There is no greater season than summer for spending time out on the patio. Whether you’re entertaining family and friends or relaxing alone with a good book, it’s a place where you should be able to kick back in the warm sunlight and enjoy plenty of fresh air.

Summer is also the perfect time to give your patio a little pick-me-up. No matter what state your patio is currently in, here are a few simple ways you can take your outdoor recreation space to the next level this season.

Break Out the Bold

Summer is all about bright, saturated colors and bold, exciting designs. Give your patio a dose of flavor with outdoor summer decorations and textiles that evoke feelings of excitement and vitality. Rich jewel tones and sunny citrus colors add vibrance, while eye-popping patterns and seasonal motifs bring fun vacation vibes.

Add a dash of daring with things like:

• Bright, lemon yellow textiles
• Beachy palm or flamingo motif chair cushions
• Vivid florals
• Flashy, sun-catching decor
• Colorful resort-style patio umbrellas

Opt for Weather-Friendly Faux Finishes

Your outdoor furniture is constantly exposed to the elements, making wear and tear and environmental damage a major concern. Good storage practices and careful cleaning can help, but without a resilient, protective finish, your patio furniture can quickly start to look aged and worn (and not in a cute, rustic way).

For updated furniture that resists damage from rain and UV rays, upgrade to pieces with weather-resistant faux finishes. Faux wood, faux rattan, and faux wicker are popular choices for outdoor furniture that looks natural without the same damage risks as the actual materials. You can also use protective faux finish paints (like those from Rust-Oleum) to give old pieces a new look and some extra mileage.

Make It a Smart Space with Tech

With today’s wifi- and bluetooth-enabled technology, it’s easier than ever to turn your home patio into a high-tech entertainment space. Bring ambiance and life to your patio with wireless speakers connected to your cell phone or another music-playing device. For easy control, connect patio lighting and other electronics to a smart plug that can be controlled from an app or voice-activated smart device.

If the wifi connection is poor outdoors, you can strengthen the signal to the patio area with a wireless network extender. This is a simple way to make an outdoor space more device-friendly without a complex setup.

Breathe New Life Into Old Furniture

At Cush Living, our custom cushion design services go beyond just picking from a list of fabric colors and patterns. Simply give us some information about what you have in mind, and our talented team will develop a variety of custom cushion concepts and mood boards for your review. We’ll work with you to find just the right design, only moving to manufacturing when you’ve fully approved it.

Custom outdoor cushions allow you to choose everything from the materials used to the visual design, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind piece that perfectly suits your taste. You can also get custom coordinating throw pillows to complete the look.

If you’ve got older outdoor furniture, you don’t necessarily have to toss it and buy a new set just to update your patio. If the materials are still good and the structure is still functional, you can refurbish or repurpose old pieces to seem like new.

Ideas for updating your old patio furniture include:

• Restaining wood pieces to revive their color or switch to a new one
• Repainting furniture to fix chipped paint, change the color and/or add artistic details
• Giving a scratched-up old table a new glass or steel top for a more durable, resistant surface
• Sanding away rust and applying protective coatings

Talk about replacement cushions here (add from bottom)

Remodel and/or Resize It

Before you think about other patio upgrades, assess the situation from the ground up. If your current patio has cracked concrete, shattered brick, or damaged wood decking, a bit of repair may be all you need for a fresh look. You might also consider replacing the base materials with something new, like natural stone or patterned pavers.

This is also a good opportunity to think about the size and shape of your patio space. Are there sections of it that you might like to extend or adjust? How can you shape your patio to fit the ways you use it? Whatever sort of design you envision, summer is a great time for patio DIY projects.

Add Natural Beauty with Plant Life

Bring the charm of nature to your patio with some seasonal greenery. Whether you live in an already lush, rural area or a concrete jungle, the addition of some attractive flower planters, potted shrubs, and/or hanging baskets can make your patio feel like a private garden.

Make sure to choose plants that are suited to your patio’s summer weather. If you want low-maintenance plants you can leave out all season, choose hearty ones that can handle the expected sun exposure, rainfall, and temperature range. If the weather is too harsh or you just don’t have a green thumb, there are also realistic fake plants made for outdoor decor use.

Do Some Rearranging

Sometimes the answer is simpler than you think. Before you go all out and spend big on new stuff, consider just moving things around a bit first. Arrange haphazard furniture into usable groupings, like for a dining area or fireside chat lounge. Move or rotate your outdoor sofa to give yourself a new view, then build the rest around it.

Play around with the space and test out how different options affect the accessibility, flow, and feel. Is it easy to move through? Does it encourage conversation? You might find that just a few adjustments to your current arrangement were exactly what your patio needed.

Bring New Purpose to Your Patio

If your current patio concept is just a collection of folding chairs with no particular use, you might think about creating something meaningful and focused. You can still use your patio for aimless lounging, but designing it around a hobby or activity gives it a lively new purpose.

Ideas include:

• A cozy social area with comfy chairs and a fire pit as the focal point
• An ultimate outdoor kitchen with a grill, prep space, and dining area
• A poolside sunbathing area with lounge chairs, umbrellas, and side tables
• A quaint garden paradise with potted plants, bird feeders, and a cafe table with chairs
• A personal sports bar with a backyard bar counter and outdoor mounted TV

Swap Out Your Throw Pillows

One of the simplest ways to give your patio space a quick facelift is to add some fun new throw pillows. Swap out boring, basic pillows with something vibrant and fresh, or add some to previously undecorated outdoor furniture. Replacing flat, worn-out original pillows with sturdy, weather-resistant ones can make a years-old patio set look like new.

Pillows are an easy, cost-effective solution that can make a big impact on a small budget. They can be changed out and refreshed regularly, giving your furniture a new look and feel with just one move. A good tactic for year-round style is to keep a few options on hand and swap them in and out seasonally (or as you please).

Upgrade Your Patio Access

Even if you already have the patio of your dreams, a clumsy swinging door or bent sliding track can make accessing it an obnoxious ordeal. Invest in new, smooth-gliding patio doors that allow you to move in and out of the house with ease. No more worrying about letting in bugs or “paying to cool the neighborhood.”

Other elements to consider are privacy and security. Installing a fence around your patio with a locking side access gate can provide a privacy screen, prevent entry by unwanted guests, and protect your new patio amenities from would-be thieves.

Play With Lighting

If you plan to use your patio area after sunset, a new lighting setup can turn a basic backyard into an intimate, magical party pad. Consider how different types of lighting and placement will affect the look and feel of the space.

Here are a few patio lighting options you might try:

• Create a simple, charming look with strings of dimmable outdoor lights draped between poles or along fencing.
• For a classy bit of sparkle, wrap fairy lights around the overhead slats of a pergola.
• If you like a more outdoorsy feel, create a natural summer aesthetic with carefully placed rustic lanterns or solar tiki torches.
• Place candles on outdoor tables for a cozy dining and entertaining area. Use LED candles for consistent “flame” brightness and extra safety.

Make It Your Own with Customized Furniture

Can’t find what you want for your ideal summer patio in stores or online? Take matters into your own hands and create a fully customized outdoor furniture set. If the materials of your current outdoor furniture set are still good and the structure is still functional, you can refurbish or repurpose old pieces to seem like new.

Ideas for updating your old patio furniture include:

• Restaining wood pieces to revive their color or switch to a new one
• Repainting furniture to fix chipped paint, change the color and/or add artistic details
• Giving a scratched-up old table a new glass or steel top for a more durable, resistant surface
• Sanding away rust and applying protective coatings

Browse our photo gallery or contact us today to find out how we can help you create your perfect summer patio.