Category: Your Patio: Getting Started

How big should a patio be? Or, conversely, how small? Could a patio be classed as “petite” meaning little or small? Those are the questions. And that is the theme for this blog post. If you live in a small space — a small house or an apartment — can you say you have a patio even if it is a porch or a balcony? Absolutely. You have a petite patio. And we have proof!

We have a friend, Darla, who lives solo and is an apartment dweller. Darla is a creative problem solver. Given our interest about living on the patio, Darla decided to apply this idea to her apartment balcony. And with great results. Here is her guest post on how she developed her petite patio.

Greetings Living On the Patio Community!

Darla Dolph, Guest Contributor

Being able to create your own little oasis in the privacy of one’s own backyard is the ultimate in home ownership. The smooth planks of the deck, comfortable patio furniture, flowers, a garden, some string lights, and, holy cats . . . is that an outdoor kitchen I see? Ahh yes, the epitome of a great get away without leaving your own home.

But what if you don’t have your own home, and are constrained to the typical 6×8 foot (or smaller) concrete pad found in most apartment patios and balconies? Well, I am here to tell you that not only can you make that small space your own special escape from the world, but you can do it on a budget too! Let me show you what I did in hopes of inspiring you to create your private retreat!

I live in a high-rise apartment in the city on the third floor, so being sandwiched in between other units, the trick was to make my space as quiet, comfortable, and intimate as possible. Fortunately, there is a large tree just off my balcony that creates a sense of being out in nature, rather than just being in the concrete jungle.

Step One: What Size is Your Petite Patio?

The first step is to figure out how much space you have to work with. I know this sounds obvious, but it is so easy to get caught up in buying really cool stuff only to find out it doesn’t all fit. The most important thing is to not overpower your space. You want the sense of spaciousness which creates peacefulness. 

Here is what I started with — my balcony measured roughly 6×10 feet.

Step Two: What Material is Your Petite Patio Floor?

Start with your base, in this case the concrete pad or wood slat flooring. Decide if you want to leave it as is, put down an outdoor area rug, or lay down interlocking patio tiles. Whatever you choose, make that the “artwork” on the floor. My balcony was badly stained so I opted to go with a really cool area rug found on Amazon for about $24. It is made of recycled outdoor plastic straw, so no problem if it gets wet!

Step Three: Petite Patio Furniture

You want to look for furniture that is designed for small spaces. Again, my friends at Amazon didn’t let me down with a 3-Piece Patio Dining Set with Round Glass Metal Table and 2 Stackable Rattan Chairs for about $135. The chairs needed seat cushions which I found at Walmart for $5.00 each in a clearance bin.

Step Four: Add Color to Your Petite Patio

Bring some color in with flowers and other decorations that are pleasing to you. I decided to go with blues, yellows, and oranges for my color palette up against the grey in the area rug, bistro table set and chair cushions. Where I live we have Big Lots, Ross, and Dollar Tree where I was able to pick up blue ceramic pots, faux flowers, and candles. I spent about $50 on these items. So if you have been doing the math while reading this article, excluding sales tax on my purchases, I created my balcony design for less than $220! I can actually seat four people out there, but it’s usually just me in the morning with a cup of coffee and a meditation session before work and in the evening with Mr. Cosmo Martini watching the sun go down.

Patios Are Made for Eating

Thank you, Darla, for illustrating how an apartment dweller can enjoy the benefits of living on the patio even if that patio is petite. But Darla, your story doesn’t end there, for you understand that one of the primary activities of patio life is cooking and eating outdoors. Livingonthepatio.com is testament to that fact given the number of foods and recipes posted there for patio aficionado to enjoy. And Darla, you show us how to do that on your petite patio with a darn good looking cut of beef you grilled in the outdoor space you created. Here’s Darla’s steak dinner experience.

A Petite Patio Produces Well-grilled Beef

Not to be denied or dissuaded because she has a small outdoor living space (we prefer “petite patio”) in an apartment that, presumably prohibits the use of gas grills, Darla turned to a portable electric device to provide her the heat she needed to cook outdoors — the Techwood electric stove.

Next, being the foodie that Darla is, she acquired the correct pan for grilling meat outdoors, the Vinchef Nonstick Grill Pan for Stove tops. If the meat doesn’t have grill lines on it then it wasn’t cooked outdoors . . . period!

And here is the end result. Yum!

So, What’s the Point?

Do not discount your ability to enjoy an outdoor living space even if you live in an apartment. Darla has just showed you how to do it. Every day is Friday on the patio regardless of the size of your patio. So get inspired. Release your creativity. Have fun. Get out on that petite patio of yours and join Darla, in spirit, by drinking a cosmo while grilling a steak and watching a phenomenal sunset. How could it ever get any better than that? Enjoy!

Darla’s Bio:

Guest contributor, Darla Dolph, is a long-time friend of Randy and Julie — over 40 years kind of friends, through thick and thin!

Personally, Darla dabbles in interior decorating, cooking, martini making on the patio, and mosaic art creation. Her artwork has been exhibited in the Loveland Museum in Loveland, Colorado, and has a permanent mural art piece installed at the Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colorado.

Professionally Darla is an education nerd and holds three Master of Science Degrees: one in Psychology, one in Sociology, and one in Higher Education. She currently works within Higher Education for a private nursing college in Colorado as a Personal and Professional Development Coach, is certified as both a Life and Career Coach coaching students and clients with business and personal relationships, and helps people maneuver today’s job market using tools such as career exploration, resume and cover letter preparation, and instruction on interviewing techniques.

Please welcome Darla to the LivingOnThePatio community as she provides ways to enjoy your apartment balcony/patio living. 

