8 Patio Living Options to Make your Summer Sizzle

Summer always seems to just fly by. Most of us like to stretch it out as long as we can by soaking up every possible minute of summer weather.

Leisure time becomes synonymous with outdoor time. Warm summer days stretch into lazy summer evenings. And our gardens and patios or decks become a central place for every activity from playing and basking in the sunshine, to grilling, planting herbs, dining and curling up with a good book.

With a few key adjustments, you can have the kind of organized outdoor space that lets you feel at home, outside. In this post, discover 8 patio living options to make your summer sizzle.

Heat Up your Evenings

Fire pits conjure up childhood memories of summer camp and camping, hot dogs on a stick and toasted marshmallows.

You can bring those memories into the present and extend your summer evenings into the cooler fall with a built-in fire pit like the one in this Meditteranean-style patio.

Take Cover

This summer, stay in the shade with a patio cover. Go with the traditional awning, or opt for the charm of a thatched and curved patio cover like this one.

Outdoor Patio/Living Room

Photo by Kim Woods – More traditional patio ideas

Extend the Fun

You can take to your patio living to a whole new level by treating it like a home extension… less a few walls.

This covered patio houses an outdoor living room, complete with fireplace and television.

Outdoor Living Room

Create a Nook

Sharing a garden with your neighbors can be an advantage, if you create a cozy nook like this one for dining al fresco.

Outdoor Spaces

Contain the Mess

Craving a little green in your patio living space? Make creative usage of containers to build in some garden space without muddying up your patio floor.

Pacific Heights Family Home

Let Nature In

Cozy up your patio living by bringing nature in. Is your space small? No worries, make use of vertical space with an assortment of trees and shrubs.

Birds of Prey Courtyard Garden by Living Green

Bring Art to Life

Use low-growing succulent plants to line your patio walls with living art like this one.

Wall-to-Wall Art

Go vertical with your live art and design a planted mural of succulents like this one.