Has your patio seen better days? The weather can be brutal on our outdoor spaces, and my sister Elizabeth’s patio was in need of a little decorating magic. So, I’m sharing some easy decorating ideas for creating beachy blue vibes along with before and after photos of her patio refresh.
Photos by Macy Yap Photography
In the last 10 years, I have helped my sister Elizabeth with two patio makeovers. This is the third one.
We extended the life of her patio one more year with some new cushions, a coffee table and some styling three years ago. You can read my advice for getting one more year out of your patio furniture here.
Last year when the new seating arrived, the patio cover needed to be replaced as the old one had bent from the wind.
This was the old sectional that had seen better days and had never been comfortable to lounge on. If you’re shopping for a new patio sectional, see the photo below for some details you may want to consider.
Before
Beachy Blue Patio Refresh
This is the new pavilion and because the western sun shines directly on this area in the summer, the fortunate part about adding a wall to block the sun was that it nicely covered some new cedars that had been planted to replace old ones right behind it.
After | Patio lights | Pavilion | Adirondack Chair | Sectional | Rug
Don’t be afraid to use art in your outdoor spaces.
We found the seagull artwork for $40 from HomeSense and I think it’s really fun to have something on the wall even if it is outdoors. It might not last more than one season but for that price, it’s like a bouquet of flowers but better!
There are lots of places to find inexpensive beachy art. I’ve linked a few ideas below.
Shop similar art ideas: Seagull art | Ombre Beach Art | Seagull Beach Canvas | Seabirds Canvas Art | Set of 4 Ocean Prints
Get creative with your outdoor patio decor.
Markus has just a few stuffies so we used them to add some personality 🙂 and help create a kid-friendly space. Who says you can’t combine a little whimsy with all things stylish?
This little penguin stuffie definitely adds to the beachy vibe.
Arrange your outdoor furniture to best fit your patio.
From the old dining set, we kept the patio umbrella and chairs because they were still in good condition.
The rectangular parsons table with two wicker chairs create a much more inviting/coordinated dining set that also fits the area better. I also have a rectangular patio table. Did you see my soothing outdoor sanctuary?
after
This fresh alfresco dining space would make anyone want to eat every meal outside.
My Mom lives in the carriage house right behind my sisters home and her company is always welcome!
How to get the beachy blue patio look.
Pavilion | Adirondack Chair | Sectional | Rug | Dining Table | Dining Chair | Striped pillow
Blue pillow | Teal pillow | Teal ottoman | Seagull art | Steel side table | Garden stool | Patio lights
Have a fabulous week everyone!
Related posts:
How to get One more Season from your Patio Furniture: Before & After
When I searched for new patio furniture two years ago, I made sure to sit on the pieces I was considering buying. It’s incredible how many uncomfortable outdoor couches there are! I also prioritized Sunbrella fabric in a lighter shade that won’t noticeably fade in the sunlight. Since I live in an extremely variable climate (Wisconsin) and the frame is stored outdoors all winter, I bought a sofa with an aluminum frame. Aluminum never rusts!
Our white ourdoor cushions are still in good condition but not white any more. I was thinking about dying them a color….has anyone ever tried that?
Becky Quinlan…if your cushion fabric is a true outdoor fabric, it is meant to repel water, so my guess is it would repel water based dye. I have been researching fabric spray dyes, but they also say, if the fabric repels water the spray dye will not work. I also found a spray fabric upholstery paint, online. I haven’t used, so I don’t know how well it works. This might be something you would want to research.
