Patio Decor

Ideas for your patio decor can come from anywhere. One of the best way I have found to come up with ideas that appeal to you are to see other patios (no surprise here?). I like to watch the do-it-yourself home improvement shows and there are MANY that might add interesting ideas. Shows that I like include Home Time, Divine Design, This Old House, Desperate Landscapes and Rock Solid. You can even find some of these shows online.

Other places to get Patio Ideas include home improvement magazines & books, local home and garden shows, local dream home tours and of course on the internet.

If you have a lot of good ideas but can’t quite pull them all together, hiring a professional landscape designer might be just what you need. They will work with you, incorporate your ideas and usually add a TON of extra value with their experience with many previous projects.

The other time that is good to buy is at the very beginning of the spring selling season (late winter). This is when the selction is best and the prces are often reasonable.

When is the best time to buy used patio furniture? Whenever you find a good deal. Look ahead of when you need it, learn what a good value is in the market and jump when you see what you are looking for. Craig’s List is probably the best resource because you want to find something local to not have to pay a ton for shipping and delivery. It is also nice if somebody else has already done the assembly!

The easy way to to add a patio heater. These are tall single unit devices that radiate the heat 360 degrees. They typically run on propane and the propane tanks are hidden in the base of the units. They come in a variety of materials including mild steel and stainless steel. The mild steel units are usually painted or powder coated. The stainless steel units are either polish to a mirror like finish or are in a satin finish.

There are also patio heater that look more lake traditional fire places. Some of these fire places are even mobile and run on propane or natural gas. If you get one of these fire place type units be sure to get one with a fireplace screen to keep the kids and pets out of trouble.

Iron – both cast iron and wrought iron

Aluminum – From cheep tubes to high quality cast aluminum

Wood – Teak and cedar are the most common types of wood used for outdoor furniture

Wicker and Rattan – natural reeads and/or mixed with plastic provide a light weight and durably material.

Plastic Resin- The good thing about platic patio furniture is that is is made from ecycled plastic. The quality of plastic patio furniture ranges from poor quality to some pretty decent items.

Patio Fire

The more romantic way to add head and charm at the same time is to add a fire pit to your patio. This is my favorite way to add heat and the visuals of fire but it is certainly more work. Patio fire pits can be as simple as an open dish or they can be nearly fully enclosed fire place and chimney units. Both should have screening to protect from sparks. The other requirement that I have for a fire pit or outdoor fire place is that it has to be open when needed to roast marshmallows in!

Outdoor Patio Furniture comes in a variety of types. The major ones include patio dining sets, patio chairs, love seats, coffee tables, side tables, dining tables, benches, patio umbrellas, and much more. Patio furniture accessories include patio cushions, festive lighting, patio furniture covers, etc

Other patio add-ons include kitchenettes, patio heaters, awnings, grills and BBQs, fire pits, outdoor stereos, outdoor games (ping pong anyone?).

My favorite piece of outdoor Patio furniture is a hammock!