Easy Weekend Makeover: Revive Your Patio With These Simple Tips

When spring arrives outdoor spaces become an extension of our home. It’s time to dust off those areas and transform them into warm-weather retreats – for enjoying a deliciously grilled meal or entertaining guests while enjoying the serenity of a cool spring evening. Below are a few quick tips to help with getting that outdoor space ready to go!

Determine how big or large you want the project to be. Transforming an outdoor area can be as simple as positioning furniture and redistributing accessories. A few new pillows and plants can take a space from mundane to stylish. To make it a little less overwhelming, you can break it down to smaller tasks, all of which can be accomplished in one weekend!

1. Clean!

Empty pots and clear out furnishings. Remove everything so you can have a clear view of the space. Hose off pots to get the dirt off the outside and wash the interior (use a small amount of disinfectant to rid the pot of last year’s bacteria). Clean out all the gutters. Power wash or hose off the area of the house that you’re working around, including walls and pavement.

Don’t forget to change the bulbs and make sure all of your outdoor lighting works.

Aside from your artificial equipment, it is also crucial to clean up your garden and rid it of any weeds. One of the most effective ways to do this is to invest in mulch.

Mulch helps suppress the worst nightmare of any gardener: weed growth! Putting a layer of mulch down will suffocate the weeds in your garden by blocking sunlight and thus, preventing weeds from getting the nutrients they need to survive. So, not only does mulch raise the appearance of your garden and keep your plants healthy, but it will also keep weeds away.

Weeds that have begun to germinate in your garden desperately need sunlight to grow, and mulch will block them from the sunlight and disallow them from thriving. If you already have weeds in your garden, you should do your best to get rid of them immediately because weeds tend to spread in the same way that a virus does. Mulch helps slow the virus of weeds by obstructing them from emerging in new areas and taking control of your plants.

Weed seeds tend to travel to your garden through the wind where they land in your soil and begin to emerge. Adding a 3-inch layer of mulch will prevent weed seeds from landing and growing in your soil. In other words, mulch acts as a barrier to keep weed seeds out of your garden and out of your mind.

2. Spruce up the surrounding area.

A little bit of landscaping goes a long way. Prune nearby trees and shrubs and add new mulch to all nearby landscaping. Mulch in and of itself can bring new life to the areas surrounding your patio.

ulching gives a finished look and it can also bring color as there are several types of mulch to choose from. At JK Enterprise, we offer a variety of colored-enhanced mulches that you can pick and choose from to find what color will work best in your garden. Before you began constructing your garden, you may have had a visual image of your dream garden. Colored-enhanced mulch can help make that dream into reality by creating an interesting and visually stimulating emphasis on your most beautiful plants. If you have a set of colorful and vibrant plants, a darker mulch will help those colors stand out and leave your neighbors speechless when they see your beautifully manicured and professional garden.

You can also consider adding or cleaning up flower beds around the patio. Flowerbeds will give your outdoor area a lively feel and also create a space to add decorative stones or other outdoor accessories.

If you decide to add decorative stones or other outdoor accessories, a layer of mulch can act as an intermediate boundary between the artificial and natural elements of your landscape. If you have stone or concrete footpaths adjacent to your garden, a layer of mulch can create a seemingly effortless transition from artificial to natural. This creates a natural flow within your landscape and will contribute to your landscape’s aesthetic appeal. Mulch will also help prevent the emergence of weeds surrounding your footpaths as mulch deters weed growth.

3. Do some shopping (or dress up your old stuff).

Take a look at your existing furniture. You can paint it with a special spray made for metal or plastic furniture, if you just want to give it a new look or shine it up. You could even consider adding a fun new color! Remember to clean the furniture first or the new paint will flake and chip. You could even look for a new (to you) patio set at a flea market or estate sale.

To give your furniture a new look and feel, add some new cushions and pillows. Cushions in a solid neutral color will give everything a fresh, crisp look. Neutral could be a blue, beige, lime green or anything that can be accented with fun patterns to highlight an occasion. For instance, a neutral color can be accented with bright floral decorations for a luau.

If you’re looking for something simple, you might just need a new umbrella in a fresh color or add a few new plants and outdoor rugs.

4. Finishing touches.

Plant the pots with annuals and herbs to bring some color. You can add some sheet moss to the top of your planted masterpieces to retain moisture. Place the pots around your patio to fill those empty spaces with a bit of color. Add some green warmth by adding a few new trees or shrubs if your budget permits.

Arrange your furniture. Create conversation areas by placing club chairs on a diagonal or place a few lounge chairs facing the patio. These areas create an additional view and extend your space for entertaining.

Voila! In as quickly as one weekend, you can say farewell to that drab winter space, and completely revive your patio to welcome spring and entertain guests. This quick makeover will pay off through the summer season. Enjoy!