n today’s hustle-bustle world, we all seek simplicity. A quiet, uncomplicated place to soak up the sun, relax with a cocktail or enjoy a romantic dinner under the stars sounds like paradise found… and you can find it in your own backyard. It can be as easy as adding cushions to a fixer-upper chair or as elaborate as planting a living wall. A few small additions can have a big impact, so start making them today and enjoy them tomorrow.

• Define your boundaries. If you don’t have a patio, you can create one by carving out a section of lawn and laying flagstones right on the grass. Plant a leafy privacy wall to create a contained space. Buy large pots pre-planted with shrubby ficus trees and line them around your perimeter to form a thick green hedge, or add a cottage chic feel with oversize potted trellises covered with brightly flowering bower or trumpet vines.
• Bring the look of the garden onto the patio. Enclose your patio with perimeter beds and cluster low-care plants in clay and ceramic pots that double as pretty accessories. Lining plants along a ledge gives color at eye-level.
• Think weatherproof. A metal table and chairs hold up to the elements, so you can leave them outdoors year-round. Add cushions for comfort and an umbrella for shade – both in weather-resistant fabrics – and you have a fuss-free spot to linger and lounge.
• Stick to earth tones – stone grays, timeworn terra cotta and creamy tans, enlivened with accents of green and blue. Working with Mother Nature’s palette is inherently soothing and keeps a variety of textures in harmony.
• Add mood lighting and warmth with a simple tabletop candle lantern and a store-bought chiminea or fire pit. Now, you can easily turn a daytime hideaway into a fabulous place for nighttime entertaining.
• Keep it portable. Chairs draw up to the fire, plants can follow the sun and lighting goes where it’s needed. The result is a patio that’s simple, comfortable and carefree – in other words, perfect!