Petite Patio FAQs

What is a good size for a small patio?

For a dining area for four people, you’ll need about 10×10 feet. For six to eight, make it 12×12 feet. To accommodate a typical round table with six chairs, provide a circular area with a diameter of at least 9 feet.

How do you maximize a small patio?

Choose pieces of waterproof patio furniture that have a smaller footprint and leave more open floor space. Use tall, narrow planters to draw eyes up from the patio floor. Hang a mirror to create the illusion of a larger space.

How can I jazz up my patio?

1. Upgrade an Outdoor Rug.
2. Mix and Match Dining Chairs.
3. Make a Canopy Bed.
4. Create a Conversation Space.
5. String Up Lights.
6. Hang Sheer Panels.
7. Paint the Patio.

Please Leave a Comment

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Do you have a “petite patio”? What have you done to your space to make it comfy; make it your own? Please attach a photo to your comment so we can see your cool your patio is. And tell your locale — we’re in Roanoke, Virginia, USA. Where are you?

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Really? Can an outdoor living space help in gaining better health? Yes.

One big way is to create an environment, at least at home, that helps reduce stress and other negatives which do not contribute to our well being. There are many “someday” or “nice to have” or “wanted not needed” projects on our to-do list. It can take a lot of convincing and persuading ourselves to move those projects onto a “must have” list. Like many people, time, energy, and resources are limited. So before taking on a project, it needs to be imperative — you want compelling reasons why an outdoor living space at your home should become a priority. That is the basis of the research that has become this blog post. 

It should come as no surprise that taking time to sit outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature is good for your health. Many people know about the benefits of gardening. But you may be surprised at why having your own outdoor living space is the preferred way to improve the many areas of your health. 

So keep reading to learn nine plus surprising health benefits derived from spending time in an outdoor living space, as well as a few steps that will help with motivation to start or enhance your patio, garden, or outdoor living space for better health.

Reduce Inflammation:
Increase Vitamin D Levels

Between work, commitments, and sleep, it can be hard to find time to soak up the sun. Fortunately, just 15 minutes of sunshine a day can increase your vitamin D levels and help you feel better. Vitamin D not only reduces inflammation but it increases calcium absorption, leading to stronger, healthier bones. It’s also valuable for preventing feelings of depression and increasing positive emotions. So instead of eating at a desk or in front of the television or inside your dining room or den, enjoy your meal on your patio, or lay down for a nap in a hammock. Take your morning coffee outside and greet the day. All you need is 15 minutes.

Reduce Inflammation:
Breathe Fresh Outdoor Air

Another way to reduce inflammation is to breathe in organic airborne chemicals produced by certain trees called phytoncides. And fresh outdoor air is full of phytoncides – they help our bodies to increase production of the NK white blood cells that kill infected cells within us. High levels of phytoncides come from common oak, cedar and pine trees. What a benefit if you have these types of trees on your property! If not, consider planting some. Your local Garden Clubs of Roanoke or in your locale can help with the selection of these types of trees. And there is more than one health benefit to having trees in your yard — keep reading.

Reduce Inflammation:
Practice “Earthing” or “Grounding”

A third way to reduce inflammation, is to practice “earthing” or “grounding”. Grounding or earthing refers to direct skin contact with the surface of the earth, such as with bare feet or hands. The earth supplies the body with negative electrons and neutralizes damaging free radicals linked with chronic inflammation, according to a published study about earthing at the National Institute of Health. But for a variety of reasons, many individuals are reluctant to walk outside barefoot. So give yourself and others permission to kick off your shoes and walk on the patio and across the lawn, walk barefoot to water your lawn or garden, play with the kids barefoot. Think of it this way — walking barefoot has the blessing of science!

Prevent Nearsightedness

On average, Americans spend around 6 hours and 43 minutes per day watching electronic screens, including TV, computers, smartphones, and tablets.That’s a lot of screen time! For children, spending more time outdoors has been linked with a decrease in the development of nearsightedness. In adults, spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce the eye strain, stress, and headaches associated with “computer vision syndrome.”  Viewing objects at a range of distances is one of the best ways to maintain eye health, especially for those who use electronic screens daily. 

Outdoor living spaces help you to focus on beautiful flowers and plants in your close range of vision and zoom out to birds and faraway views. In adults, there’s good evidence to suggest that spending time outdoors could help slow the natural deterioration of aging vision. So set up a birdbath or a feeder and watch the show from your deck or patio. It’s a great way to get rid of those glasses!

Sleep Better

Blue light from television screens, tablets, and cell phones has the potential to suppress melatonin production and throws off your circadian rhythm. It can disrupt the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep we humans need. Turning off devices and lights can lower your blood pressure and allows your body to prepare for sleep. And when you turn off your devices, where can you go? Outside!

Enjoying the night sky on your patio, in a hammock, or sitting around a warm soothing outdoor fire can help us unplug, slow down, and decompress to the sights, sounds, and aromas of our backyard.

Reduce Stress

Being outside in nature can reduce your heart rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure. Simply breathing in fresh air is one of the best ways to boost your mental health and reduce stress levels. Studies have reported a 13% drop in cortisol levels, and a 6% decrease in pulse rate. In Japan, a forest bathing trip called “Shinrinyoku” is a short, mindful visit to the forest and is regarded as being similar to natural aromatherapy. Now forests occupy 67% of the land in Japan so forest bathing is easily accessible. If you are fortunate enough to live near woods, you can breathe in those phytoncides and reduce your cortisol levels. And if you have your own trees, that’s even better! Otherwise, having a beautiful, serene, safe space in your own backyard makes it easy to unwind on your schedule and pace.

