7 steps to get that patio party ready

Ahh May. The jackets are coming off. The bugs are coming out. Memorial Day is coming up, and your friends are coming over … unless, that is, your outside is not the place to be.

For the first two years that my husband and I lived in our current home, our backyard was just a place the dogs went so they could track mud in. Then we talked to a landscaper who told us why it wasn’t an inviting place — and we turned it into one.

Today our patio is a space I use far more than any other in the house. I’m writing this column from there right now. If your outdoor space isn’t finished and friendly, you are missing out.

“If we learned one thing from COVID, it is how much we value having a beautiful outdoor gathering place,” said Las Vegas interior designer Patricia Gaylor. But many yards fall short because “too often, homeowners throw some patio furniture outside and expect the space to function and flow. They use the backyard as a drop zone, then wonder why nobody goes out there.”

Great outdoor spaces may look effortless, but they don’t just happen, adds Sarah Fishburne, Home Depot director of trend and design. “The secret to creating a great outdoor living space is to design it the same way you would an indoor space,” she said.

These tips from Gaylor and Fishburne can help you create your own outdoor sanctuary in just seven steps:

Plan: Consider what you want to do in your yard, then “planogram it,” Fishburne said. “Think in zones and sketch out your plan. Identify distinct areas where you want to lounge, eat or cook.” Think through how the areas relate.

Furnish: Decide whether you want furniture that allows you to converse, lounge or dine, then map out a furniture plan, factoring in traffic flow and clearances.

Coordinate: To create a cohesive look, pull the colors you use indoors into your outdoor areas, Gaylor said. It blurs the lines between inside and out, making both living areas appear larger and unified. Use natural colors and textures for background materials, like decks, fencing, and patios.

Equip: There’s never been a better selection of grills, outdoor cooking appliances and tech than now, Fishburne said. In addition to a range of natural gas, propane and pellet grills, outdoor air fryers and portable pizza ovens that run on wood or gas are becoming popular outdoor fixtures. New technology, such as grilling apps that connect to meat meters and tell you when your food is done, is changing how we live outdoors. “Now you can monitor what’s on the grill with an app and enjoy your guests without having to stand over the grill,” Fishburne said.

Accessorize: “The biggest problem I see with outdoor spaces is that homeowners don’t finish the job,” Gaylor said. “They put out furniture and a barbecue and forget to accessorize.” Just as accessories make the outfit, they also make outdoor living spaces inviting. Bright pillows, lanterns for candles, outdoor area rugs and container gardens are easy moves that add that finishing touch. But don’t junk the place up. (No watermelon or flamingo pillows.) Buy quality materials that will last and make sure everything, from candles to cushions, has a purpose.

Flower-ize: Choose containers for flowers that blend with your backgrounds, then pack them full of bright, colorful flowers and plants. When planting a planter, Fishburne uses a layered method she calls “thrill, fill and spill.” The thriller is the tall colorful statement in the middle. Depending on where you live, you might choose cosmos, delphinium or hollyhock. Around that, plant the filler — shorter flowering plants such as lobelia, petunias, pansies and alyssum. Then surround that with something that cascades, such as potato vine, ivy, or creeping Jenny. “Everyone will think your containers were professionally done,” she said.