Poured Concrete Patio Ideas: Plants, Pots & Decor
In this post: small and manageable poured concrete patio ideas. How to spruce up a plain space with outdoor decor, plants, pots and more.
*Affiliate links included. Click HERE for my disclosure statement.
You know that sigh of relief you breathe when a large project is finished? I finally took that breath and closed the book on our new, poured concrete patio. I don’t know about you, but when I begin a project like this, I have a vision of the end result. I can see the space in my mind…and just hope that the finished product turns out a little bit like my imagination!
In this case, it did. We’re very happy with the way everything turned out, so let’s get right to it.
Poured Concrete Patio Goals:
- Small & easy to manage: the most important thing to me was that this new outdoor space was small and easy to manage. I wanted less of everything. Less mulch, not as many plants, and a much smaller footprint.
- Low maintenance: I definitely wanted low or no maintenance. In my experience, no outdoor space is maintenance free…but a poured concrete patio comes very close. There will be no need to seal it for several years and it won’t rot.
- Easy to clean: I wanted something that was easier to keep clean. Our home is in the middle of what used to be a dense woods. Even though countless trees have been removed, there are still so many left. Tree debris wreaks havoc on an outdoor space and I was very tired of cleaning out the spaces between our deck boards several times a year!
See phase I of this project by clicking this link:
To see a photo of our backyard from 2015, click {HERE.}
Poured Concrete Patio Ideas for Decor
(All items still available are listed at the end.)
- Since I was working with a plain, hard surface, I knew I needed to provide seating and add coziness. I began with what I already had:
- the black wrought iron table and chairs
- 4 black planters (two tall and two square)
- Navy outdoor rug
- I added two more square planters and a set of black all weather wicker chairs. The two tall planters flank the french doors, and the four square planters line the edge of the patio. (FYI: the tall planters are several years old and had begun to fade. I gave them a good cleaning, followed by two coats of spray paint.)
- Since it’s already mid August, I decided to add fall elements. Because I was working around the navy rug, I opted for navy cushions on the chairs. Inexpensive copper throws and navy patterned pillows help to make the space cozy.
- Copper mums, ivy, and asparagus fern filled all the planters.
The chair cushions and throws are very light weight, and are stored in the corner of our family room, in a basket just inside the french doors. The pillows live on our family room sofa, so when needed, we can simply take them from the sofa to the patio.
Things I didn’t anticipate:
- When our old deck was removed, our air conditioner became much more visible. The pad it was sitting on had sunk and the unit was not level. After consulting with our heating & air conditioning company, we decided to raise it on stilts. This solved both the leveling issue, as well as the sinking issue.
- Our deck was hiding a long downspout that was quite an eyesore. I thought maybe I could live with it, but in the end, we had it moved to the other side of the house…and I’m so glad we did!
- The house siding needed repaired from where the deck was attached. 25 years ago, when the deck was installed, the house siding was actually removed. Large screws were used to attach the deck supports to the house. All this needed to be fixed and then everything was painted.
Whenever we are faced with a home improvement project, we always try to choose what is most appropriate for the phase of life we are in at the time. We never decorate or renovate with resale value in mind. Even though there were many other options for an outdoor space, we chose what best suited us now and for several years to come.
At this season in our lives, we wanted a small, intimate space that was easy to maintain. And even though it took much longer than I planned, I believe that goal was accomplished. It’s the perfect space for Kelly to hang out, and for me to enjoy.
When I shared Phase I of this project, some of you emailed to ask about the large hostas that surrounded the old deck. I had them all dug out and placed in one of my garden beds before the deck was removed. I had every intention of using them around the new patio, but because everything took so long, I knew they weren’t going to survive. I tried to keep them watered, but I was fighting a losing battle. After a few weeks, I gave them away to friends, so they all went to a good home. I do miss them though.
Poured Concrete Patio Shopping Sources:
16 inch square planters | tall planters by door | pillow covers | wicker chair set (includes table & cushions) | rug is no longer available | copper fleece throws (similar) | Landen lantern large | Landen lantern medium | table runner | flower crate not available | OSP Paint Colors
I’m looking forward to cool fall days spent on our patio, and I’m relieved that this project is behind us. I’d like to thank Lawhorn Concrete Construction for a job well done. As always, thank you so much for stopping by…