Improve Your Memory

Our offices, cars, gym, or even our homes are where routine, productivity, and work are the priorities . . . and where thoughts and meditation can be interrupted. A University of Michigan study found that memory improved by as much as 20% after spending time sitting or walking in nature. When I worked in corporate America I regularly spent time in my office, the bathroom, the stair case, an empty conference room to practice presentations and speeches. Guess where I learned is the healthiest place to practice? Outdoors! Before studying or preparing for a meeting, spend some quiet time on your patio to clear your mind, settle your thoughts, and focus.

Strengthen Relationships

Spending time together in nature increases cognitive function which can help in thinking and communicating more clearly. Communication and interaction are keys for successful relationships. Now, we expect that our homes are designed to provide that interaction and communication. But again, so many families are plugged into the tablet, the TV, the phone that little personal interaction takes place. We can make it easier. While an outdoor space can simply be an extension of your home offering additional square footage, a space that’s designed for specific activities can give you and your family more areas to interact and play together. For example, an outdoor kitchen area for the foodies, or a fire pit for storytelling, or a sand pit for games. Create outdoor spaces that encourage talking.

Live Longer

A study by the University of East Anglia found that increasing the time you spend outdoors reduces the risk for Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and premature death. And who doesn’t want that? The research team studied data from 20 countries including the UK, the US, Spain, France, Germany, Australia and Japan and gathered evidence from over 140 studies involving more than 290 million people to see whether nature really does provide a health boost. Guess what they found? The study cited exposure to outdoor environments as increasingly recognized as a treatment to both preventing and helping treat disease. Additionally, older adults who spend time outdoors heal faster and get more exercise. So contemplate, exercise, eat or socialize for at least an hour a day on your patio.

Add Value

Installing an outdoor living space is one of the biggest home improvement trends coming out of the COVID pandemic. This space can be adapted specifically for the needs of the homeowner and family:

• As a garden room
• An outdoor kitchen or bar
• A seating area
• A patio for entertaining
• Even as an outdoor home office

A recent survey conducted by HomeLight indicated that adding just a deck to your backyard can lead to a 109% return on your investment. No matter what you and your loved ones enjoy doing, there’s a way to shape your outdoor living space into your lifestyle.

Improve Work Productivity

Studies have shown that employees who spend just 29 minutes a day outdoors can increase their productivity by 45%. Time outdoors reduces mental fatigue, increases creativity, and reduces burnout. Outdoor occupations only make up 3.1% of the workforce, so most of us work inside. Between work and home, the average American spends around 93% of their time indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. So that leaves just 7% of available time to enjoy the outdoors during the work week. If this statistic holds true for many, why not make sure that your ability to enjoy the outdoors is just steps away from your back door? When you have only a small amount of time to enjoy the sunshine, having your own outdoor living space is convenient and highly beneficial.

So, What Can You Do?

Now, this is a lot of information, right? But it’s good stuff. It can benefit you and your family. And it can benefit others as well. So now that you have access to this information, what can you do?

Share Information

Most people have only a vague idea about the ways that being outdoors can be healthy. As you can see from the information presented here, there are specific benefits that everyone should consider. The best way to help those you like and love is to share this information. Right now, think of at least two people that you personally know who would find this information useful. No need to bombard them — just share a point or two.

Prioritize Outdoor Living Space

Evaluate your personal “must have” project list regarding your own outdoor living space. Where does it fall on that list? In the top three? Or, encourage your family and friends to consider whether their “must have” list should include an outdoor living space. Review all of the benefits outlined here. And then create an action plan. Without a plan you may never get to enjoy the surprising health benefits of an outdoor living space. Make it happen!

Encourage Involvement

Invite friends and family to help you with outdoor living space brainstorming ideas, help you in your garden, help you to kick-back for a lazy afternoon an or evening of entertaining on your patio, or for fun and games in your outdoor living space. Getting involved, participating in, having fun, and learning the ropes helps people experience the benefits themselves and encourages them to be proactive in developing and enhancing their own outdoor living space.

Research

Included in any research you may do, review the section on this blog: Your Patio: Getting Started to see some of the planning tools you’ll need to make sure your outdoor living space gets developed or upgraded to bring you and your family the greatest joy and benefit. We can help you navigate through options and get you better prepared before you start.

Planning can never be underestimated given the cost of outdoor projects and the desired benefits you hope to achieve. Make thought, discussion, and planning on paper the first steps you take when considering any outdoor living spaces. We can help you with an onsite or video conference consult if you are ready to move forward on your project.

Questions?

Given the volume of information presented here, you may have some questions. Some I can readily answer and others I may have to research. But I’ll do my best to help answer questions that will get you on your path to an outdoor living space that offers you benefit.

Please use the comment space below to ask any questions so that my response may be enjoyed by all readers. If you have inquiries of a confidential nature, use this contact form to speak personally to me.

Outdoor Living Space: Good Health, Long Life, and Well-being

I hope it’s evident how valuable it is to have a living space that is designed with your needs and desires in mind so you will get the most pleasure possible. The benefits listed here show how important an outdoor living space is for good health, long life, and well-being. Consider all of the benefits talked about in this post when thinking about your project list priorities for planning or enhancing your outdoor living space. Then, have fun living in an environment that meets your wants and needs and adds great value to you and your family and friends.

Please Leave a Comment: Outdoor Living Space Benefits Good Health

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Let us know if you’ve experienced the same health benefits discussed in this post in your outdoor living space. Attach a photo to your comments so we see how you’ve created your outdoor living space.

