steps to get to the patio, which is handy when you’re carrying food or other dinner party necessities from indoors to outside. With the addition of some furniture, perhaps a bar or maybe even an outdoor fireplace, it’s totally possible to turn a small deck or patio into a beautiful, comfortable outdoor living room. Just check out Trex’s gallery of small decks to see what we mean!
2. Turn Your Patio into an Outdoor Kitchen
Just because space may be limited, that doesn’t mean you don’t get to have an outdoor kitchen! It’s perfectly possible, even with a small patio, to create a kitchen with plenty of functionality. Start with a cabinet manufacturer like NatureKast to find durable, weatherproof cabinetry, and design your small-space outdoor kitchen with efficiency in mind. For instance, you can install cabinets beneath a built-in grill to give you both storage and a place to barbecue!
3. Focus on Comfort
Small patios by nature have a cozy feeling, and this is something you can enhance further with clever furniture choices. To create a lounge-like atmosphere, go with low furniture—low-slung chairs, cushions and seating options directly on the ground, and so forth. Or, you can capture the cabana kind of feeling with a couple of comfy hammocks.
4. Go for Green
Small patios have a big advantage in that they’re easy to surround in plenty of beautiful foliage. In fact, lots of homeowners use small trees and shrubs to create a kind of living wall around the patio to ramp up that comfortable, natural feeling. Invest in a few large planters, and you’ll find that it’s easy to create your own little backyard hideaway.
5. Make Your Patio Cozy at Night, Too
Patios aren’t just for enjoying the sunshine. They’re a great place to enjoy the cool evening air, too. If you have the space, try a small firepit. Otherwise, tiki lamps, candles, blankets and other creature comfort needs are an ideal way to cuddle up outdoors after dark!
6. Make a Statement with Furniture
You may think it’s tough to decorate such a small space because there just isn’t much room for a lot of extras. But, if you place a focus on the furniture, you can definitely create a specific mood, even if you don’t have a lot of room for planters, tables and décor. Depending on the styles you like, there are lots of options you can choose. In general, though, you’ll want to look for things like chairs and small tables that double not only as seating and useful surfaces, but eye-catching parts of the décor, too.
7. Go Big on Theme
No matter what theme you choose for your small patio, the best way to make it over is to choose a theme and tie into it as much as possible. So, for example, if you want a cabana-style theme, then don’t just stop at wicker chairs and a hammock! Add some tropical foliage, tiki lamps and all the rest of the details to really make your patio feel like a tiny getaway spot.
Even in busy cities like Boston, it’s possible to create a small oasis! Use these ideas to give your patio a makeover, and you’ll find yourself enjoying it all summer long!
