Although our team has been fully settled in the bungalow for a few months now, there was one final area of the space that we’ve been anxiously eyeing, excited to get our hands on it once warmer weather started teasing us with the promise of outdoor parties. Our back patio is finally finished! And we couldn’t be happier with how it all came together, from the tile to the outdoor furniture to the colorful accessories that give it a Moroccan courtyard vibe. Scroll on to see how we decorated it using ALL pieces from Target, and stay tuned next week for the video showing our first party in the new space!
photography by Kristen Kilpatrick
The french doors open onto this cozy rectangular area that we’re envisioning for all kinds of gatherings. Once warm weather in Austin hits, everyone wants to live outside. We wanted to design a space where our friends and collaborators could feel welcome to come on over for rosé on a Friday afternoon, and this Stanton Wood Patio Bistro Set is the perfect conversation area for doing just that.
When we started designing the space, we had a few must-haves:
- cozy conversation area for lounging with friends
- cool planters in a variety of sizes and shapes to fill the space with plants
- string lights overhead so our backyard parties can stretch way past sunset!
The first step in the process was choosing a few weatherproof, classic furniture pieces to anchor the space and make it feel like an outdoor room. We loved this Fernhill Patio Loveseat, Wood Coffee Table from Project 62, Wicker Patio Chat Set and Oceans Wood & Rope Patio Club Chair.
They’re all super durable, neutral pieces with great silhouettes that will last for many summers to come, and it’ll be easy to mix things up by swapping out more colorful, affordable accessories like pillows, throws, and hurricanes.
These colorful accessories add just the right amount of pattern and texture to our otherwise neutral furniture selections:
- Pink and White Stripe Throw Blanket
- Teal Macrame Trim Oversized Throw
- Cream Tufted Lumber Pillow
- Cream Macrame Oversized Square Pillow
I actually think it’s more fun to decorate a smaller space since it allows us to focus on making the little details special! A cozy area does mean we had to carefully consider the scale when choosing furniture: a loveseat fits perfectly in an alcove where a larger couch might feel too overwhelming.
I know, I know… the tile! We’re as obsessed with it at you are. It’s the Asrabesque tile from Ann Sack’s Hacienda Collection in ocean green and rice. Swoon.
I love a backyard surrounded by hedges and vine-covered fences – we’re growing jasmine vines all over metal trellises around the property and I’m hoping that by next year, they’ll provide plenty of privacy and make the yard feel like it’s a lush oasis. For now though, we placed big potted plants like Bird of Paradise, Bamboo Palm and Vinca flowers around the patio area to give it tropical vibes.
This weekend will be the perfect time to break out the bar cart and setup a small but mighty drinks station — it takes up less room than a full bar, and keeps the flow of guests circulating around the space. How gorgeous is this new Cassia Rattan Bar Cart from Opalhouse?
At first, we talked about getting a ping pong table jokingly. But once we realized we had the perfect spot for it, we thought, why not? Say hello to our new mid-workday activity. If you need us, we’ll be rallying out back…