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As spring starts to unfold, we all start remembering how pleasant it is just to be outside.  We begin to look around our backyards and think of ways to make it more livable or pretty or fragrant. Once you get the idea to do something with your back yard, it’s either hard to get started or hard to stop from purchasing things you think will immediately transform your back yard. Before you spend spend time and money or get discouraged at your lack of progress, here are nine steps you can take to see your back yard transformed into the space of your dreams.

Have an Ideation Session — Brainstorm!

It’s really important to take time to discuss and ponder what you want, and include your household family in that discussion. Develop some clear and specific ideas of how you want your outdoor living space to look and what you want your yard to provide in terms of beauty, entertaining, level of ongoing maintenance, and so forth. Make sure the ideas you consider address your highest priority, problem, or need — for instance, privacy may be more important than a garden. Also your ideas can be very personal. For example, a father and son decided to replicate the Great Wall of China as part of their back yard design. Another couple built an attractive walking track to substitute for the community greenway they frequented. Remember this is YOUR space. If you need inspiration we suggest you review the blog post Outdoor Living Space: Six Ways to Plan and Start and the five-page worksheet, Getting Started — Research, Prep and Design. Schedule as many brainstorming sessions as necessary.

Write Down Your Top Five Ideas

List the top five ideas that come out of your sessions. Hopefully the top five includes your most important priority or problem. Post them in your home in a prominent and frequented spot — the front of your refrigerator, for instance. Then take some time to imagine how one idea or another may look — daydream. Think about how each idea may be impacted by the seasons and how YOU like to experience those seasons. 

Narrow Your List to Three

Decide which ideas you and your family will implement — we recommend you narrow it down to three projects, to start. Be honest and realistic about the biggest issue you have in your yard or what is going to bring you the most use or joy. Your complete yard transformation won’t happen all in one season so tackle, for you, the most important project first. It is reasonable that you’ll be able to accomplish about three projects a year as the weather permits. Then use the coming winter season to plan next summer’s “transform your back yard” projects.

Mock up the Back Yard

Using stakes, string, hoses, etc. mock up the various elements of your projects into position, using string and stakes for straight lines and hoses for curved ones. This exercise is an important part of the plan – it’s a practical way to make sure there is room for everything, that placement of each project is optimal, and that all the elements work in harmony. Really, think of it as generating a floor plan for your yard. Leave the mock up in place for a couple of days to give you time to walk around it and look at it at different times of the day and weather conditions. It’s also a great time to change your mind about something, before any digging has been done, concrete poured, gardens planted, etc.

Solicit Opinions

This may be optional for some, but we found it helpful to ask some close friends their opinions of our ideas and yard mock up. You might wish to ask friends or family who have experience in the types of projects you are considering, or whose creativity you value. This also may be the point in time you want to consult an independent professional. We hired Dan Chitwood in the Roanoke area to give us ideas for our back yard. Although we didn’t implement every suggestion he provided, he gave us a plan which we have used as a general guide moving forward. If no one comes to mind, we would be happy to help you. Just remember that we are not professional landscape designers, but we always have opinions to share based on our experience creating our own outdoor living space.

Commit “Transform Your Back Yard” Projects to Paper

Make a rough drawing of your lot and house. Note the actual measurements of your lot, the position of your house and include any easements, the location of water lines or spigots, electrical lines or outlets and anything else that should be considered. 

• Some of this information can be found on your plat survey that you should have received with all of the paperwork when you bought your house. 
• Easement information can be acquired from your local zoning and code office. Remember, there are different easements and set-backs for elements such as privacy fences, garden sheds, utility right-of-ways, and so forth so describe to the your local zoning and code office your project plan to learn the specifics of your project complying with local codes. 
• For planning purposes, and ALWAYS before you start digging up substantial earth, call 811 and have all of your underground utilities marked on your property. Without doing this critical step, a favorite idea of yours may not be viable due to the location of immovable utilities underground. That being said, we did have a gas line moved because of where we wanted our privacy fence to be placed. So don’t be discouraged if your current utility locations conflict with your yard transformation until you talk with the utility company. Note: If you do not have utilities marked before you dig and you damage a utility line, you will be responsible to the utility company for the cost of the repairs.

Now start measuring the outlines of your deck, patio, pool, sandbox, play area, gardens, etc. and position their appropriate location on your rough drawing. This will give you a “birds eye view” of what your potential yard transformation will look like and you can decide if you have too many or too little elements.

Develop Your Budget

Whether you intend to do the work yourself (DIY) or hire someone to do it for you, it is important that you have a budget. We recommend you read the blog post A Patio Budgeting Guide so you can calculate a workable budget. Adjustments may need to be made as to element priority or project timing depending on the cost estimates you receive from vendors, suppliers, and installers. The goal is to weigh, of the three projects you’ll do in the first season, which is the most important, then the next, and then the third. Then, if you have to make compromises to stay within your total budget, you’ll have an idea of what to scale back on first. It’s better to be realistic on the front end rather than disappointed on the backend. But remember this: there is more than one solution to a design problem. Try not to compromise on your number one element, but don’t give up on elements two and three. Just think of a creative way to bring those elements to fruition and stay within your budget. Nothing is more dissatisfying than an incomplete backyard project.

Develop your Timeline

Communication of project plans between yourself as a DIYer and all your vendors is key to making all projects come off without a hitch. You need to know the critical paths to ensure a successful outcome. From our experience, for example, we learned that it would be better to pour our concrete patio first and then install the fence. Otherwise, we stood a good chance of having to remove some of the fence to make room for the concrete equipment and then re-installing the fence adding to the overall cost of the project. You can read about that project here: Privacy Fence for Your Patio.

To Transform Your Back Yard, Break Ground

There is something very exciting when your backyard project finally starts — to see your ideas become real. But stay flexible. During each phase of your project there may need to be adjustments — very few projects get to completion without some hick-up. Sometimes a seemingly negative issue may end up being a happy mistake after you plan a work-around to a potentially better solution than originally planned. Be open minded and stay creative. And stay focused on your goal. 

