Inexpensive ways to spruce up a patio?

Question

I have a small patio, with a concrete floor and planting area on 3 sides around the concrete (the other side is for our sliding door to go out). We don't have much but a few potted plants and a bbq grill. We will be selling our place so now I need to get the patio up to par with the rest of the property.

What kind of plants should I put in & furniture? It needs to look nice but also be done on a budget of less than $200.

Thank you!!!

Answer 1

I'd do potential - you want them to envision themselves sitting outside having a nice glass of lemonade in the summer. I'd get 2 chairs and a small table, probably white or green resin (not expensive). Hopefully you can still find these for sale. If not, an inexpensive wood set, or second hand set.

I'd get 8 (or more) potted flowering plants - probably mums this time of year, and put the chair and table in one corner, three plants in corner 2 and 5 plants in corner three. Larger plants, in plain green or clay pots. Get a couple extra pots and turn them upside down and set the plant pots on them - to give some difference in heights.

Put a pretty table runner across the table and a pretty ceramic or glass pitcher in the middle, maybe with some of the mum flowers in it.

Get some plain mulch (and be very careful!! some of it stinks when first applied) and cover the ground around the edges of the patio. Make sure no weeds, no leaves, very neat and tidy overall. I'd probably tuck that BBQ grill in the garage, just to make it neater. Also the potted plants, unless they are truly gorgeous, put them out of sight.

You could possibly put a string of lights out if they would visit in the evening, but don't get anything tacky - no strings of beer can lights or skeletons or such.

Answer 2

We went over this with our realtor.

1. Powerwash it - make it look very very clean.
2. If need be, invest in some concrete stain - pick a neutral color that goes with the house. Beige is common.
3. Keep the furniture simple, if any. Don't buy furniture if you don't have any, and don't cover more than 30% of the patio with furniture. Less is more.
4. Evergreen shrubs. Something taller in the corners, shorter in the middle. Consider a few potted mums in a pattern - alternating purple and yellow, or something like that. Fresh mulch over the planting areas, and get the pots off the patio if you have them. You want the patio to look as big as possible.

As she said to us "People like their houses like they like Marines - polished, pressed and trimmed."

Answer 3

You could purchase a small table with 2 chairs. The plants could be - a Parlour Palm, a Dracaena and a Mother-in-law Tongue. Good luck.