Black & White Patio Transformation

I'm so excited to finally get this post up because it's been a long time coming!

We started working on our back patio about two  years ago when we decided we needed to make it a place that we actually enjoyed being. 

We had several issues going against us and it's taken us some time to come up with solutions for all of them and cultivate our dream space. 

The main issues: 

1. Our patio area isn't completely covered. Meaning parts of it still gets rain/full sun and the full impact of Arkansas weather. We needed things that could 'weather' all of that pretty well. 

2. We have two outdoor dogs that were constantly bringing mud, dirt, hair and all that fun stuff up into that area. It was constantly dirty & dusty and it made my head spin. 

3. We live on a sloped lot. BONUS with there being virtually no trees so leaves weren't a huge issue. But water, dust, and any yard debris inevitably ends up on the patio. Cue head spinning again. 

So. We had to come up with some creative solutions. The main one being how to create a more closed off space without spending wayyy too much money and still keeping it aesthetically pleasing. 

I don't have the best before/after photos because I was a horrible blogger during the process but let's use this one to show the crazy transformation it went through: 

I'm sure I purposefully didn't take pictures of the yard side before because it was such a disaster but the top gives you a good idea of what we were working with. 

We attempted a table back there for a bit but it just filled up too much of our usable space and wasn't as convenient/comfy as we wanted. 

Our first decision was to create a boundary so it could stay clean (er), attempt to keep some of the yard debris/dirt from getting in as much and keep the dogs out when we wanted. 

We ended up coming up with a two-fold idea. 

We loathed the idea of drilling into the concrete patio slab so we opted for a black iron fence around the perimeter of the patio. We were able to get a gate and fencing pieces that were easily pounded into the ground from Lowes. I LOVE the look of them and that they allowed the dogs (and us) in and out when we wanted. To solve the not drilling into the patio problem, we used Maggie's playhouse to create a 'wall' on the small side that goes further back along the house. 

We angled it to create the perfect boundary between the brick wall  & the metal fencing. Plus, it allows Maggie to have somewhere to create & play when we are outside. 

Maggie's playhouse was a fun find from our local Dirt Cheap that we brought home, assembled and fixed up to make it look like a mini version of our neighborhood bakery! I painted the front door blue, touched up some trim pieces to be white and white-washed the stone to make it a little less orange. 

It was a fun & easy little update to the already adorable play house. I'm thinking it needs to stay even when she outgrows it! 

This little area right outside the door needed something fun & happy to finish it out! 

Those stools are one of my most FAVORITE hauls from one of our local schools selling their classroom items when they closed. They were science lab stools that were yellow/orange in color before I got a hold of them. 

I'll need to share the super quick update I did with them soon! So easy and made a HUGE difference. 

We created a mini bar type space with two metal corbels & a piece of scrap barn wood. The corbels are screwed directly into the brick for stability and the wood is attached to them. The two white shutters were pieces I've had forever that filled out the space perfectly. 

Keeping it functional included making space for hubby's ginormous grill. 

I can't complain as it sure keeps us in yummy food! 

I created a storage area for his tools, our glassware, bug sprays, etc with a repurposed buffet table. It sits fully tucked under the covered patio area so it doesn't receive any rain or sun which was important since it's not an outdoor piece of furniture. I did seal it just in case and it has feet protectors on in case rain creeps back there somehow. But it's been there for about a year now and has held up great. 

It's painted a deep grey and I added two hooks & a bottle opening to the side of it for easy access storage of grill tools. 

The "Luke's" sign was an immense project of love & patience. I took an old tabletop we had been given and painted it white. I created a stencil of sorts and handpainted my favorite logo onto the middle of it. 

It's also sealed well just in case rain creeps back there but it's been holding up great. 

The black bench was a purchase from when we originally had the table back there. It sits neatly up next to the window now and serves us well for extra seating and storage space. It holds all our cushions up off the ground when we want to keep them safe from the rain and wind. It also holds our cute basket of outdoor toys we keep in the backyard. 

You can get a much better glimpse of our gate/fencing here. It's been the best thing to keep dirt/grass/leaves off the patio. We still have to sweep occasionally but it's so much better now! We created small flower beds (that still need a LOT of love) outside of them, a small stone path leading to the trampoline and filled the beds with white rock to keep the grass away from the patio. 

They weren't in full bloom in this shot but we have a mass of knock-out roses all along the house and they bloom like crazy behind my swing. It's one of my favorite places to be when the roses are in full bloom. 

We had a family of cardinals make a nest behind the swing in the bushes this year and it was so fun seeing them come & go. 

My swing is my HAPPY place. We bought it before the transformation took shape and it was my favorite place to be even before things got cleaned up. It is one of our most favorite purchases ever. I surrounded it with lanterns and a pretty plant for an even more 'oasis' type feel to it. It's the best place to be, seriously. 

The saga of our sectional set will forever be etched into my mind as it was quite the wait to get it here. Hubby purchased it for me for Mother's Day in early May with the Amazon promise that it would be here in a week. Well COVID deterred that plan and we didn't end up receiving it until almost July. It was a huge bummer to wait so long for it and we almost gave up on it a couple times but it was so worth the wait! 

It fills out the space perfectly and has created the comfy, inviting vibe we so wanted. Now hubby has a comfy place to sit while he's grilling and I'm reading on my swing. Rosey is a big fan of it too if you can't tell :) 

I added outdoor blankets (LIFE HACK TIP: buy soft shower curtains to use as blankets outdoor. They are cute, mildew resistant and easy to clean. Plus they are lightweight, perfect for summer/fall days. I get mine for $4 at our Dirt Cheap)

I can't tell you how thankful we are for this space lately and the ability to 'get away' at home when the world feels so chaotic and crazy. I can envision so many fun nights with friends & family here too. 

Plus, let's just picture being curled up on the swing with the lanterns lit, a hot drink in my hand and curled under a blanket with a good book in the fall. Talk about speaking my love language. 

I hope you enjoyed my little patio tour. If I'm leaving details off, please comment and ask any questions you want! I'll add a source list to items I used below in case you'd like to know where things are from! 

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Patio Source List: 

Play house: Dirt Cheap

Playhouse door mat and flower bucket: Oak Knoll Creations

Kid picnic table: Roadside find (painted) 

Shutters: Goodwill (painted) 

Stools: School sale (painted) 

Pillows on stools: Target Dollar Spot

Sectional: Amazon by Cosiest

Blankets: Shower curtains from Dirt Cheap

Pillow Covers: Amazon

Wine glasses: Dollar Tree

Grey Buffet: Repurposed piece

Hooks/Bottle Opener/ Hobby Lobby

Lukes Diner Sign: DIY project from Tabletop

Grill: Pitboss Grill

Rug: Target

Swing: TJ Maxx

Tall Plant: Sams

Black & White Planter: Hobby Lobby

Lanterns: Dirt Cheap 

White Metal Round Table: At Home (Painted)