When I think of summer, I think of only ONE thing: Drinks on a Patio.
Of course, before having children, that patio was usually located on College Street, the Danforth, or anywhere that wasn’t my own backyard. The good old days.
However, there’s a certain pleasure in having drinks in your own backyard: there’s no travel involved, you generally enjoy the company, and you don’t have to tip your server.
But here’s the kicker: I don’t actually have a patio! Since moving into our new home six years ago, we’ve had a lot of priorities for the inside of our house (a finished basement, a painted home, an upscale living room) but we were never ready to invest in our backyard. Truth is, for a long time we’ve wondered if we should stay or move, and that factored in our decision to delay the landscaping. And so we set up an old patio set on our lawn and let the kids run around in the summer. For the most part, it worked out well.
However, now that we’ve decided to stay put for a little while, it’s time to do things right. First on our agenda: a backyard makeover.
You knew it was coming… 2013 is the year of #ProjectPatio!
I’ll be sure to share lots of pictures over the upcoming months of how we transform our little backyard into a backyard oasis. In addition to a stamped concrete patio, we’ll be making an investment in a new barbecue, patio furniture and maybe even a paper lantern or two :)
I also admit to lusting over these outdoor fireplaces from Anywhere Fireplaces, available at SHOP.CA.
All the fireplaces are ventless, requiring no construction, chimney, or gas lines. The sophisticated, contemporary style fireplaces are also eco-friendly, at a price within reach for almost anyone. More features and benefits:
– Burns liquid or gel bio-ethanol fuel
– Renewable resource
– Smokeless, odorless
– No soot or ash, no messy clean-up
– Non-polluting
– Only gives off water vapor and CO2
I love the idea of staying warm in style, because sometimes, even summer nights can feel chilly. Here’s a roundup of the more popular models –
Forget about candles and other table top accents to add ambiance. The Lexington Anywhere Fireplace brings you all the tabletop elegance you are looking for with its distinctive shape, high gloss white finish and its real flames. Enjoy the ambiance of a real fire but without the hassle of smoke, melting wax, soot, ash, smell etc. Use it on the dinner table, a low patio table, or a coffee table. This unit is slightly too small for a patio set, but I love the versatility from outdoor to indoor. SHOP.CA Price: $149.99…