Transform Your Back Yard: Nine Key Steps

In a nutshell, here are the nine steps you can DIY to transform your yard into you best outdoor living space:

1. Have an Ideation Session(s) — Brainstorm
2. Write Down the Top Five 
3. Narrow it Down to Three 
4. Mock up the Back Yard
5. Solicit Opinions
6. Commit the Projects to Paper
7. Develop Your Budget
8. Develop Your Timeline
9. Break Ground

Measure Twice, Cut Once

There is an old adage that says, “measure twice, cut once.” In other words, your project will be more successful with less errors and heartache if you spend time on the front end to think about your project and create as detailed a plan as possible. Details are important to avoid missteps that could cost time and money. Value the planning stage and you’ll be happier with your finished project.

While you may not yet see it during the planning stage, when you transform your back yard into the dynamic outdoor living space that you can’t wait to throughly enjoy, you’ll come to understand our adage: every day is Friday on the patio!

Transform Your Back Yard FAQs

How do you landscape for beginners?

• Determine and list landscape needs and wants
• Think about location — study the sun and wind patterns
• Spend time in your landscape
• Start small
• Find a focal point
• Focus on scale and pacing
• Be open to change

What are the five steps of landscape planning?

1. Conducting a site inventory and analysis
2. Determining your needs
3. Creating functional diagrams
4. Developing conceptual design plans
5. Drawing a final design plan

How do I create a landscape layout?

How much value does a nice backyard add?

It is estimated that well-designed patios not only add 8-10% to home value, but also earn an ROI of over 80%.

Please Leave a Comment: Transform Your Back Yard

Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or let us know what we missed and can add to this post. Have you started planning to transform your back yard? Have you used a process to help you make decisions? If your project is underway, has your process helped keep your project on-track and on-budget? Please post a photo so we can see what’s happening or your finished project.

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Defining a Patio

Let’s start with a definition of just what is a patio? The website, dictionary.com defines a patio this way: “An area, usually paved, adjoining a house and used as an area for outdoor lounging, dining, etc.” Now, many people have well manicured lawns that are a joy to sit on, lay down on, relax on. But then, there’s something to be said about having a table, some chairs, a chaise lounge, perhaps a grill all on a hard surface — a patio hardscape, away from moisture, bugs and, quite simply, just more comfortable for outdoor living.

What’s Your Patio Motive?

Have you asked yourself, “Why do I want a patio?” If you haven’t, let’s throw out a few motives for wanting, as our definition states, “An area, usually paved, adjoining a house and used as an area for outdoor lounging, dining, etc.”

The pandemic was a huge motivator for us because we were new to Roanoke, Virginia and hadn’t had a chance to explore this beautiful place we had retired to before being sequestered at home due to the COVID-19 virus (About Us). We needed an outdoor space to recreate and relax since we were stuck at home for who knew how long. (As we all know now it was several years!)

Other Motivators?

• I’m not a big fan of yard maintenance (read: lawn mowing) so I wanted to cover as much of the backyard with hardscape or low maintenance plantings as possible. 
• We like to entertain. I do the cooking. So I wanted a large hardscape area to seat a good number of friends in conversation areas that would be comfortable to eat “patio food” like Sausage Wonton Cups while enjoying adult beverages like Julie’s Cosmopolitan Cocktail.
• We also wanted a clean, dry, private area to “wile away” an afternoon in the shade or sun, again, with an adult beverage. Just plain old chill’n.

So, what’s your motive for building a patio? Better make a list before you start so you have objectives to review as you make design and construction decisions.

Patio Decisions — What Kind?

Patio Size

Size is one of the early decisions you should consider. Think of every use you may have for your outdoor space. Determine every reason why your patio should be the size you are considering. And then make it larger. The company who built our patio told me that most of their clients, after the patio was completed, said they wished they’d made it bigger. And they were right! Our patio has a 12 foot walkway out to the patio which is 12 feet wide by 36 feet long. Now I wish I had added another 12 feet in length. After it was built I started thinking about other uses for the space but it wasn’t practical or economically feasible at that point to make it bigger. Lesson learned. 

Patio Hardscape Materials

There are several kinds of material you can use to create your patio hardscape. Let’s do a quick review of several and then I’ll describe what we selected and why.

Wood Deck

Pro: Wood decks can be very aesthetically pleasing especially if your outdoor space includes trees or a wooded area. Your deck nicely melds into your outdoor environment.
Con: Wood decks can be expensive to build (or have built) and they require more maintenance than I was willing to invest to protect the wood from the weather.

Gravel

Pro: Very inexpensive and easy to build. 
Con: My parents had a gravel patio when I was growing up. Not only was it messy but it was very uncomfortable trying to get table and chairs level and stable. Plus, the ground barrier degraded and weeds started popping up in the patio area (which I had to pull!).

Poured Concrete

Pro: Durable and long lasting.
Con: Not as aesthetically pleasing unless you have it stamped and/or acid-etched. 

Brick

Pro: Very aesthetically pleasing with a classic, old-world feel.
Con: Probably will have to be professionally built adding to overall patio development cost. May be an uneven surface over time decreasing the comfort of your outdoor space.

Pavers

Pro: Top of the line in terms of durability, craftsmanship and totally aesthetically pleasing.
Con: Very pricey. I bid my project to a paver provider and their price amounted to 2/3rds of my total backyard budget. 

