With most of us spending so much more time at home lately, it’s no wonder that the sales of home furniture and accessories has been one of the few bright spots in the retail picture. And now that summer is upon us, people are spending more money on sprucing up their patios so they can feel like they’re on vacation without actually going anywhere.
I have a rooftop deck for my condo that, unfortunately, I have long neglected. In fact, I never ventured out to the patio because the furniture was weather battered, with seat cushions either covered in grime or not even there at all. But being sequestered at home made me long for a comfortable outdoor space that I could use as a refuge.
My first impulse was to put everything in the trash and start over with new outdoor furniture. That seemed wasteful to me, though. The metal and wicker frames for my patio seating were still in decent condition. They just needed a good scrubbing. As for the cushions, I found some money-saving solutions that gave my furniture new life. Then I added a few inexpensive touches to make my patio the retreat I had been wanting. It may not feel like I’m exactly in Maui, but it does give me the feel of a hip rooftop bar. And I’m not going to one of those anytime soon.
Tip No. 1: Slipcover the cushions
Many of my patio cushions had disappeared through the years, but the ones remaining were still in good shape. Dirty and faded yes, but still firm. Rather than relegating them to a fate in the trash pile, I decided to slipcover them. If you’ve ever gone to a local upholsterer for slipcovers, you know how expensive that can be. But not at one of my favorite online resources, slipcovershop.com. To rejuvenate my outdoor sofa, I measured the dimensions of my cushions and chose a spiffy weatherproof fabric, and they sewed my custom zippered slipcovers in one week. The cost of the seat cushion slipcover was $99, and the back cushion slipcover was $69 — with fabric, labor and shipping included.
Tip No. 2: Purchase replacement cushions
For my outdoor chairs that no longer had cushions, I did some online investigating and found that it’s easy to find new replacement cushions in the correct sizes. This seat and back cushion set from kohls.com was only $67 — much more affordable than buying a new chair — and it fit perfectly.
Tip No. 3: Re-cover pillows
My outdoor throw pillows had seen better days, but instead of replacing them, I just bought new waterproof pillow covers from Amazon. I found them in packs of two for just $14.99.
Tip No. 4: Add a fake hedge
My patio looks out onto my neighbor’s backyard, and that view was a real buzz kill. An easy and stylish solution was this faux ivy privacy fence. It was very easy to attach to the metal railings with zip ties, and the ivy even has a mesh backing that makes the fence more opaque. I love that it looks like I have an ivy hedge on my deck. I used two rolls of ivy, which were $45.99 each on Amazon.
Tip No. 5: Get comfy with a rug
An outdoor rug helps define your space, and it makes lounging outside so much more comfortable. You can go barefoot without worrying about stepping on dirt or gravel. And I know my dogs love snoozing on the rug in the sun. This rug was $95 on Kohls.
Tip No. 6: Draw the curtains
I will admit that there is no practical reason to have curtains in an outdoor space. However, the flowing fabric completely changes the look and feel of the patio — it’s almost like a private cabana. And don’t worry about how the curtains will survive outside; they are shower curtains, so rain is no problem. A set of two shower curtains was only $18 on Amazon.
Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at here.
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