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?
- Upgrade an Outdoor Rug.
- Mix and Match Dining Chairs.
- Make a Canopy Bed.
- Create a Conversation Space.
- String Up Lights.
- Hang Sheer Panels.
- 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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