Patio Location

Our street/home is situated on a hill. A BIG hill. One side of our backyard is decidedly higher than the other (downhill) side. So we chose to put our patio on the most level part of your yard. Fortunately it was well positioned to walk out our back door, off the carport and onto a 12 foot sidewalk leading out to the patio.

Originally we were going to butt our patio hardscape up against the driveway in our carport. Logistics prevented that and it was a blessing (more on that in a minute). We moved the patio 12 feet out from the house with a paved sidewalk. What it did was create a feeling of a completely separate living space rather than a continuation of our house. In a small but significant way, going out to the patio was to leave the house and any stresses, issues — whatever — behind for the time we were relaxing on our patio. Food for thought.

The logistics issue was that we had contracted for a white vinyl six foot high fence which was delayed in installation because of material issues due to the pandemic. Had we stuck to our idea of butting the patio up to the driveway, in essence making one long stretch of concrete, we would have had to delay pouring concrete until the fence with a gate was installed so they could pour concrete around the gate posts. The fence ended up getting installed about two months after our concrete patio was poured. We were able to get the concrete when we did by moving the patio out farther from the house and connecting the driveway to the patio with a paved walkway — easy for the fence installer to set posts on either side of the sidewalk to install our gate.

So what’s the point? Clearly think through ALL of the elements of your outdoor space, decide on what gets built first, second, and so on, and discuss your proposed process with all of your vendors BEFORE beginning your project. It will save you headache and heartache down the road.

So What Patio Hardscape Material Did We Choose?

We had a concrete pad poured. Here’s why:

1. We wanted these elements in our outdoor space within the project budget — a maintenance-free privacy fence, a BIG patio hardscape, and a garden shed. We weighted each element and the desired materials against each element’s cost and then started making compromises based on our number one priority, then number two and so on. Concrete fit the budget, was low maintenance, and fit into a quasi-industrial look we had in mind for our space. Plus, for the cost, we didn’t have to compromise on the size we wanted — at that time (remember, I said once you decide on a size, make it larger). Budget plays a huge role in your decision making so check out this blog post, A Patio Budgeting Guide when you’re finished reading this one.
2. We ordered our patio at the height of the pandemic when everyone else was making home improvements because they were stuck at home too. So we had to wait a few months to work our way up in the vendor’s cue. But when it was our turn, the production went fast and we were able to start enjoying our patio sooner than if we had selected one of the other hardscape options. 
3. Winters can be mild in Roanoke with cool air and warm sun during the winter months. We wanted a year-round patio so concrete was a great choice for several reasons: A) it was easy to clear off the snow when that did occur, B) the sun warmed the concrete making it very comfortable to enjoy, say, lunch on the patio with the heat of the January sun radiating off of the concrete surface, and C) when we fired up our fire pit (A Fire Pit is Year-round Fun!) we had a clean, dry space to set up winter snacks like Homemade Pizza and hot adult beverages like Julie’s Hot Toddy to enjoy around the fire. 

We wanted to enjoy the value of the money we invested in our patio a full twelve months of the year. For our needs and desires, concrete was the best choice. 

Before You Play on it, Seal it!

One caveat I’ll mention about concrete is that it is a porous material that easily absorbs water. In freeze-thaw climates, the expansion of frozen water can crack concrete. Thus, by preventing water from penetrating into the concrete you also help prevent cracks. Therefore, please seal your concrete patio! There are several types of sealers — too many to mention here. Do your research and be ready to seal your concrete before you move onto it. I learned that lesson — only half of my patio is sealed to-date because it got too late last year to finish the job before winter set in. Now I’m waiting for a week of dry, not-too-hot weather to complete my sealing.

Who’s Going to Build Your Patio?

Some of you reading this are accomplished DIYers. I applaud you. I have said in previous blog posts (A Grilling Table is My Outdoor Kitchen) that I am good at straight cutting and screwing together 2x4s. That’s about it. So I knew I was going to outsource our concrete work. 

In my local research there were several concrete vendors listed. I looked online at addresses and what their facility looked like. I also contacted companies in my locale who sell volume concrete seeking any referrals they might suggest, but to no avail — no one responded to my voice mail requests. Most importantly, I read reviews on as many websites as I could find — vendor websites, Google, the BBB website — wherever I could find a review by current or former customers of my potential concrete vendor choices in Roanoke. I’ll be honest and say most reviews were not complimentary. Shoddy workmanship or uncompleted work were the two biggest complaints. But I have a reputation for being dogmatic in my research and I eventually found a vendor with very positive reviews — people who had used their services, were happy, and willing to speak about their experience with this vendor. So here’s a personal referral based on our experience: if you’re in Roanoke or anywhere in southwest Virginia, contact Concrete Rescue. They are a great provider — reasonably priced, faithful to their commitments, highly seasoned in flat concrete work, resourceful, and friendly. The crew was a joy to have around my home during construction. Because I was here to view their work, I have every confidence in the long-term durability of our patio after having seen how they built it. And our patio looks great and works great for our needs.

Please Make a Comment: Patio Hardscape

I hope this blog has helped you in your decision making process about a patio hardscape for your outdoor living space. Please make a comment below if you enjoyed this blog and found it beneficial or tell us if there is other information we need to include to add value to this blog. Or . . . tell us what you’ve done to build your patio. 

And always remember: Life happens on the patio!

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How Much to Spend on Your Patio?

It’s easy to daydream about the kind of outdoor living space you want for you and your family. In your daydream you can spend as much money as you want with the best professionals and materials. But then, daydreaming ends and reality hits. And the challenge begins when you have to consider your budget. How much to spend and where to dedicate what money you’ve got is going to depend on what you want to create and how you want to accomplish the work. You need a patio budgeting guide.

