The ongoing joke with our friends and family right now is that they’re welcome to come over as long as they don’t mind sitting outside. Somehow we managed to finish our outdoor space before anything else, and since we have almost no indoor furniture, we’ll be spending quite a bit of time out there this summer. That said, I don’t mind one bit because I am absolutely in love with our patio design. We were really lucky when we moved in that the previous owner’s had already put in a nice outdoor shower, some landscaping and pavers. Our main goal was to make the space comfortable and practical, somewhere you can put your feet up and just hang out. We partnered with Raymour & Flanigan to furnish the space and we are both thrilled with the final result. It was a fun and easy experience throughout the entire process and I’m excited to share how we decided to decorate.
Dining Area
We went back and forth about whether or not we wanted to have an actual dining area outside. Our indecisiveness was solved when we found this picnic table and bench set. Made up weather resistant acacia wood with a distressed grey look it couldn’t have been any more perfect for our outdoor space. We’ve already put it to good use for BBQs and dining al fresco (we also don’t have an indoor dining table or chairs so eating outside has become the norm). I really love that it doesn’t take up a ton of space but can also fit a lot of people. You can comfortably sit 6-8 people (adding 1 chair on both ends). It’s also really easy to keep clean. It gives the space a nice nautical New England feel. I added some planted herbs and hydrangeas for simple and easy decor that add a summery feel for an outdoor dinner.
Seating Area
We’ve never had a place with a big yard or even a nice patio area, so it was important for us to find comfortable and cozy furniture that’s also low maintenance. The weather in New England is unpredictable and the last thing I want to do is drag furniture in and out so it doesn’t get ruined. When we went up to the Raymour & Flanigan showroom and I saw the Tilley set  I knew immediately it was perfect. While it looks like wood, it’s actually powder coated aluminum so it’s sturdy and durable. The cushions are made from sunbrella fabric which is fade and stain resistant. The sofa and chairs are so comfortable honestly I could lounge out there all day. It was a huge hit at our last BBQ. The arms are extra wide so you can rest your drink without worrying about it spilling. For a little pop of color and an extra resting place for drinks or candles we chose these ceramic stools. They’re easy to move around and great when we have a lot of people over and need extra surfaces. I love the way our patio design came together and how the outdoor space feels like a cozy continuation of the indoors. With the start of summer I’m looking forward to adding more personal touches over the next few months and enjoying the first finished space of our new home.
Thank you to Raymour & Flanigan for providing with me the furniture featured in this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
Love this outdoor furniture set up! The table is perfect and I love the plates!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
Yessss!! That looks like the perfect space!
Thanks Jen! We love sitting outside and enjoying it. xx
Wow! Love what you did with your patio, it’s beautiful!
http://lartoffashion.com/beach-club
Thank you so much Natali xx
This is outstanding!
Thank you so much.
Lovely ideas!! I really like them. Thanks so much for all the wonderful outdoor inspiration!
Your blog is a work of art by itself Jess and the pictures are just as beautiful. Great work!
Awesome. I think I will grab some for my house.
I love the picnic table set you posted there! The link associated isn’t live anymore, so I wondered if there were various picnic tables you found and if you could share those companies with me? Thank you!
I love your outdoor furniture and I’m looking at similar styles. Do you happen to know the overall length of the sofa? It appears to sold out at Raymour (the item listing no longer appears, sadly)? Thank you!
Hi Caitlin,
I’m sorry I don’t. We ended up giving it to a friend because we got something smaller, as much as I loved it and it was super comfy it was too big for us to store anywhere and it would just be totally destroyed if we left it out all winter.