One-Day Patio Refresh: How a Few Simple Swaps Created a Backyard Oasis

One of my favorite parts of summer is getting to eat outside. There is something about the fresh air and the warmth of summer sunshine that makes us linger a little longer, inviting meaningful conversations around a shared table and making even the most mundane meal seem a bit magical.

When we first saw our home with its expansive patio, we knew it had the potential to be a cozy, intimate space that beckoned us to come and to savor sweet summer moments shared with others around the table.

The problem was, it didn’t.

It had all the ingredients of a beautiful outdoor space, but somehow it wasn’t the place we imagined it could be.

It wasn’t that our patio was unusable, but most of the time it was not inviting. We had purchased a patio dining set off of Facebook Marketplace a few years ago and it had served its purpose well. But we didn’t actually use it as much as we wanted to for a few reasons.

First, our patio chairs had cushions, which were incredibly comfortable, but most of the time we kept the cushions inside because they would get soaked in the rain and take days upon days to dry. Once we brought the cushions inside, however, we always hesitated to bring them out again because it was A) a hassle or B) we knew we would just need to bring them in again because here in Alberta summertime = thunderstorms. The cushions (or the lack thereof) always made us think twice about sitting out there, which is the complete opposite of it being inviting.

Secondly, our patio table could really only seat six comfortably, which was fine for Andy and I. But if we were hosting a larger gathering (which we often do), we would opt to sit inside because of lack of space. This was silly, though, because our patio is significantly larger than our dining room. So we wanted to find a way to make our dining table itself inviting as well.

We realized that our outdoor space wasn’t actually reflecting the way we wanted to live. We wanted a place where we wouldn’t have to think twice about sipping a cup of coffee in the morning, eating outside on a beautiful summer night, and hosting gatherings of all sizes. We wanted our patio furniture to reflect something deeper: to help us create a place of connection and belonging. And we knew that a few simple furniture swaps could help us do just that.

Beauty as a Function

While functionality is important, I am a firm believer that when it comes to creating inviting spaces, beauty is a function. A space that feels beautiful and cared for naturally draws us in and says “this place is worth enjoying.”

For our patio I wanted it to be a beautiful space that felt happy and inviting – the type of space that says “Hey, I’m glad you’re here. Come pull up a chair and stay awhile.” I also wanted the style of furniture to tie in with the character of our 1938 home, but not feel too stuffy or unapproachable. I wanted it to feel refined, but relaxed, where each furniture piece was intentional and purposeful, yet also fun and whimsical.

Think: easy, breezy, beautiful patio furniture.

Practicality Is Key

Now while I love a magazine-worthy patio, I also knew that a beautiful space that wasn’t also functional would not get used. That’s why it was equally important that we selected furniture for the space based on how we actually live, not just how it looks online or in the store.

Before choosing furniture, we needed to get clear on what we actually needed our patio furniture to do for us. Some questions that were helpful for us to consider are:

How many people do we typically host?
What maintenance are we realistically willing to do for our patio furniture?
What weather challenges does our climate create?
What would make us actually use the space mroe often?

For the table, I was looking for something that would seat at least eight comfortably and that would be easy to clean, maintain and store. For the chairs, I was looking for ones that were comfortable even without cushions, durable and easy to maintain, quick-drying after a summer thunderstorm, and stackable for storage over winter.

And most importantly, I didn’t want any of it to cost us an arm or a leg.

The Final Look

When searching for furniture, I found it easiest to start with the table and this Outdoor Solid Eucalyptus Wood Dining Table immediately caught my eye. I thought that the honey-toned wood would tie in perfectly with some of the other natural wood elements throughout our backyard and help to bring some warmth to the large expanse of concrete patio pavers. I also loved the elegant curves of the table’s legs, which added a classic, almost cafe-inspired feel to the space.

Then it was time for the chairs. I felt that matching wooden chairs would overwhelm the space visually and that black chairs would seem a bit too modern for the cottage garden feel we are going for. So when I found these Steel Outdoor Stacking Chairs, I immediately fell in love. Their warm greige tones tie in perfectly with our home’s lighter stucco color and their curved backrest echoes the curves of the table legs. The woven texture of the chair backs also helps to soften the look of the chairs, making them feel a bit more laid back and relaxed. The best part? I got the chairs on clearance, making them one of the budget-friendly patio dining chairs I could find.

Lastly, I wanted to find a simple umbrella that would help tie everything together and this Market Patio Umbrella did just the trick. It opens up easily and closes with the touch of a button, providing our space with some much needed shade on those hot summer days. Visually, it also helps to also draw the eye upward, providing balance for the table below without distracting from the natural beauty of our surroundings.

With these simple swaps, we were able to create a space that invites us to gather with those we love – one that doesn’t wait for the perfect occasion to “bring out the cushions,” but invites us to eat outside on a whim and savor summers spent out on the patio. Because at the end of the day, the goal was never to just have a pretty patio. It was to create a space that made it easier to say yes – yes to a slow morning coffee, yes to dinner outside on a Tuesday night, yes to inviting friends over for a spontaneous summer BBQ, yes to lingering a little longer around the table, and yes to creating a home where connection comes naturally.