Hello, I am Julie Beckwith with
LivingOnThePatio. I help people either at home or at work navigate their choices for their own outdoor living space before they destroy their budget, hire an unnecessary professional, or fall down the DIY black hole.
Homeowners typically design their outdoor spaces backwards because people skip the thinking and go straight to the spending.
Designing an outdoor space shouldn’t start with shopping — it should start with clarity. Unfortunately, that rarely happens. By the time the homeowner realizes something’s off, the budget’s gone, the project is left unfinished, and the space isn’t getting used. I try to spare you the pain of making those mistakes.
That’s why I am a Professional Navigator. I guide homeowners through the thinking phase that most projects skip — the envisioning, planning, and the realistic decisions to enhance lifestyle, wellness, and home value — without overspending.
With digital planning tools, freebies, online or on-site consults, collaborations and up-cycled patio décor, clients go through a thoughtfully designed planning process that clarifies needs, priorities, and budget before a shovel ever hits the ground.
So, I’m not a landscape designer or architect. Not a retailer. Not a contractor. I am the person who helps you THINK FIRST so your outdoor space supports your life — actually gets used and loved. At the end of our collaboration, we will have identified your budget, your priorities, and the zones that will be created in your yard. After that I refer you to companies I have worked with for installations. Or you can develop your outdoor living space DIY.
Why These Planning Tools are Important
Why should you pay a professional navigator to help you think through your outdoor living space development? Given the cost of outdoor projects, you should never disregard planning. Here’s what bad or no planning costs:
- One wrong patio decision could conceivably cost $10,000 or more!
- One unused space turns into years of regret.
- One rushed contractor or unclear client direction results in permanent consequences.
Who Does LivingOnThePatio Help?
I specialize in guiding people who know they want to use their outdoor space more but don’t yet know where to start, what to prioritize, or how to budget wisely. I focus on first time homeowners and downsizing retirees. I also help small business owners and department heads who are looking to increase employee satisfaction and productivity through an outdoor space at the workplace.
We’re about helping people reclaim a part of their lives that many have forgotten or do not prioritize — time outdoors. It’s about creating places where families gather, friends connect, stress decreases, wellness improves, and memories are made. It’s about showing people that an outdoor living space isn’t a luxury reserved for large budgets, it’s an attainable extension of home that can enrich everyday life.
We believe everyone deserves a place outside where life slows down, connections grow stronger, and every day feels a little more like Friday on the patio.
Subscribe
If you’re just starting to investigate what it takes to create your ideal outdoor living space but you’re not ready to start throwing dirt, begin by subscribing for FREE to the LivingOnThePatio blog and weekly newsletter. The posts here are full of experiences, ideas, and what-to-look-out-for to help you start imagining what you’d like to have as your personal outdoor paradise. Be sure to comment on any and all posts you like and let us know if there’s a topic we missed that you like us to talk about. And be sure to check out the Patio Food section because once your outdoor living space is completed you’ll want to immediately begin chilling with a beverage and snack. Hey! Life happens on the patio, right?
Click to Subscribe to Livingonthepatio.com
A Guide to Creating an Ideal Outdoor Living Space
So you have decided to create or upgrade your outdoor living space. Good for you! We’ve created a 17-page PDF Guide — a tool, really — to help walk you though every aspect of thinking about, planning, developing, and building your ideal outdoor living space. This workbook will generate conversations within your family to determine how to best use your space, what are your needs and wants, how to prepare a reasonable budget (within your means), what can you do yourself and what will you hire out.
Included in the package are three 30-minute online sessions with your Chief Navigator, Julie.
Starter Kit
Jumpstart your outdoor living dreams with the LivingOnThePatio Starter Kit, designed to help you plan, budget, and enrich your outdoor space with style and functionality. This comprehensive kit includes essential worksheets to initiate your journey toward the perfect patio.
Perfect for beginners or seasoned patio lovers, this kit brings clarity, organization, and charm to your outdoor design process. And it fits those who are confident in DIY (Do-It-Yourself) without needing any further navigation to achieve your ideal outdoor living space.
Click for More Information and to Buy the Starter Kit
Book Julie to Speak at Your Next Event
Julie Beckwith is the visionary founder of LivingOnThePatio, a lifestyle brand dedicated to enhancing outdoor living experiences. Julie is an inspiring speaker, captivating audiences with her knowledge on the health benefits of outdoor living. Her approachable and engaging style makes Julie a sought-after expert for events, conferences, and workshops focused on home improvement, wellness, and lifestyle enhancement. Click here to learn more.
Who’s Talking:
LadyJ
I’m Julie Beckwith, capable wife and now blogger. I seek to help homeowners improve their health and life while increasing the value and enjoyment of their home, all within budget. I’m good at numbers and have been the CFO – that’s Chief Family Officer – for the Beckwith family for a number of years now. I love my simple life in retirement and have become passionate about recycling, including reusing and upcycling as well as composting and gardening. This LivingOnThePatio blog is my latest interest after a career in product management for the 5th largest national bank and owner of a successful marketing agency. Today, I’m on a mission to assist homeowners to create and benefit from their own outdoor living space because life happens on the patio!
Beckers
Randy Beckwith here. I’m thankfully retired. But, my career included graphic designer, copy writer and marketing professional. Now I live with my wife in Roanoke, Virginia enjoying time relaxing on our patio that was a necessary addition to our home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I love to cook fun, simple, but tasty food. When enjoying an adult beverage on the patio it’s usually a vodka martini. And I do simple DIY projects to enhance our home and outdoors. We’ve had great fun building an outdoor living space on a “reserved” budget and want to share our experience with anyone who wants the same without breaking the bank. I hope you enjoy reading our blog. And remember, every day is Friday on the patio!
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