Monday, July 11, 2011

Patio Makeover Reveal

After more than a month of work, I'm finally sharing our patio makeover with you {even though I still have two more projects to do for this to be complete}! I don't have a before picture mostly because our before patio was really sad...no shade, a rusty old table, and way too many toys crammed in one place! Now it is this bright and cheery space that I love!
This whole project started because I wanted to add a little more shade to our backyard so the boys would be a little cooler playing in the backyard during the SUPER hot summer! We added the pergola a few years ago, but it never really gave us the shade that we were hoping for. So I hit the fabric store during an awesome outdoor fabric sale and bought a ton of fabric. I cut the fabric into strips {and hemmed each edge to keep it from fraying} then Jason weaved the fabric in and out of the braces of the pergola attaching it to the pergola with staples along the top edge.
Not only did the fabric add a ton of color to the space, but it created just the right amount of shade over the back patio without seeming like a full roof over it. We also added some outdoor lighting to the pergola so we can use it more at night too.
After all that color was added to the pergola, I decided we needed a new table with a little color too. We traded out our old rusty table for a new picnic table that is much more functional for little kids. The table came unfinished {we got it at Lowe's for less than $100} and I painted it with a coat of primer and then a coat of {Honeypot from Valspar I think} exterior paint.
To add just a little more color to the patio area, I also painted out white back door with the same yellow color.
Two of our old chairs got a new coat of black spray paint and I recovered the cushions with some of the scraps of outdoor fabric that I used on the pergola.
I've already shared out Outdoor Toy Organizer...
...and my old window turned outdoor wall art.
I also gave our old {and half way broken} patio box a makeover as well. It went from this:
to this:
{I'll share the step by step on how I turned this old patio box into a really cute bench tomorrow.}
We picked up a new light fixture for over the back door and I am still working on a chandelier creation to hang over the picnic table, but for now I am really pleased with how our new patio looks!


Best DIY Project of 2011 Contest - Not JUST A Simple Housewife

55 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh!!!!! I really love all your projects!!! I love how the yellow just pops! It makes it look so fun out there. And genius about the fabric!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey! I got here by accident and I loved it! Great blog; you rock!
    You officially have a Spanish reader (well, if didn’t have one already, of course!)
    Will you come visit my blog too?

    http://mustbeliberating.blogspot.com/

    Big hug!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kelli, I love that fabric! So fun and pretty! Awesome idea using it on the storage box. Those boxes can look so unattractive. Your's is just so purty!

    I like the pops of yellow too. Fun space.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your patio looks awesome! Love the colors!! we live in the scorching South so i feel your need for shade. Check out the polka dot picnic table at Jane Coslick Cottages!! You'll love it. After seeing your picnic table and the one on her blog I am wishing (I had room for an old fashioned picnic table like that on my screened porch!! marcie@madebymolliesmom.blogspot

    ReplyDelete
  5. This looks so good! One question: how did you hand your old window on the brick? just nails??

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kelli!!

    Oh my goodness -- your patio is so cute!!

    xoxxo
    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  7. In LOVE!!! Kelli, this is fabulous!! Such wonderful work you did. :) I love the yellow picnic table, and the way you took the yellow to the back door. :) Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Kelli, you have outdone yourself once again! What a terrific space!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great makeover, I love that sunny yellow paint color!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awesome job! You even got hubby to help with the creative work!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gorgeous! It's amazing how hot it can get on a patio in the summertime. The sun makes my deck unusable in the middle of summer.

    Love this!

    gertie@ www.theoldblockhouse.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love that yellow door! Love it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Absolutely fantastic and super family friendly! Thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love it! The fabric woven through the pergoda!
    ~Heidi

    ReplyDelete
  15. That is sooo cute! I too need some shade and didn't know a good way to do it. I love the fabric through the pergola!!! Perfect!!! Let me know how the fabric holds up. I recovered all my patio chairs in outdoor fabric and they faded like CRAZY! Is there something that you can treat it with so that it doesn't do that?

    ReplyDelete
  16. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE every square inch of your patio. From the color, to the fabric, to the pergola, to the table, to the containers...EVERYTHING. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

    ReplyDelete
  17. You have done such a great job! It's bright and cheery- just how a backyard should be.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love it!!!! I'm a tad bit jealous ;) It looks amazing...come do mine for me now :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. That looks amazing!! Great job!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. It looks amazing. You did so much for the area. I love the fabric you chose.

