Tips for Creating (and Using!) a Great Outdoor Space

Like I mentioned in this post, we recently furnished/decorated our patio. We live in the Metroparks and our backyard was one of the reasons we bought our house. We absolutely LOVE to be out there, especially now that it’s all furnished. Below are a few of the things I learned throughout the decorating process:

Think logically when shopping for patio furniture

When picking out patio furniture, go with a neutral color. When I was looking, I kept finding really cool bright-colored furniture but I truly think I would have gotten sick of it after a season or two. Instead, add pops of color with pillows, table cloths, runners, etc. Also, think about how many people you might have sitting out there at any given time. I kept seeing really cool swinging seats, etc. but they just weren’t functional. We both have big extended families and when everyone is over, we want to have enough seats!

Keep the mosquitos far away

No one wants to get bit up when trying to enjoy the outdoors! When we were in the process of revamping the patio, TIKI Brand sent us some products to try out (sign up for their newsletter and get a coupon code for 25% off your order plus free shipping!). They have made SUCH a difference in how much time we have been able to spend outside! We keep our TIKI Brand torches full of TIKI Brand Bitefighter® Torch Fuel. It helps to keep the mosquitos away and smells great! 

Use rugs to elevate the space

A big goal of ours is to completely redo the patio at some point, ripping up what we currently have and making it bigger. But, for now, our patio is a fairly small, slab of concrete. We covered that right up with some rugs. I think it makes the whole space look way more inviting and put together. Just be sure to look for outdoor or indoor/outdoor rugs so they don’t get ruined (bonus: they are often cheaper than indoor-only rugs!).

Take care of your furniture

Patio furniture is a major investment! Especially in Northeast Ohio, you’ll want to protect it from the elements with furniture covers or by bringing the cushions inside/putting them in a storage bin each night. We bought a large, plastic storage bin that has been a lifesaver (so. much. rain.).

Use plastic plates

Soon enough, one of my kids (or I…) will drop an entire plate of food outside. Since we are usually barefoot on the patio, I purchased new plastic plates to use outside so there’s no risk of broken glass. I also bought napkins and placemats for outdoor use just because it’s fun to have something different out there!

Keep food simple

Whenever we are having people over to hang out outside, I try to make the meal as simple as possible (I am definitely not above takeout!). When we are cooking, we usually try to grill when we can. Is there anything better than grilling out on a summer day?! My favorite part of grilling is that it keeps the chef(s) outside with the rest of the group. Also, less clean up in the kitchen is always a win in my book.

We have already had such a great season thanks to our new, functional decor and our TIKI Brand torches and Bitefigher Torch Fuel!

Do you have any patio tips? Please share!

Disclosure: This post was written in partnership with TIKI Brand.

Photos by Little Bit Perfect