Such an inviting outdoor room and it repeats the colors inside. I love the beachy look that you created! Your whole family looks like they are totally enjoying the new look. Great colors and great styling! Cudos
Becky, I wonder if chalk paint would do it? I know you can paint upholstery with it. Maybe worth a try? I believe people also paint upholstery with Country Chic paint, a somewhat similar product that comes already mixed. We have this gazebo from Yardistry. In my part of Canada, it can only be purchased through Costco. Well worth it. We got the screened curtains on tracks for it as well which you can buy separately, a necessity if you live in a wooded area with bugs. These gazebos are solid and made of cedar, pre-drilled and easy to build, according to my husband. And the walls shown in Maria’s pictures are also an option. In fact, a large outdoor movie screen to fit the gazebo wall is available, if that’s your thing. I am in the process of searching for patio furniture for our gazebo during this pandemic and it is tough as I can’t sit on pieces to try. And so may sets on line have been sold out, or so sites say. I am looking at Gluckstein patio pieces through the Bay online with aluminum frames and also Ikea’s sustainably sourced Acacia wood pieces that are modular and can be refinished or painted down the road but the cushion quality concerns me. My only hesitation with the Gluckstein set is that it is a dark grey wicker resin and the cushions are a blue grey. My other furniture, dining set etc are warm-coloured browns. My gazebo roof is rust coloured aluminum. I think I am going down the wrong path with blue grey. My house stain is called olive branch by Olympic stain, sort of a yellow-green like light pea soup. My neighbour has the Gluckstein set and is very happy with it but her house is dark grey…looks great on her deck. Oh, what to do? I guess a trip to Ikea now that is has opened in Nova Scotia will help me make up my mind if they have a set that I can sit on to try in the store. I don’t want to make a mistake with this purchase. Patio furniture is expensive considering the short time it is used in Canada. Your sister’s place looks awesome, Maria! So happy! I have lived in the land of muted, dirty colours for years and when I see your posts with the clean, happy blues and greens, it makes me want to start over!
So fresh and beautiful! That tablescape is lovely, too.
LOVE! Thanks for sharing.
Did she have her pavilion custom built or is it a kit, if the latter can you please provide the info?
Do you have a source for her blue Adirondacks and the mosaic coffee table?
Thanks!
Hi Maria,
OHH marine theme is critical in hot Summer .. 🌊⛴👙💙💛❤️ Beautiful selection of color: coffee grey and blue green ..😍 I adore the cute candles and animal pillows 😘🐧🌼🌹🕯….I would really love to see the ropes and knots as well, the kids could clime them ..🥳🥳 and of course the sea fish as a decoration and the fountain .. 🤩🐬🐠🐙⛲️
I envy your large family members who can stay together all the time .. 😌💞💞💞
You did it again! Beautiful and much more functional transformation. Now I’m inspired to do mine too!
Hi Maria,
Beautiful space for your family to enjoy! I like how the chairs are placed slightly outside the edge to expand the seating area within the pavilion. I love the wall. It is so cleverly made. Did you stain it to match the cedar pavilion? It looks like it matches perfectly.
Maria –
This looks lovely! I have to say, I do get distracted with all the other stuff. Your beautiful family, the salad (yum!), and your sister’s shoes LOL.
What a great project. So worthwhile spending money and effort on an outdoor space.
Enjoy!
~S
I love how you have shown this space three times over the years. It shows how you can gradually achieve decorating your vision as you can afford to. Last year’s new coffee table looks even better with the new sectional. Each iteration is better!
I long for a gazebo for my sunny patio, but I do not understand how to anchor it to the stones. You don’t get hurricanes in Vancouver, as we do on the East Coast, but you must get wind-driven rainstorms. How is the gazebo anchored or attached to withstand strong winds? The old one was the metal type I’ve seen people take down and put up every year (groan), the upgrade looks much sturdier as well as more attractive, but the information in the link says it is attached-how? Where? I’d love to hear her whoever installed it weigh in on these functional issues to go along with the gorgeous eye-candy you’ve given us!
Kudos to the salad maker; the edible flowers look divine!
Nice refresh of the patio. Will your climate support endless summer blue hydrangeas? They bloom on both old and new wood, so the bloom period lasts a long time. The flowers can be dried for indoors as well. With your sister’s love of blue and the patio decorated in blue, the blue hydrangeas might be a good addition to your setting.