Our Patio

Our Patio

Hello sweetest friends and welcome to our home today! I am so happy to have you here, and honestly as I put this post together tonight I was feeling a bit sentimental… I have partnered with Grandin Road for this patio reveal and I am very humbled to share it with you.

You will get to see throughout this post how much fun it was putting this outdoor space together. A couple weeks ago my hubby and I sat on the floor here (while the kiddos played and helped occasionally) surrounded by boxes and began to assemble these sets. As I looked across at him, my eyes welled up with tears. I sat without many words but expressed how humbled and grateful I felt as we designed this space. If you are a little bit familiar with our story – I chose to give up stable work as a teacher to stay home here. Long story short, we lived on one income so I could spend more time with my babies. I started Zevy Joy as a way to share that journey and what it meant to us, posting budget recipes, simple projects and our house. The years have flown by and things have evolved but one thing remains… I am enjoying things that I am passionate about (decorating, photography, family, etc..) and pinch myself (truly I do) that I am given the opportunities to share with you. We live in this small home and it isn’t particularly fancy, but it is beautiful because it is home to us. A feeling I hope is evoked each time you visit and one that I hope inspires others too as they embrace their special place – big, small, city, country, mundane, messy, fancy – for it is all extraordinary…

So without further ado, thank you for letting me show you this exciting space!

As you saw in the first photos you walk out from our laundry room/garage to this patio. I stenciled the concrete floor last year (here) so that it would look like cement tile. In addition, we have an open backyard with mature greenery, it is one of the reasons we bought this home nearly ten years ago and remains one of our favorite features to this day. Which is why we love spending time outside. The funny thing is, it has taken us all these years to really start doing anything with our outdoor spaces and gardens. This space sat unfinished and messy for a long time. Mostly it was for barbecues and sitting occasionally to enjoy those yummy meals. This winter the hubby and I decided that we would cover the patio so that it could be used more throughout the year as we get lots of wet weather where we live. Even in the last month that has clearly been one of the best decisions we have made for our house. Using every square inch of your homes is pertinent.

(Side Note: We took a couple inches off the legs of this table so the height was more appropriate for the bench seating).

It is a long narrow patio that sits down low and I have always envisioned it be a place to both lounge and dine.

Much like the inside of our homes I think it is ideal to have places to eat and to visit (when possible). So I picked a round dining table, bistro chairs and sectional seating (that serves as a bench or booth). Choosing this formation allowed a compact set up or almost a banquet styled area. It is really comfortable with the cushioned seats and all 4 of us fit around it perfectly!

I laid out a simple garden style table setting using these Melamine dishes and beautiful flatware. Gold is a pretty contrast to all the greenery around.

I really wanted the pop of black accents throughout – you will see them in the varying pillows and again these beautifully made bistro chairs.

As I mentioned, these dishes are melamine – for outdoor use servingware can still look nice without the worry of little hands accidentally dropping them on the concrete ;)… They appear and feel like the real thing, I was surprised as I pulled them out of the box!

And of course texture and pattern take over the place with their neutral tones…

Berries adorn simple angel food cake and make the scene a little more sweet!

I love to line the patio with additional greenery and pots. Things are about to bloom like crazy here, but until they do the potted florals and ferns make it look a step ahead.

Flowers anywhere, whether in a pot or on a table are fitting for any style of occasion and I couldn’t resist a big bouquet for today.

As you sit here on the cushions, you will look across to the other side of our patio as it stretches out.

The two spaces are far enough from each other, but allow conversations and visiting to be contained in this quaint area.

I am pretty excited about this seating area and am anticipating all the warm nights we will spend out here! The cushions on this interchangeable sectional are deep and they are cozy! My hubby is pretty much in love already as he is very tall and this is perfect for him ;)…

Again, I fill corners with ferns seen here and would you believe this one is faux?! It is nice and large and doesn’t need care – my kind of plant, haha. This side table provides extra seating or a place for drinks and all these geometric lanterns give off that nice ambience that feels inviting.

Whether we are entertaining or just hanging out on our own here, this set up provides so many options for either. This grand fire pit serves both as a fire pit and a coffee table/with tray. I see many fruit trays and fun dishes finding their way out here in the future!

The wicker ottoman is a great spot for feet or another spot to sit and visit. It is fantastic when you can find pieces that can be enjoyed outside for the warmer months and then pulled in during the winter and used inside as well! It’s just another way to get the most of your money with versatile pieces.

I did mix in some indoor and outdoor pillows. I wouldn’t recommend doing this if your space isn’t covered, but since we have shelter out there I knew pillows could mingle without getting damaged.

Using reversible pillows and mixing those patterns gives interest to any space!

Blankets, hats and more are a necessity even when decorating outside. As they look wonderful, but they serve an important purpose in comfort.

Even though this was an outdoor space, I wanted it to be cozy. We brought in this rug and it is so soft to walk on. It will make bare foot afternoons that much easier and enjoyable.

I hung these wicker shelves for this same reason, while a space is outside it doesn’t have to feel empty. Adding greenery and shelving warms the area and makes it feel alive.

I really wanted this little space to feel dreamy, be functional, pretty and comfortable!

Grandin Road made that easy with their exceptional pieces and the style of their selections. Furniture can be used in so many different ways and in varying formations. For example, I can move these sectional pieces around – making the size smaller, shorter or pulling a chair out to the corner. Or for example, the fire pit with a tray that can be used for carrying around food and then turned over for a coffee table surface later. I have even thought about bringing the dining table over to the sectional when I want to fit a larger party. I can’t say enough about this company, the quality and how wonderful they have been to work with!

As summer approaches and school winds down, work becomes play and this space will be an extension of our home… I treasure the thought of meals and memories out here with loved ones, watching kiddos play and run through the sprinklers, books on breezy warm days and so much more. We won’t be taking a vacation anywhere exotic but sitting back and enjoying the comfort of home. There is no place I’d rather be.

In case you would like to find any of the products they are listed here below…

• Charlotte Outdoor Pillow, Ava Outdoor Pillow, Bold and Neutral Kilim Pillows, Magnolia Home Pillow Collection by Joanna Gaines ,

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did putting it together! And a huge thank you to Grandin Road for sponsoring this post – all opinions are 100% my own.

Original article and pictures take www.zevyjoy.com site