The Best Time is Now

If you see yourself staying in a home long-term, now is the time to build your outdoor space. To get started, check out our blog post Why Invest in Your Patio. Some people may delay investing in major outdoor upgrades for 10 or 15 years without considering they’ll have less time to enjoy their investment. Plus, waiting years to make improvements means you’ll ultimately spend more money to get the work done. And the timing of your outdoor project matters — prices for labor and materials historically increase over time, so the cost of improvements are not likely to get any cheaper next year or the year after.

Create a Budget

Once you have read these two blog posts: Why Invest in Your Patio and Outdoor Living Space: Six Ways to Plan and Start, then it’ll be time to figure out your budget. One key factor to remember is to not over improve your outdoor space in relation to the value of your home. Our research showed there were three steps to determine your budget: 

1. Create a budget that is 10-20% of your home’s current value. 
2. How you will access the necessary funds.
3. List and prioritize each outdoor project you want before you research and solicit estimates.

We have developed the Worksheet – Patio Development Budget and Project Guide to assist you in determining your budget. Get the Worksheet here.

There are some additional things to consider to get to a final budget number, priority list, and project plan, which we identify later in this post.

Home Value Calculation

Here is a home value calculation method that is easy to use if you have access to the Internet. Simply log onto real estate websites such as Zillow.com or realtor.com to find out what your home’s value is and multiply that value by the percentage you wish to spend, which can be 10%, 20% or any number in between — but never more that 20%. This amount becomes your TOTAL budget. Difficulties can arise if the home values listed on the websites are widely different or if your wish list or plan contains many costly items. There are ways to make adjustments so your budget and expectations are realistic — click the link here to see our free handy worksheet.

Finding the Money

There are a variety of ways to fund your patio development. A few ideas are outlined below including the option we chose to accomplish building our top three priorities in creating our outdoor living space, all within our budgeted funds.

Cash Reserve
You may be fortunate to have savings that can help fund your patio improvement budget. The personal savings rate reached its highest level in 2020, when it amounted to 16.3 percent of U.S. households. Otherwise, there are other options you may want to consider. 

Home Equity
In the first quarter of 2022, 44.9 percent of the homes in the United States were considered “equity-rich,” meaning the balance of the loan on the home was 50 percent or less of the estimated market value, according to a new report from Attom, a real estate data analytics firm. This is a nice option in areas that have seen home prices increase substantially. A homeowner can get a home equity loan, cash-out refinance, or a home equity line of credit (HELOC) which is a good option if you’re not sure how much you need or if you want cash as needed over an extended period.

Personal Loan or Credit Card Advance
If you have a decent income or credit rating, you’ve probably already received solicitations for borrowing funds. One vendor we have used is Lightstream Loans, an online consumer lender which is part of Truist Bank that offers unsecured, low-interest fixed-rate loans from $5,000 to $100,000 for practically any purpose to good-credit customers. We had a great experience getting a loan from LightStream. If you choose to finance your outdoor improvements through Lightstream, use this link: Refer-a-Friend program and we’ll both get a $50 Amazon gift card when your loan funds. 

401(k) Loans
A 401(k) loan is borrowing money from your retirement savings account. Depending on what your employer’s plan allows, you could take out as much as 50% of your savings, up to a maximum of $50,000, within a 12-month period. Usually you will pay that borrowed money back, plus interest, within 5 years of taking your loan. It depends on the rules of your 401(k). What’s GREAT is you don’t have to pay taxes and penalties when you take a 401(k) loan. Plus, the interest you pay on the loan goes back into your own retirement plan account! And if you miss a payment or default on your loan from a 401(k), it won’t impact your credit score because defaulted loans are not reported to credit bureaus.

As with anything involving your finances, please check with your personal financial advisor before you make any decisions.

Project List and Priority

This next step is also pretty straightforward: make a list of the outdoor projects you want and assign a percentage of your budget or an amount you have or are willing to spend for it. It’s best to list your projects in order of importance to you. How do you know which project should take priority? Identify the ONE project that will fix your biggest issue. Then, identify your next biggest issue – you get the idea. Consider which features will get the most use or provide the most enjoyment to you. Once you have your list, you can decide how many projects you want to tackle at any given time. Given our experience, we would recommend no more than three major projects at a time. Our patio budgeting guide will help you to make these important decisions and prioritize.

The worksheet Getting Started — Research, Prep and Design is a great tool to help you in your decision making and prioritization process.

Start Your Research

So, now is the time to take your top three projects and begin your research for providers, suppliers and get their estimates. Part of your research is to get recommendations from family, friends and neighbors about the same or similar projects they have undertaken, the issues or problems that arose, and most importantly, how those were resolved. Go to the websites of any professionals you are considering and see if you can find examples of the kind of work you want done. You also will want to explore websites that provide independent reviews and recommendations of these professionals such as Google, Yelp or Angi’s List. This step WILL take time but it will help you spend less money and avoid irritation, frustration and disappointment. 

Factors That Influence Cost

It will be important to consider whether this is a project you can DIY or will need a professional to do the work.

The materials used also can make a difference – a fence can be made of wood, plastic or chain link. A patio can be concrete, brick, flagstone, pavers, even crushed shell or sand. You will need to identify what you are trying to achieve and where you might comprise. For example, do you need a fence to keep the kids and dog in your yard or offer you some privacy from your neighbors? Again, there are many ways to make adjustments to make your budget and expectations realistic.

Patience is Your Best Friend!

Taking the time to think through all of the elements of your outdoor space project before you start will make your project so much more fun. It will also help what you want as a finished product come to fruition with limited stress and issues. Proceeding with a well thought-out plan will bring your project to a satisfying, completed patio area in which you will make great memories for years to come. Our patio budgeting guide will help you smooth this process so you get what you want without breaking the bank.