    ReplyDelete
  21. That yellow is genius and gorgeous. It adds such a bright happy speck of sunshine to the patio. You have created a beautiful space!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love the fabric in the pergola! Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  23. It all looks amazing!!
    I bet you and the boys will enjoy it for a long time!

    ReplyDelete
  24. love it! i am so into yellow right now. your window frame turned out great! now you can sit back and enjoy your space!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Looks great!!! Love the yellow!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow this turned out a amazing. I love the bucket idea, I may have to do this. I have chalk, bubbles, GI Joe men, and squirt guns everywhere. Great idea. Love everything you did, such a cheery place to hang out:)

    ReplyDelete
  27. This looks just wonderful Kelli! I can't wait to see how you did the storage bin makeover :) You always have such great stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Amazing! As always, you are incredibly talented!

    ReplyDelete
  29. You did an amazing job!!! I love, love all of the color...especially all of the yellow. This fall I'd like to do some things to our backyard...it's such a nice space. I hope you enjoy your "new" patio!!!

    ReplyDelete
  30. LOVE the yellow door... so bold! I'm thinking my back patio door needs some sprucing up now. Oh my, just another thing to add to the list! :)

    2027

    ReplyDelete
  31. Wow! That pergola with the beautiful fabric is amazing! What a great place to relax with your family:)!
    Beth

    ReplyDelete
  32. Kelli, your patio looks amazing! The yellow door and table really compliment the space. I'd love to add this to the inspiration galleries on my site and include you in a feature post. Let me know if you're interested!

    ReplyDelete
  33. This post was exactly what I needed to see tonight. My husband and I just bought our first house and were searching for inspiration for our backyard/deck. I absolutely love your ideas and what you accomplished with your patio, all of the details tie together and it feels so fresh and alive!!! Great work. I know your family will always enjoy it :)Thank you for sharing this, I'll be back soon!! Have a wonderful weekend,

    Katie@Little Things Bring Smiles

    ReplyDelete
  34. I LOVE the you are my sunshine window with the chevron. I'm pinning it so I can copy it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Ok, this one is just way TOO cool! You always are extra creative but I'm loving your this especially. =) I want to go to Lowe's and copy you with the picnic table lol. And having the outdoor toy organization is the smartest idea.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Looks great! I love that picnic table. I'm your newest follower stopping by from the link party at Remodelaholic.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Totally jealous of this space! Good job!

    ReplyDelete
  38. i am in love with the fabric idea in your pergola...just awesome! i will bookmark this link in case we need ideas for more shade once we put up our pergola...so creative!!!


    i am also lovin' the toy organizer!

    ReplyDelete
  39. I love love love your backyard! All the little details make such an awesome transformation. Im so using some of your great ideas for my patio renovation. Thanks for posting.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Oh my word I love this soooo much! I love yellow :) I love that you added fabric to the pergola. I love the storage containers. Heck. I love it all :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. That's gorgeous. We are currently waiting for our patio to be redone, new stamped concrete. And your pergola is PERFECT. I'm so jealous. I just might have to steal your idea. Did you have it built or was it a D.I.Y.??

    ReplyDelete
  42. Oh, this is absolutely wonderful. Just WONDERFUL! That fabric on the pergola was an inspiration--and doesn't it make a huge difference to have a little shade?

    I'm betting you're going to win the CSI Challenge. You've done a great job with this space! :)

    ReplyDelete
  43. I love this bench, such a nice touch! :) I've featured this post on Craft Gossip here:
    http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/outdoor-trunk-makeover/

    If you would like a "featured by" button, you can grab one here:
    http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/grab-a-craft-gossip-button/

    ReplyDelete
  44. We are going through the same stuff now....too hot, no shade but for a big umbrella. I'd like a screened-in porch but that costs $$$ so maybe I can convince my husband to try your pergola design instead! It's awesome! I also need to do over our utility box as well. Can't wait to see how you did it!

    ReplyDelete
  45. It looks great! I love the bucket ideas for the kids stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I love the painted picnic table. We are considering doing something like this in our yard. After reading the reviews on Lowes - how has the table held up?

    ReplyDelete
  47. Gorgeous! I love the painted picnic table.

    I've read the disappointing reviews on Lowe's - how has your table held up?

    ReplyDelete
  48. This may be a lame question, but do you ever have issues with water getting into the open storage for the toys? Or do you switch it out come winter? Just curious, I did an open tub with some of our toys, and it got all grimy and gross inside.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!