My backyard patio is truly my happy place, and it is also one of the topics I’m asked about most often. I moved from Wisconsin where we had big, open yards to Texas where our homes are much closer together with fenced in backyards. I knew I wanted expand out actual patio to create something different: a look that I didn’t see everywhere else. But, it still had to be practical and a place where my kids can play, so you won’t find a beautiful tablescape that my kids would use as toys. Here are all the details…

WHO DID THE PATIO?

Let’s answer that simply- not us. You know I love Sebastian Maniscalco, and he has a joke about asking a friend what he did this afternoon and the friend replies that he built a deck meanwhile Sebastian took a nap. Well, my husband and I aren’t napping but we aren’t building decks. We leave the professional tasks to the professionals, so we hired this job out! I knew exactly what I wanted, so I literally sketched it out, gave the dimensions, and all the little details.

IS THE GRASS REAL OR ARTIFICIAL?

The grass is artificial and that was the landscaping recommendation. I never thought about artificial turf but I was told that in a 100 degree Texas summer, the grass would be fried and brown and the look of the patio wouldn’t match my vision. There are several types of artificial grass I selected from. At first, the artificial grass looked too perfect but it’s actually gotten more realistic looking with time.

WHERE DID YOU GET ALL THE FURNITURE?

While we were putting in our patio (it became a much bigger task when I told the company that I wanted a diagonal pattern), I had a good amount of time to order furniture. I love a classic look with just about everything. I knew I wanted teak wood and ivory/beige umbrellas and cushions. For colors in my home, I always do some pops of blue and green.
I actually selected THIS furniture. You know I love a look for less, so when I stumbled upon the conversation set we had (which looked so similar and beautiful), I went down a rabbit hole of finding all sorts of items I loved just as much for a fraction of the price! All of those items are linked below.

Conversation Set (here)
I can’t recommend it enough. Disclaimer- it was a pain to put together. In fact, I asked my handyman to complete the job for us. It’s held up for going on 4 years. The pieces are surprisingly sturdy and I just love the look. It’s available in teak (which I have) and this gray.

Folding Wooden Table (here)
This dining table is so cool and when I saw the features- I ordered TWO! Each side folds down, so you can use it as a large table, half a table or fold both sides down for space-saving storage.

Black and White Woven Rattan Dining Chair (here)
When I was shopping initially, I picked out similar chairs that were around $400/each. When I found these at less than half the price, I scooped them up! I love the look and they’re so easy to wipe down and clean.

Bar Serving Cart (here)
It’s just too cute! Practical and pretty to style for a party or everyday.

8’5 ft. Beige Patio Table Umbrella (here)
This is the umbrella I have at our patio dining table.

10 ft. Large Umbrella (here)
This is the umbrella I have over our 2 chaise lounge chairs. I searched high and low for a “cantilever umbrella”, and they are a very pricey item. This one had amazing reviews and and even more amazing price. You can fill the base with water or sand for stability – ours has never tipped over even in hurricane storms.

Reclining Chaise Lounge Chair with Cushion (here)
There are comfier lounge chairs but this is the exact look I was going for!

Beige Blue Striped Rug (here)
I color online doesn’t do it justice – you can see in my photos how beautiful it is and it makes the teak furniture pop.