Always remember, every day is Friday in the patio!

Please Leave a Comment: Patio Budgeting Guide

In the comment section below, please tell us if this blog post was of value to you and/or tell us what you plan to do — or have already done — for your outdoor living project. Did you use our patio budgeting guide? Post a photo of your patio in the comment section.

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The COVID 19 lockdown led many people – us included –  to rethink how to make use of ALL their space, indoors and outdoors.  If you are one of the fortunate, you can take the (sizeable) funds you have, hand them over to a landscape architect and be surprised (hopefully pleasantly) when your project is finished. But if you are like the rest of us, you need to do a bit more research, prepping and planning to get the outdoor living space you want with your available budget. So where to start? How to begin?

Gain Perspective: Patio vs Garden

Now, most of us have an idea about how to design, organize and decorate a room, basically because all of the elements already there – the walls, ceiling, doors, windows, floors, etc. But when we design an outdoor space, most of us are starting from scratch, usually with no frame of reference or experience. That’s why you need to put your yard into perspective: you are not just getting a patio, you are ‘designing’ an outdoor space, one that includes HARDSCAPES (things like patios, fences, sheds, walkways, etc.) and as well as SOFTSCAPES (things that grow, like flowers, shrubs and trees). Basically softscape are the living garden plants and hardscape are the stones, cement, pavers.  Look at your entire yard as an outdoor living space that needs both hardscape and softscape to function well together. How do you start to do that?

Entertained While Getting Ideas

What was one of the most ubiquitous activities universally engaged in under COVID? Binge watching! But rather than watch the Tiger King, I binged on garden TV shows, such as Garden Rescue from the UK or from Canada, Backyard Builds. Both these shows are illuminating but for different reasons: Backyard Builds usually have large budgets and Garden Rescue create spectacular patios and yards on smaller budgets. They are helpful in various ways – how designs can be so different, bringing realistic expectations to the process, identifying costs for hardscape and plants, and of course, creative ideas.  There are more garden shows that are popping up all the time now that can help you gain perspective and ideas.

Getting Ideas from Local Gardens

Another avenue to explore are actual pubic gardens in the area. In our area, The Wildflower Garden at Mill Mountain Park had recently been renovated. The other was the Hahn Horticulture Garden on the Virginia Tech Campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. What a great experience to see an actual outdoor living space that include many of the features you may want in your space.

Tap Into the Local Knowledge Base

The Wildflower Garden has the Mill Mountain Garden Club, a 100-member, all volunteer organization, having the mission of promoting and protecting the natural beauty of the Roanoke Valley and the surrounding area behind it.  The Hahn Horticulture Garden was established in 1984 by horticulture faculty and serves Virginia Tech students and the surrounding community as a hands-on learning resource for plants, landscaping concepts and environmental awareness. Explore ways you can tap into that wealth of knowledge and experience that may exist in your  area – join the club, volunteer and keep your eyes and ears open for all the knowledge that will come your way.

Utilize a Familiar Resource

Our local library had numerous books available and I used them to familiarize myself with the process of landscape design and analysis. In many cases, I found that the books were often a way to showcase a particular professional design or style – and there were LOTS of choices. Here are two I checked out: 1) The Wellness Garden: Grow, Eat, And Walk Your Way to Better Health by Shawna Coronado (truly amazing information about a wellness journey we hope to follow one day). Also available at Amazon. 2) The Essential Garden Design Workbook 2004 By Rosemary Alexander (geared toward the professional landscaper/gardener). Also available at Amazon. There are tons of other books and resources available at your local library. 

Asking the Right Questions

After seeing the shows, the gardens and the books, nail down what you want. Most importantly, determine your budget and what your space will look like when it’s all finished.  We suggest you follow our lead: one day, we took our bistro table with some wine and Sausage Wonton Cups, set it up in the yard and began to talk – what’s important in OUR outdoor living space? What’s a realistic budget for us? (prioritize your wants in relation to your budget realizing you won’t get all your “wants” in phase one of your patio project. How much work do we personally want to handle? We asked ourselves a lot more questions. And we also walked around the yard – A LOT.  You may want to do the same.

The ‘Winning’ Design for your Outdoor Living Space

We actually followed the process outlined here. We thought of this process as our personal ideation exercise (remember those?). And that helped us create a worksheet that we used to talk with a landscape designer, hardscape providers, and to determine what we could DIY.  It’s not a how-to plan doc, but a very useful tool in helping you to determine your realistic needs and wants in creating your desired outdoor space that fits your budget. Get this five-page worksheet: Getting Started — Research, Prep and Design here.

Six-Tips Summary for Your Outdoor Living Space

1. Look at your entire yard as an outdoor living space that needs both hardscape and softscape to function well.
2. Watch available TV garden shows that will help entertain and educate on costs, process, and ideas.
3. Visit local gardens to see an actual outdoor space that include features you may want in your space.
4. Research landscape design, style, how-to, etc at your local library.
5. Ask and answer questions about your priorities for your outdoor space
6. Utilize the LivingOnThePatio worksheet to help you plan the development of your outdoor living space. In completing this worksheet you will detail your current outdoor situation and what you’d like your future outdoor living space to include. It will generate discussion, help to prioritize elements, and help you decide what dollar amounts to dedicate to each element in relation to your project budget. Get the worksheet here.

With a little advanced planning you can have a fun outdoor living space without spending tens of thousands of dollars. We’d love to share more of our experiences with you to help you start living on your patio.

Please Leave a Comment: Outdoor Living Space

Did you find this blog post helpful? What’s missing that you wanted answered? What research have you done to-date or that you did before starting your completed project? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

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